Former Prime Minister Liz Truss has accused Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch of not telling the truth about the 'real failures of 14 years of Conservative government'. In a Telegraph article, Truss criticised Badenoch for repeating 'spurious narratives' and failing to be honest with party supporters.
The dispute follows Badenoch's own Telegraph piece, in which she claimed Labour's current policies mirror the mistakes of Truss's disastrous mini-budget. Badenoch argued that Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves were repeating errors by spending without offsetting savings, leading to market turmoil and higher costs.
Truss, who served just 45 days in office in 2022, defended her mini-budget, asserting it was sabotaged by the Bank of England, the Treasury, and Conservative MPs. She claimed her policies would have ended a 'doom-loop' of low growth and high taxes, while Labour's opposite approach is 'headed for disaster'.
The former PM has been attempting to rewrite the narrative around her tenure, releasing a memoir and embarking on a campaign tour. However, she has faced ridicule, including a stunt by campaign group Led By Donkeys that mocked her with a banner reading 'I crashed the economy' and a picture of a lettuce.
Truss listed policy recommendations aligning her with US President Donald Trump, and suggested Badenoch was using the mini-budget narrative to divert attention from Conservative failures. The exchange highlights ongoing tensions within the party over its economic legacy.
