Facing party mutiny, British Prime Minister Liz Truss calls it quits just 44 days in — will likely be shortest-serving leader in UK history



Liz Truss has announced her intention to resign as British prime minister after 44 days in office, setting a record for the shortest-serving prime minister in the history of the United Kingdom. The previous record-holder was George Canning, the Tory prime minister who died of tuberculosis after 119 days in office.

In recent weeks, Truss faced immense opposition from her own Conservative party, largely over her botched economic plan, which agitated the markets and resulted in the replacement of her treasury chief.

The internal tensions came to a head Wednesday night when a parliamentary vote concerning the future of fracking in the U.K. descended into chaos, exacerbated by claims that some Conservative members of Parliament had been forced to vote against the ban.

Yesterday's vote was reportedly originally regarded as a confidence motion. Some activists and MPs explicitly said it was an effort by some to "prop up a zombie prime minister."

Although Conservatives prevailed, defeating the ban (326 votes to 230), the session's poor handling proved a black eye for the party and its leader. One Conservative lawmaker, Charles Walker, denounced it as a "shambles and a disgrace."

Walker suggested that the people who put Liz Truss in office had done "extraordinary" damage to the Conservative Party.

Prior to making her Thursday announcement outside the prime minister's Downing Street residence, Truss notified King Charles of her intention to step down and spoke to Sir Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 Committee, about holding a leadership election "within the next week."

Brady has since stated that he spoke to the Conservative Party chairman and determined Tory members will be consulted by Friday next week on a possible new leader.

In her speech, Truss reflected upon the past two months, noting her government "delivered on energy bills and on cutting national insurance" and set "out a vision for a low tax high growth economy that would take advantage of the freedoms of Brexit."

Truss, who yesterday claimed to be "a fighter and not a quitter," noted that she had entered the role "at a time of great economic and international instability" and admitted she "cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected by the Conservative party."

The outgoing prime minister also indicated she would "remain as Prime Minister until a successor has been chosen."

\u201cBREAKING: Liz Truss resigns after 44 days, making her the shortest PM in history, amid the collapse of her government due to gross economic mismanagement\u201d
— Jack Posobiec \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Jack Posobiec \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1666270207

If a leadership election is held next week as she has indicated, Britain will have its second new leader since Boris Johnson resigned after a similar party mutiny in July.

The leftist opposition in Parliament seized upon the opportunity to demand a general election.

Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrat Party, tweeted, "We don't need another Conservative Prime Minister lurching from crisis to crisis. We need a General Election now and the Conservatives out of power."

\u201cWe don't need another Conservative Prime Minister lurching from crisis to crisis.\n\nWe need a General Election now and the Conservatives out of power.\u201d
— Ed Davey (@Ed Davey) 1666269375

Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, similarly called for a general election, only prior to Truss' announcement.

\u201cBritain can\u2019t afford the Tories\u2019 chaos. \n\nMy Labour government will provide the stability and leadership needed. \n\nFor our economy. For growth. For working people. \n\nGeneral Election, now.\u201d
— Keir Starmer (@Keir Starmer) 1666258857

After the announcement, Starmer issued a statement, saying, "The Tories cannot respond to their latest shambles by yet again simply clicking their fingers and shuffling the people at the top without the consent of the British people. They do not have a mandate to put the country through yet another experiment; Britain is not their personal fiefdom to run how they wish."

Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister of Scotland, joined in on the call for an election.

\u201cThere are no words to describe this utter shambles adequately. It\u2019s beyond hyperbole - & parody. \nReality tho is that ordinary people are paying the price. \nThe interests of the Tory party should concern no-one right now. \nA General Election is now a democratic imperative.\u201d
— Nicola Sturgeon (@Nicola Sturgeon) 1666269910

On October 14, the Daily Star started a YouTube livestream pitting a head of lettuce against Truss' tenure.

\u201cA British newspaper has started a live stream on YouTube of Liz Truss\u2019s photo next to a lettuce to see which one lasts longer. I do love this country\u2019s sense of humo(u)r.\u201d
— Brian Klaas (@Brian Klaas) 1665754297

The channel is now in celebration mode.

LIVE: Can Liz Truss outlast a lettuce? youtu.be

Boris Johnson admits he attended infamous Downing Street 'drinks party' but claims he thought it was a 'work event.' No one is buying the explanation.



British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing renewed calls for his resignation for attending a government staff "drinks party" last year while the rest of the country remained in a strict government-imposed COVID-19 lockdown.

What are the details?

Several senior members of the U.K. Parliament angrily demanded that Johnson step down Wednesday after he finally admitted to attending a garden drinks gathering at No. 10 Downing Street last May, BBC News reported.

Johnson had previously been coy about his involvement in the party while an investigation into it — and several other alleged government parties — took place. But on Wednesday, the prime minister admitted his attendance and offered his "heartfelt apologies" to the nation in a speech before a packed House of Commons.

Johnson said he was well aware of the "rage" that many U.K. residents feel toward him and the government he leads when they see that "in Downing Street itself, the rules are not being properly followed by the people who make the rules."

Though at the same time, he defended himself for attending the "bring your own booze" shindig by saying he only stayed for 25 minutes in order to “thank groups of staff” for their hard work, and he added that he “believed implicitly that this was a work event.”

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologies for attending lockdown party - BBC News www.youtube.com

In May 2020, the U.K. government, at Johnson's direction, restricted people from leaving their houses without a reasonable excuse and only allowed people to meet with one person outside their households in an outdoor setting while exercising.

What was the reaction?

As Johnson attempted to ease concerns over the party in his House of Commons speech, jeers and boos could be heard in the chamber from members of Parliament.

The response afterward was much sharper. Addressing Parliament, opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer called Johnson’s excuse “so ridiculous that it’s actually offensive to the British public” and demanded that Johnson “do the decent thing and resign.”

In a tweet Wednesday, Starmer said, "The party is over Boris Johnson. Resign."

The party is over @BorisJohnson.\n\nResign.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir Starmer) 1641989225

Four lawmakers from Johnson's own party publicly demanded he quit, the Wall Street Journal reported.

William Wragg characterized the prime minister's position as "untenable," adding, "I don't think it should be left to the findings of a civil servant to determine the future of the prime minister and indeed who governs this country."

A fellow Conservative MP, Caroline Nokes, reportedly said Johnson should resign now, as he was "damaging the entire Conservative brand."

CNBC reported that Johnson's leadership was on a "knife's edge."

What else?

The May rendezvous was not the only party that government officials are alleged to have held amid lockdown conditions for the rest of the country.

According to BBC News, in November 2020, at least one other party for Downing Street staff members took place in the residence where the prime minister lives.

Just a week prior, Johnson had told people in England that “we are once again asking you to stay at home” amid a new national lockdown. He ordered people only to leave their homes “for work if you can’t work from home, for education, and for essential activities and emergencies" and banned indoor gatherings with other households.

Results of an investigation into the parties are expected to be released next week.