Prime Minister Liz Truss faced ridicule following a perplexing statement made in response to comparisons between herself and Labour’s Andy Burnham. The former 49-day leader reacted to reports suggesting that Keir Starmer’s allies view Mr. Burnham as “Labour’s Liz Truss.” Truss, who lost her seat last year and resigned from No10 in 2022 after a disastrous mini-budget, retorted, “He (Mr. Burnham) should be so lucky.” This comment garnered puzzled reactions, with one Twitter user remarking on her brief tenure as PM and suggesting humility would be appropriate.
Critics accused Truss of displaying a “brass neck” and questioned the luck in her actions that led to economic downturns, increased mortgages, and pension setbacks. Meanwhile, pressure mounts on Kemi Badenoch to expel Truss from the Tory Party due to her controversial statements, including remarks sympathizing with Tommy Robinson. Labour deputy leader contender Bridget Phillipson condemned Badenoch’s support for Truss and called for her removal from the party.
Truss has been under fire for various recent statements, including advocating for the removal of the BBC’s White House credentials, aligning with Donald Trump on immigration policies, and criticizing the Bank of England. Amid speculation that Andy Burnham may challenge Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership, he criticized Starmer’s team for fostering a “climate of fear” and called for significant changes within the party. Burnham emphasized the need for higher council taxes on southern homes and a 50p top interest rate.
Acknowledging encouragement from MPs to challenge the PM, Burnham stressed his commitment to honesty and transparency in his responses. He clarified that the decision to challenge the party leadership rested with the party in Parliament and emphasized the importance of substance over personality in any leadership contest. Burnham expressed frustration with Westminster’s handling of straightforward answers, suggesting a disconnect between political discourse and honesty within the political sphere.