Liz Truss and the Conservative Party.

[Cowley]

It feels like after her first Prime Minister’s Questions appearance it’s a good time to draw a line under the previous poll based thread.

So here we are with a new PM (the fourth in six years). How is this likely to play out and is Truss facing the worst outlook for an incoming PM in over 40 years (I don’t know, I’m just throwing it out there )?

 

[Gloster]

Appointing Steve Baker to the Northern Ireland Office does not bode well for the prospects of reasoned negotiation over the Protocol.

 

[Cowley]

Appointing Steve Baker to the Northern Ireland Office does not bode well for the prospects of reasoned negotiation over the Protocol.

I’ve tried to be fairly neutral in that opening post but I don’t think much of it bodes too well so far.

 

[MikeWM]

I suspect if she can somehow navigate the next 6 months, without being paralysed and/or overwhelmed by the almost unprecedented quantity and variety of serious problems we have in the country and the world, she may appear to be in a fairly decent position by the springtime, given we all now pretty much expect this winter to be disastrous in so many ways anyway.

Very massive 'if' there though!

 

[Busaholic]

Appointing Steve Baker to the Northern Ireland Office does not bode well for the prospects of reasoned negotiation over the Protocol.

Nor does Brandon Lewis's appointment as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice; in 2020 he defended the U.K. breaching International law in the case of the Internal Market Bill. In his new role he has made an oath to defend the rule of law, so his stance on the N.I. Protocol will be watched with great interest.

 

[telstarbox]

I've decided to become right wing so I'm looking forward to her getting on with the job

 

[Bald Rick]

Well it means the Elizabeth Line has new meaning….

 

[Bertie the bus]

How is this likely to play out and is Truss facing the worst outlook for an incoming PM in over 40 years (I don’t know, I’m just throwing it out there )?

The last 4 PMs have all faced huge challenges when taking up office. Things might appear bad now but I'm not sure they are comparable to the near total collapse of global capitalism. Prior to the 2010 election the then Governor of the Bank of England said things were so grim whichever party won the election would have to make decisions so unpopular they would be in opposition for a generation. 12 years later and the Tories are still in government.

 

[Bald Rick]

Prior to the 2010 election the then Governor of the Bank of England said things were so grim whichever party won the election would have to make decisions so unpopular they would be in opposition for a generation. 12 years later and the Tories are still in government.

Arguably the Lib Dems ‘won’ the 2010 election, and they have become so unpopular* they aren’t even close to being opposition.

* except in a few constituencies, including mine.

 

[Cowley]

I finally got a chance to watch PMQs tonight and was quite struck by LT’s slightly breathy and slow delivery. It seemed pretty strange seeing her at the dispatch box I must say.

 

[AlterEgo]

I suspect if she can somehow navigate the next 6 months, without being paralysed and/or overwhelmed by the almost unprecedented quantity and variety of serious problems we have in the country and the world, she may appear to be in a fairly decent position by the springtime, given we all now pretty much expect this winter to be disastrous in so many ways anyway.

Very massive 'if' there though!

Agreed.

I’m very fortunate - because of my idleness - to have fixed my energy bills for a three year period before the current crisis, and estimate it’ll save me several thousand pounds even with the energy caps. The rising cost of energy is so unbelievably concerning for most people I can’t imagine how tens or hundreds of thousands of people won’t be pushed into actual poverty this winter and beyond.

It’s beyond disgusting really. She has possibly the busiest in tray of any debuting PM, even more so than Boris, and without a proper mandate of an election victory. I can only foresee disaster and if she does pull off some sort of political recovery it will be a miracle.

 

[androdas]

I finally got a chance to watch PMQs tonight and was quite struck by LT’s slightly breathy and slow delivery. It seemed pretty strange seeing her at the dispatch box I must say.

A bit of a departure from Johnson with his shouted Latin gobbledegook and Trumpian name calling. Then again that appealed to some

 

[brad465]

One thing Truss definitely does not have that somehow Johnson had is an ability to claim she's a breath of fresh air; Truss has served in Cabinet under the previous 3 PMs. It was her time in Cameron's cabinet that led to the infamous speech about cheese and pork markets.

