The prime minister is accused of making appointments to reward long-standing friendships and loyalty in the leadership contest, rather than ability. Coffey said it was the most diverse cabinet ever. “Many of the people who are taking on roles will show that they have been taken into account, that they have been competent and compassionate in the way they have approached policy,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “I know Liz,” she said – before adding that she now has to remind herself to call her friend Prime Minister – “is very keen to ensure we have a focused delivery and we believe we can go ahead and deliver on the plan she has set out . outside.” Although the new attorney-general, Michael Ellis, was the only supporter of Truss’ defeated leadership rival, Rishi Sunak, in the new cabinet, Coffey told Sky News it was a government of “all the talent we have in this party ». He said it was a mix of “proactive” Truss supporters and people who “didn’t support her as well”. Truss plans to freeze energy prices had been finalised, Coffey told Today, with the Prime Minister less than 24 hours into the job. While a lot of work had been done, he said, “it’s time to make sure that all the different levers that could be pulled are checked.” Detailed plans will be revealed later this week, although Coffey did not confirm they would be fully unveiled Thursday. Questions remain over how the Truss price freeze – a package estimated to cost more than £100bn – will be funded. Asked if this massive spending would ultimately mean money would go to big business from today’s taxpayers and their children and grandchildren, Coffey said: “What I would say is we have to grow and there are three main parts to his priorities prime minister. started yesterday: to grow the economy, to make sure we tackle this energy challenge not just on the bills, but to make sure the energy supply actually works much more efficiently and quickly, and the NHS.” Coffey has prioritized her health department as “A, B, C, D” – ambulances, backlog, care and doctors and dentists. With Truss plans to reverse the rise in national insurance to pay for health and social care, Coffey said it would now be funded by “general taxation”. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our site and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. ‘You gonna get some Dr Dre’: Thérèse Coffey’s alarm goes off during LBC interview – video He said he would not charge people for missed appointments with their doctors. Asked if she would use private companies to help clear the backlog, she said she needed to use all the capacity in the health care system. Coffey, who is Catholic and has voted against abortion law reform, said she would not seek to overturn any aspect of abortion law. He told Sky News: “I am conscious of voting against the abortion laws. What I will say is that I am the ultimate Democrat and that has been done, so it’s not like I’m seeking to repeal any aspect of abortion legislation.” He added: “There is nothing more to say or see here.”
