The wife of sacked minister Johnny Mercer has branded new prime minister Liz Truss a “stupid” amid her brutal cabinet reshuffle. Felicity Cornelius-Mercer said the cabinet system “stinks” and “treats people terribly” after her husband was ousted as veterans affairs minister. Ms Truss began chipping away at supporters of her leadership rival Rishi Sunak shortly after taking office on Tuesday as she began appointing a cabinet of close political allies. He has also controversially given climate change skeptic Jacob Rees-Mogg responsibility for Britain’s energy policy. The new Prime Minister appointed Suella Braverman as Home Secretary, James Cleverly as Foreign Secretary and Therese Coffey as Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister, among many other appointments. A former special adviser to a minister in Boris Johnson’s cabinet told the Independent he feared the new prime minister was creating a “council of cronies”. The newly appointed Prime Minister is set to face Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer at her first Prime Minister’s Questions later today, her first full day in office.
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Therese Coffey is ‘confident’ the Government’s cost of living will ‘reassure’ people
New Deputy Prime Minister and Health Secretary Therese Coffey insisted Liz Truss’ cost of living – due on Thursday – would “reassure people”. “Obviously we’ve just come through a major leadership campaign, but I know that Liz, being the serious person she is and recognizing that we need to hit the ground running, we’re working on plans as possible [for] what could we do,” Ms Coffey told Sky News. He added: “We are certainly still working to make sure that we finalize the details of the plans for each of the points that we have put forward, and I know that this week – as the Prime Minister said yesterday – there will be a further announcement, and I’m sure that that he will assure the world, especially when he hears what is going to be offered.” Andy Gregory7 September 2022 07:47 1662532586
Iain Duncan Smith ‘seriously considering’ running for foreign affairs committee chairmanship
Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith has confirmed he has turned down Liz Truss’s offer of a cabinet post as leader of the House of Commons. “I’m a big believer that, honestly, if I go into a new job, I have to add value to it, I have to add something else. Being leader of the House is not something I think I would particularly enjoy,” he told LBC. Asked if he would like to chair the foreign affairs select committee, Sir Iain replied: “I’m really seriously considering supporting it.” Andy Gregory7 September 2022 07:36 1662531782
Help with living costs could be “too little, too late”, the union warns
Liz Truss’ energy plan could ultimately be “too little, too late”, a trade union has warned, describing the new prime minister’s speech on entering No 10 as “absolutely underwhelming”. Ahead of an expected announcement of her plan to help households survive the cost of living crisis, shopkeepers’ union Usdaw urged Ms Truss to freeze the price cap as an “immediate measure”. But the union warned that the government should not pass on the cost of its potential support to consumers in the long term. “After twelve years of Conservative government and a summer of zombie government, we are completely disappointed by what we heard from Liz Truss today,” Usdaw general secretary Paddy Lillis said. “Our members were desperate to hear the new Prime Minister produce a meaningful and urgent plan to tackle the cost of living crisis, which would stem skyrocketing energy prices and bring inflation under control. “They wanted to see a commitment to bring forward a jobs bill that would end poverty wages and precarious work. But instead we’ve heard little to help the lives of working people who are struggling to make ends meet and her first priority is tax cuts for the rich.” Andy Gregory7 September 2022 07:23 1662530400
Sacked minister’s wife calls Liz Truss ‘stupid’ in friendship row
The wife of a minister sacked by Liz Truss has called the new prime minister a “moron” in a social media post about her husband’s sacking (Kate Devlin writes). Felicity Cornelius-Mercer, wife of sacked veteran minister Johnny Mercer, hit out at the new prime minister saying the system “stinks” just hours after Ms Truss’ reshuffle began. She also said her husband had asked Mrs Truss: “Why would you do this, who would be better in this role than me, which of your mates will get the job, did you promise a meritocracy?” And he claimed the new Tory leader replied: “I can’t answer that, Johnny.”
Sacked minister’s wife calls Liz Truss ‘stupid’ in friendship row
Comment made on a social media post over a photo of a Muppet dressed as Mrs. Truss Stuti Mishra September 7, 2022 07:00 1662529497
Who is in the new prime minister’s cabinet?