 

[Typhoon]

Appointing Steve Baker to the Northern Ireland Office does not bode well for the prospects of reasoned negotiation over the Protocol.

An interesting appointment. He refused office when Johnson became PM

The high-profile Eurosceptic rebel Steve Baker has rejected a job on Boris Johnson’s frontbench, saying he did not want to repeat the “powerlessness” he felt as a junior minister before he quit over objections to Theresa May’s deal.

https://www.theguardian.com/politic...-boris-johnson-cabinet-erg-eurosceptic-brexit
So either he doesn't think he will be "powerless" in Northern Ireland (despite the presence of Stormont), or he thinks Truss will be there for some time so it is now or never, or his reason was bogus and he turned down Johnson's offer because he realised how useless our last PM would be; the only other reason I can think of would lead to 'difficulties' in the province that would reverse the good work done over many years.

Headline in the Express:

Ardent Brexiteer Steve Baker drafted in to shake up Northern Ireland talks

The combination of Heaton-Harris and Baker seems far from ideal; it requires at least one consolidator. Johnson started the rot by turfing out Julian Smith who appeared to have the confidence of the Nationalist community. My understanding is that three major NI parties Sinn Fein, the SDLP and, importantly, the Alliance Party, who made significant gains in the last election, oppose the renegotiation of the NI Protocol. This does not look good.

 

[DerekC]

The appointment that really makes my hair stand on end is Jacob Rees-Mogg to BEIS. I don't think he is exactly a climate change denier - he just doesn't understand the problem and is pretty sure it won't affect the Rees-Mogg dynasty, so who cares. And Gournay Court is well above sea level.

 

[bleeder4]

I know nothing about her, so she's starting from a clean slate as far as I'm concerned. She has another 2 years before the next election, so as long as she sorts out this mess we're in by then and doesn't make it even worse, then she'll probably get my vote in the next election. I watched her first PMQs yesterday and it was a competent and business-like performance. It was a relief not to have the grandstanding and showmanship that was Boris' take on PMQs.

 

[najaB]

...then she'll probably get my vote in the next election.

Are you registered to vote in South West Norfolk?

 

[GusB]

I know nothing about her, so she's starting from a clean slate as far as I'm concerned. She has another 2 years before the next election, so as long as she sorts out this mess we're in by then and doesn't make it even worse, then she'll probably get my vote in the next election. I watched her first PMQs yesterday and it was a competent and business-like performance. It was a relief not to have the grandstanding and showmanship that was Boris' take on PMQs.

I found yesterday's performance to be rather painful to watch!

She's back on the Gogglebox now, so let's see how Truss gets on.

 

[HullRailMan]

I’m less interested in her delivery style in parliament compared to her delivery of policy. Early signs are she isn’t shying away from the more difficult challenges in her in-tray. There is a chance she can gain support if she is able to show signs of delivery, something that was sadly absent from the Johnson government. It’s also refreshing to see a clear ideological divide between the two front benches, and some grown up interactions over the dispatch box.

 

[nw1]

Hopefully no chance.

She just seems to be pushing the same old right-wing nationalist nonsense that was the signature of the Johnson years, but without the character and "uniqueness" of Johnson. While I am not (in the slightest) a Johnson fan, in my view it was that character that made him popular, for a while at least.

So essentially, Truss is essentially a bland version of Johnson, with similar behaviour to Johnson but without the personality and uniqueness. And with a dashing of hardline Thatcherism; bit of Boris, bit of Maggie, but blander and less intelligent than either. That seems unlikely to me to be an election-winner, unless the country really has shifted some distance to the right.

And she seems to be busy upsetting all manner of people. Implying we are all lazy. Saying that she's undecided whether Macron is friend or enemy (while Macron has his issues, please, let's not relive the Napoleonic Wars and all this pathetic, petty spatting with France). And causing problems in Northern Ireland.

