Tory MPs urge Truss to quit after Kwarteng sacked as Chancellor
Liz Truss announces Jeremy Hunt as the new chancellor
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Liz Truss has come under mounting pressure to quit as Prime Minister as Tory MPs look to oust her from Number 10 after she sacked Kwasi Kwarteng as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Jeremy Hunt, who served as Foreign Secretary under Theresa May and reached the members’ ballot in the 2019 leadership election against Boris Johnson, has been appointed as Mr Kwarteng’s successor and has subsequently become the UK’s fourth Chancellor in 2022.
However, while Mr Kwarteng’s sacking made him the second-shortest serving Chancellor since 1945, Tory MPs are now preparing to call for Ms Truss to resign as Prime Minister.
A senior Conservative MP told Express.co.uk: “Liz Truss bought the votes of Conservative Party members with promises of immediate tax cuts which she was warned would damage economic confidence in the Government.
“Kwasi merely implemented her policies. It’s difficult to see how Truss can distance herself from her own failed policies.
“I think we need her to resign immediately and the party to unite around a new leader, but that’s easier said than done.”
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The MP’s comment comes after it was revealed a group of Conservatives in the Commons have decided they will publicly call on Ms Truss to resign next week.
Ex-Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt have also been tipped to succeed Ms Truss on a joint ticket in a leadership election which has been dubbed a “coronation” rather than a contest.
Tory support in the opinion polls has plummeted since Ms Truss entered Number 10 and Mr Kwarteng delivered his tax-cutting mini-budget last month.
According to a survey conducted by People Polling, Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party has opened up a 34-point lead, up from single digits when Mr Johnson announced his intention to resign as Prime Minister in July.
However, Truss’ allies have voiced support for the Prime Minister and urged Conservative colleagues to coalesce behind the South West Norfolk MP.
When asked if Mr Kwarteng’s sacking could spell the end for Ms Truss or if Conservative MPs needed to back the Prime Minister, one Cabinet Minister simply told Express.co.uk: “Unite, clearly.”
Another Tory MP added: “The Prime Minister continues to have my absolute support – and I hope this is not the end for a true low tax, small state, free market approach.
“Liz is the members’ choice. She won a clear mandate to lead the Conservative Party – it would be unacceptable for egos in the parliamentary party to stick two fingers up to the very people who deliver their leaflets, knock on doors and raise the funds to put them in the House of Commons in the first place.”
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Ms Truss made no suggestion she would tender her resignation during her news conference shortly after sacking Mr Kwarteng.
However, the Prime Minister announced she would back-peddle on her proposal to reverse Mr Sunak’s scheduled increase in corporation tax.
Speaking from Downing Street, Ms Truss said: “I’m absolutely determined to see through what I have promised to deliver a higher growth, more prosperous United Kingdom to see us through the storm we faced we’ve already delivered the energy price guarantee making sure people aren’t facing huge bills this winter.
“But it was right in the face of the issues that we had that I acted decisively to ensure that we have economic stability, because that is vitally important to people and businesses right across the country.”
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