Politics

‘Fighter’ Truss vows to stay as UK PM on despite critics

London, Oct 19 (EFE).- British prime minister Liz Truss on Wednesday said she is “fighter and not a quitter,” as she came under fire in parliament over her scrapped economic plan.

“I am a fighter and not a quitter. I have acted in the national interest to make sure that we have economic stability,” Truss said during her weekly appearance at Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons.

The UK leader’s comments came after the leader of the opposition, Labour’s Keir Starmer, had asked why she was still in office after being forced by her own Conservative Party to reverse her economic policies.

Truss sacked her long-time political ally, Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng, on Friday and appointed former health secretary Jeremy Hunt as his replacement as the UK government’s finance chief.

Hunt immediately scrapped almost all of the tax measures announced in the government’s so-called mini-budget, which had sparked market chaos and sent the pound plummeting.

While Truss admitted she had “made mistakes” since she took the helm on September 6, she reiterated that the interests of the British people would always be her priority.

“I am prepared to take the tough decisions,” she said.

Truss, who has been in office for just 45 days, said she has done more than Starmer in his more than two years as Labour leader, accusing him of not having an economic plan and of standing with the “militant unions” that are currently calling strikes.

“He backs the strikers, we back the strivers,” the prime minister said.

During her speech, several legislators pointed out the series of U-turns she has made since coming to power and openly laughed at some of her statements and promises.

On Monday, Hunt reversed Kwarteng’s “growth plan” that was based on tax cuts, including for the rich and corporations, and massive borrowing.

The so-called mini-budget, published on September 23, triggered a run on long-term government bonds and sunk the pound toward dollar parity as uncertainties loomed over how the government would finance the huge tax cuts for high earners.

The full budget is due to be presented on October 31, but Hunt has warned that the new economic plan will require cuts to some public spending.EFE

jm/smq/ks

Related Articles

Back to top button