As landing zones go, it was a tight one. In her speech to the Conservative Party Conference, Liz Truss needed to try to restore discipline to her Cabinet, instil confidence in the markets and reassure an electorate buffeted by rising prices and mortgage hikes.
Truss called for an end to “drift and delay” while stating that “whenever there is change, there is disruption”. Tory MPs and party members in Birmingham would be forgiven for thinking the Prime Minister was referring to the nationwide rail strikes hampering their journeys home.
Many such speeches take place amid difficult backdrops, with leaders trying to unite their party — often in the face of turbulent economic conditions. That was certainly the case today. And the challenge for the Prime Minister does not get any easier from here. Parliament returns next week and if the divisions within the Cabinet and backbench revolts endure, Truss will face battles over some of her flagship policies. Not only the dumped 45p tax cut but also on benefits and key pillars of her plan for growth such as planning reform.
Beyond today’s address, Truss must find a way of uniting the Tories, starting with the Cabinet. Only then can the Prime Minister embark on the reforms she believes Britain needs to escape an era of stagnation.
War at a turning point
Wherever Vladimir Putin’s forces retreat — and they have been doing plenty of that in recent days — we see the terror and destruction left in their wake. Every inch of territory that the Ukrainian army regains from Russia is precious.
And there is a vital political element as well. Each town recaptured sends a message not only to Russia but to the international community: that Ukraine can win this war and Western support in the form of cash, military hardware and training is paying dividends.
There are fears of what a cornered Putin could do. Russia has made nuclear threats, rightly condemned around the world, with US president Joe Biden stating there would be a substantial Western response to any such action.
Our resolve must remain strong. When peace comes, it cannot be imposed on Ukraine. It will only happen because a sovereign nation, home to a brave and patriotic people, fought for their futures and for the very ideas of liberty, democracy and self-determination. And we in Britain will be proud to say we backed them.
What’s in a name?
Forget what your parents told you, the facts are clear: people really do judge a book by its cover and make their purchases accordingly. It’s the same for names.
Even if you don’t go all-in on nominative determinism (are American boys called Dennis really more likely to become dentists?) our names, not of our own choosing, stay with us forever. Today, the Office for National Statistics revealed the most popular baby names in the UK. Noah has secured top spot for the boys, ending Oliver’s impressive eight-year reign. However, Olivia did at least maintain the girls’ number one ranking for a sixth successive year.
Sadly, Jack has fallen out of the top 10 for the first time since 1996. All good things must come to an end.
