Comment: Plotters prepare to pounce as Truss throws the towel in
Wasn’t getting rid of Boris Johnson supposed to bring some stability back to the political landscape?
A little more than three months since the big dog was unceremoniously ousted by his own MPs and it is hard to imagine a bleaker situation for the Government.
As things stand the ‘Red Wall’ is collapsing as fast as the markets – all largely down to a “growth plan” that was foolishly rushed out by Kwasi Kwarteng at breakneck speed.
It has now cost him his job, making him the latest in a long line of ministers to depart before the family photo was placed on the office desk.
Those Tory MPs who imagined better days were ahead following the fall of Mr Johnson must be feeling rather stupid.
Of course, ‘Liz For Leader’ was not the choice of most of them.
She was picked by party members after the majority of MPs had gone for snake-in-chief Rishi Sunak or one of the other chancers.
Now more plots are being hatched, with a growing number of MPs reckoning they have seen enough of the PM in the past five weeks to conclude that she is not up to the job.
With all of this going on in the background and global turmoil sparked largely by the war in Ukraine, she has certainly been dealt a tough hand. It is however, hard to feel sorry for Ms Truss.
She has held senior ministerial positions for eight years and knew full well the fractured parliamentary party she was inheriting.
Yet her judgment has been poor, her political acumen almost entirely absent.
When the PM found herself backed tightly into a corner she changed course on her flagship policy of keeping down corporation tax. It has made her look weak and clueless.
While her idol Margaret Thatcher was not for turning, Ms Truss has folded at the first sign of trouble.
"I want to be honest. This is difficult," she said during a very brief press conference at Number 10.
She may have been talking about the economy. Or possibly the job of leading the country. Or maybe public speaking.
Ms Truss seems to struggle with all of them.
If the plotters get their way, she will soon be following Mr Kwarteng out of the door.