Liz Truss has rewarded close allies with top cabinet posts while removing most of Rishi Sunak’s supporters from the government in a major reshuffle as she takes over as prime minister from Boris Johnson. Most of Ms Truss’s appointments are to the right wing of the Conservative party, dampening hopes that she will try to unite the party after a highly divisive leadership race. Ms Truss also sent former deputy prime minister Dominic Raab and cabinet colleagues Grant Shapps, George Eustice and Steve Barclay after they backed Mr Sunak, her Tory leadership rival, who was more popular among MPs. Her appointments mean that for the first time in UK history, none of the four great offices of state has been held by a white person, in a move hailed by Tories as a victory for “meritocracy”. Liam James tells you the full list of ministers who have made it into the new prime minister’s top team:
Liz Truss’ entire cabinet: Who’s in the new prime minister’s top team?
Major upheaval sees Rishi Sunak’s supporters defecting in favor of the leader’s allies Stuti Mishra September 7, 2022 06:44 1662527700
Nicola Sturgeon to freeze rents in Scotland as part of emergency cost of living schemes
Rents are to be frozen in Scotland as part of emergency plans to tackle the cost of living crisis announced by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (Kate Devlin writes). Legislation to be tabled in parliament would also introduce a moratorium on evictions, the SNP leader said. The freeze will affect tenants in the private and social rented sector. Ms Sturgeon said the measures were part of a package to deal with the “humanitarian emergency” caused by soaring prices. The move comes as new Prime Minister Liz Truss prepares to unveil plans to help households with rising energy bills. The Scottish Government will also double its fuel insecurity fund this year, from £10m to £20m.
Nicola Sturgeon to freeze rents in Scotland as part of emergency cost of living schemes
Rents will be frozen in Scotland as part of emergency plans to tackle the cost of living crisis announced by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. Stuti Mishra September 7, 2022 6:15 am 1662526832
‘Climate dinosaur’ to oversee UK’s net zero strategy in Truss government
Jacob Rees-Mogg, the minister who will oversee the UK’s energy and climate strategy in Liz Truss’s cabinet, has long dismissed the impending doom of global warming, writes Joe Middleton. The controversial minister, who was appointed to the role of statement secretary for business, energy and industrial strategy, dismissed climate science as “alarmist” and criticized the closure of coal-fired power stations. The former Boris Johnson loyalist is said to have already met with oil and gas majors in anticipation of taking the role amid fears over the UK’s energy supply this winter.
Remarkable comments from new energy secretary Rees-Mogg
‘Climate dinosaur’ to oversee UK’s net zero strategy under Liz Truss government Stuti Mishra September 7, 2022 06:00 1662525932
The headlines dominated by Liz Truss taking power
The nation’s newspapers are run entirely by Liz Truss who officially takes the helm at No 10. The Independent leads with Ms Truss appointing her cabinet members, with one former MP saying revealing their fears it amounted to a “cabinet of cronies”. ‘We can ride out the storm’ is the headline in The Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, Daily Express and Timesas Mrs Truss made her first speech as Prime Minister. See more headlines:
What the papers are saying – September 7th
Liz Truss is dominating the country’s headlines. Stuti Mishra September 7, 2022 5:45 am 1662525032
Biden stresses importance of Northern Ireland Protocol in conversation with Truss
The US president stressed the importance of reaching a deal with the EU on post-Brexit legislation for Northern Ireland in his first phone call with the new prime minister. The transatlantic relationship could be strained if Liz Truss goes ahead with plans to override parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol, with Joe Biden proud of his Irish roots and showing strong interest in the issue. According to the White House account of the call, the two discussed their “shared commitment to protecting the gains of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and the importance of reaching a negotiated agreement with the European Union on the Northern Ireland Protocol ».
Joe Biden and Liz Truss discuss the importance of the Northern Ireland Protocol
Ms Truss also accepted an invitation to visit Ukraine from President Volodymyr Zelensky. Stuti Mishra September 7, 2022 5:30 am 1662524127
Liz Truss will take on Keir Starmer at her first PMQs
Liz Truss is set to begin her first full day in office as she faces Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer at her first Prime Minister’s Questions today. Before that, Mrs Truss will hold the first meeting of her new cabinet in the morning as ministers try to finalize an emergency package to ease…
