Senior members of the Conservative Party are urging former Prime Minister Liz Truss to step away from the public eye for “at least a year” following her controversial appearances in Washington, D.C., during Donald Trump’s inauguration celebrations.
Truss, who served as prime minister for just 49 days, has drawn criticism for her alignment with Trump’s MAGA supporters.
At an official inauguration ball last week, she delivered an impromptu speech praising the former U.S. president for “saving western civilisation” and suggested that “Britain needs its own Trump.” Her remarks reportedly received a “huge ovation” from the crowd, filled with right-wing backers of the Trump administration.
However, these actions have raised concerns within the Conservative Party. Some members fear Truss is becoming an “embarrassment” to the party. According to reports, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch expressed frustration during a shadow cabinet meeting, stating she “wants Liz Truss to shut up for a while.”
The backlash is partly rooted in lingering resentment over Truss’s short-lived premiership, marked by her disastrous mini-budget, which triggered economic turmoil and led to her resignation.
The public ridicule she endured, including The Daily Star’s infamous lettuce campaign mocking her brief tenure, remains fresh in the minds of many.
Two senior Conservatives who attended Trump’s inauguration events reportedly suggested Truss “take a holiday” to avoid further damaging the party’s reputation. One added that the break should last “at least a year.”
Despite the criticism, Truss has remained defiant. At an inauguration event, she dismissed rumors of a potential defection to the Reform Party, asserting her commitment to the Conservatives. She stated, “Party support is a distraction at the moment.”
A Surprising Shift To Trumpian Politics
Truss’s pivot toward Trump-style politics has astonished many, particularly her stance on cultural and social issues. Now positioning herself as a hardliner against trans and LGBT rights, Truss’s rhetoric has drawn criticism from former colleagues who recall a different side of her political career.
A former civil servant who worked with her during her tenure as Equalities Minister described her as “the Queen of woke,” noting that significant trans rights reforms occurred under her leadership. Truss’s transformation into a vocal critic of diversity and equality initiatives has baffled some observers.
Her frequent visits to the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank in Washington that shaped the Trump administration’s Project 2025 policy manual, have further fueled divisions within the Conservative Party.
While some senior members of the Heritage Foundation welcome her involvement, others remain skeptical of her past record, particularly her initial opposition to Brexit and her association with former Prime Minister David Cameron.
One insider remarked, “Liz was originally against Brexit and was for David Cameron, she was the Queen of woke.”
Despite calls for her to retreat from public life, Truss appears undeterred. Allies suggest that the criticism may only embolden her to maintain her visibility. Whether this approach will help or harm her political legacy remains to be seen, but for now, her alignment with Trumpian politics has left her increasingly isolated within the Conservative Party.
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