And with economic hard times, people tend to blame the incumbents. That will not favour her. Particularly as the Tory Party is associated in the minds of many as the party of the rich, and likely cares more about the profits of energy companies than people's personal finances.

So all in all, no chance of a Tory majority in the next election unless something very strange happens. Small risk of the Tories being the largest in a hung parliament if Starmer does poorly.

 

[DanNCL]

I think she handled last nights speach following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II exceptionally well, considering it was only her third day in office. She handled it like a Statesperson, something Boris Johnson wouldn't have done.

I disagree with the vast majority of her political views but I am rather relieved that we've once again got a Prime Minister who recognises the importance of the role, in the same way as Theresa May, Tony Blair, Margaret Thatcher and many other past Prime Ministers did.

 

[SteveHFC]

One thing that struck me in PMQ's on Wednesday was that she actually answered the questions being put to her on the whole. I did see a report somewhere that Kier Starmer had a quiet word with her afterwards to say she'd done well. It also seemed that considerably more questions were asked in the time too.

 

[Cloud Strife]

I disagree with the vast majority of her political views but I am rather relieved that we've once again got a Prime Minister who recognises the importance of the role, in the same way as Theresa May, Tony Blair, Margaret Thatcher and many other past Prime Ministers did.

Yes, I think that regardless of our opinion of her as a politician, she will behave with the dignity that the office commands. I don't think we'll see any real scandal around her, and she'll put in the hard work needed.

I don't think she can win the next election, however.

 

[Howardh]

I think she handled last nights speach following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II exceptionally well, considering it was only her third day in office. She handled it like a Statesperson, something Boris Johnson wouldn't have done.

I disagree with the vast majority of her political views but I am rather relieved that we've once again got a Prime Minister who recognises the importance of the role, in the same way as Theresa May, Tony Blair, Margaret Thatcher and many other past Prime Ministers did.

Agree. Hope she's out in the next election but has given some dignity back to the position.

 

[birchesgreen]

I think she handled last nights speach following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II exceptionally well, considering it was only her third day in office. She handled it like a Statesperson, something Boris Johnson wouldn't have done.

I thought she looked like a rabbit stuck in the headlights to be honest. I will agree she was better than Johnson but thats not exactly a high bar.

 

[eMeS]

I fear it's the most right wing government in my lifetime (b 1938).

 

[Broucek]

I fear it's the most right wing government in my lifetime (b 1938).

So far, her only real action has been to fund £100bn+ to help people with a cost-of-living crisis. Whilst things may change, that's not what I'd call "right wing". We also have an extremely diverse Cabinet. Perhaps we should give her a chance?

 

[DarloRich]

I must say the statement Truss made yesterday about the Queen was made in the manner of a failing primary school head teacher addressing a school assembly. She is an awful public speaker and she has no ability to put emphasis on words in a sentence. it was awful.

I think she handled last nights speach following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II exceptionally well, considering it was only her third day in office. She handled it like a Statesperson, something Boris Johnson wouldn't have done.

The text was fine although I wouldn't go as far as your gushing tribute. The delivery was terrible. Almost monotone and lacking emphasis.

 

[eMeS]

So far, her only real action has been to fund £100bn+ ... ... that's not what I'd call "right wing". We also have an extremely diverse Cabinet. Perhaps we should give her a chance?

The long term "environmental" and similar views of some of her appointees don't fill me with confidence. We'll have to wait and see. (I hope I'm wrong.)

 

[brad465]

I must say the statement Truss made yesterday about the Queen was made in the manner of a failing primary school head teacher addressing a school assembly. She is an awful public speaker and she has no ability to put emphasis on words in a sentence. it was awful.

The text was fine although I wouldn't go as far as your gushing tribute. The delivery was terrible. Almost monotone and lacking emphasis.

Apparently when she revealed King Charles III will be called as such she shouldn't have done that until Clarence House confirmed it, which apparently hadn't happened at the time of her Downing Street speech. That said no-one in politics will be using that against her in political point-scoring, although if that was a definite blunder it may indicate she's susceptible to other blunders in future in more political matters.