“She’s still in charge” – UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt insists Liz Truss is still leading the Conservative Party
“SHE’S STILL IN CHARGE” – Recently-appointed UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has insisted that Liz Truss is still in charge of the government, despite a series of U-turns that have put her premiership in jeopardy.
Some Tory backbenchers have reportedly been talking privately about how to remove the PM from office. It follows market turmoil led, which led Truss to abandon her flagship tax policies.
But Hunt is urging the party to unite behind her, as the pair held crunch talks to thrash out plans on tax and spending.
It comes despite speculation that Hunt is now captain of the conservative ship.
“She’s listened. She’s been willing to do that most difficult thing in politics, which is to change tack,” Hunt said to the BBC.
Hunt replaced Kwasi Kwarteng on Friday. The former chancellor was removed from his post following financial turbulence in the wake of last month’s mini-budget.
A key test of the government’s moves so far will come when markets reopen early on Monday.
In the U.S., President Joe Biden has also weighed in on the government’s tax cuts.
Speaking to reporters during a campaign visit, he said the outcome was “predictable”.
“I wasn’t the only one that thought it was a mistake”, Biden said. He added that he had disagreed with “the idea of cutting taxes on the super wealthy”.
