Liz the Lettuce - GMB union calls for a Labour Government after 12 years of Tory misrule.
In a catastrophic but nonetheless expected turn of events, Liz Truss’ premiership has come crashing down. Embarrassingly, an iceberg lettuce outlasted the office of Prime Minister.
From unrealistic and unfulfilled promises, to being yet another unelected Conservative Prime Minister, Truss lasted a mere 44 days in No. 10 Downing Street. Despite her best efforts, reshuffling cabinet ministers turned out to be as useful as reshuffling deck chairs on the titanic; the outcome was a forgone conclusion, the Tory government was – and still is – sinking. During the most recent Tory leadership debate, which kept the country in limbo for several months, many, including members of the party itself, claimed Truss was unfit for office. It appears her arch-rival and runner-up, Rishi Sunak, had access to a crystal ball, foreshadowing the fanciful ‘sugar-rush’ economy which Truss so frivolously argued would not happen on her watch.
Unsurprisingly, yet again the British public is the victim of Tory infighting and lies. The current situation begs the question, if members of her own party were able to see through the utterly bonkers Trussonomics, just how ridiculous was it? Unfortunately, the British public found out the hard way, as the pound sterling crashed and the Bank of England went into panic stations, the fantasy that was Truss’ economic vision, become a terrifying and painful reality for 64 million Britons. Clutching at straws, Truss has spent the last few weeks trying to first defend, then partially accept, the fully accept the harsh reality, that her economic plans are untenable. Once realised, her mission to keep her ministers onside became near impossible.
First, she tossed her closest ally, the former Chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, under the bus. In typical Tory fashion, she quickly absolved herself of any wrongdoing and pinned the disastrous mini budget on him. Within in the same afternoon, she handed the keys to Number 11 (and No .10) over to Jeremy Hunt; who within days reversed every promise and policy introduced mere weeks prior. If it was not clear before, many thought that surely this was the time for Truss and her Poundland-Thatcher-act to make a swift exit. Of course, this did not happen. On Monday 17th October, Truss avoided questions from the opposition, relying on her somewhat allies – a term used very loosely in the Tory party – Hunt and Penny Mordaunt to deliver and defend her decisions.
Come Wednesday 19th October, Truss could no longer hide, her incompetence and poor leadership laid bare during Prime Ministers Questions. Caught between laughter from the benches opposite, and borderline silence akin to Boris Johnson’s last stint as leader from her side of the house, Truss continued to display her delusional nature to the world. Unanswered questions were accompanied by pathetic insults, the duality of a Prime Minister who knew the game was up. By the evening, Suella Braverman had resigned as Home Secretary, and was quickly replaced by Grant Shapps; despite only six weeks prior, Shapps was sacked from the cabinet. This decision alone underscores the lack of a moral compass which runs right through the aorta of this government.
At this point, the writing was on the wall for Truss, and the British public were forced to endure what can only be described as groundhog day. In a Johnsonian fashion, Truss like her predecessor was scrambling to fill the vacant posts in her deteriorating cabinet. On the morning of Thursday 20th October, more than a dozen Tory MPs had officially submitted letters of no confidence, calling for Truss to resign. In an all too familiar situation to recent months in Whitehall, Truss begrudgingly accepted the reality – her time in office was well and truly over. At 13:30, Truss made a short resignation speech, putting the final nail in the Trussonomics catastrophe coffin.
Within a matter of days, the Tories have replaced Truss with Sunak. Despite their best efforts to tell barefaced lies – suggesting Johnson had passed the 100 MPs threshold - and shoehorn their toxic former leader back into No. 10. Nonetheless, the reality of the situation is just as ghastly with Sunak at the helm. An avid Brexiteer, Sunak makes no secret that he is eager to cut all ties with Europe and further dissolve workers' rights; alongside his Conservative counterparts, they are frivolous supporters of the Revocation and Reform Bill, which removes the remnants of European laws, and undermines GMB trade union and other unionised workers.
Away from the pantomime that has unfolded before the eyes of the British public, a severe problem remains at the heart of government – the Tory party is unfit to rule. Each member of the cabinet has at one point supported Truss and her delusional policies; they are all culpable, complicit, and must be held accountable. If last week’s backtracking budget was not a clear sign, then the resignation of yet Tory party leader certainly is. Now more than ever, GMB Union calls for a Labour government to rectify the misguided and detrimental effects of 12 years of Tory misrule. GMB Union continues to support its members and the working classes during this incredibly tumultuous time.
Neil Smith, Political Officer
Written and edited by Shaun Nash
