Two Prime Ministers Savor the Woman Question as Liz Truss Makes Her Debut as Premier

For Britain’s new prime minister, Elizabeth “Liz” Truss, it was the last day of her opening trifecta. Monday, elected leader of the Conservative Party. Tuesday, appointed prime minister by Elizabeth II. Wednesday, Prime Minister’s Questions.The latter means standing in the House of Commons and answering queries from friend and foe alike, especially the leader of the Labour opposition, Sir Keir Starmer. As Winston Churchill would say, it was “the end of the beginning.”Appearing on the Conservative hustings making the case for her leadership bid may have been intimidating, but Ms. Truss was speaking before a friendly crowd. As for the audience with the queen, Her Majesty’s specialty is putting people at their ease, in particular the “new girl” at the head of British politics.PMQs, however, is trial by fire. It’s the prime minister defending government policy against all comers. A test of wills, no less than a test of leadership. As Lord Macaulay wrote, “Parliamentary government is government by speaking.”Ms. Truss’s Conservative colleagues could throw softballs her way, to hit out of the park. The aim of opposition parties, though, is to point out the failings of the Truss administration and to bring down the government.How did she perform at her inaugural PMQs? Fairly well, I’d say. Ms. Truss has none of Boris Johnson’s bluster and gusts of Shakespearean brilliance, but that will serve her well. Britons may have had their fill of him for now, and a little bit of blowsy goes a long way.As for Sir Keir, who has been grilling Tory premiers for close on two and a half years, he was competent in his questioning but unimaginative and sour. He perfunctorily congratulated the prime minister on her appointment; whereas she looked forward to working on issues of mutual agreement.Ms. Truss, though, made short work of Sir Keir when he questioned her on her opposition to windfall taxes and an energy price freeze. “How much would her planned corporation tax cut hand out to companies?” he demanded, reading from prepared notes.“She’s the 4th Tory prime minister in 6 years. The face at the top may change, but the story remains the same,” the Labor leader argued. “There is nothing new about the Tory fantasy of trickle down economics.”Mr. Starmer “is looking at this in the wrong way,” the prime minister piped up, and proceeded to argue — extemporaneously — that punitive taxes are detrimental to initiative, opportunities, and employment.“There is nothing new about a Labor leader who is calling for more tax rises. It’s the ‘same old, same old’ tax and spend,” Ms. Truss continued. “What I am about, is about reducing taxes, getting our economy growing, getting investment, getting new jobs for people right across the country.”The prime minister was in her element. “I’m afraid to say the Right Honorable Gentleman doesn’t understand aspiration. He doesn’t understand opportunity. He doesn’t understand that people want to keep more of their own money.”PMQs are not without their lighter moments. A former premier, Theresa May, stood and congratulated Ms. Truss, and asked: “Why does she think it is, that all three female prime ministers have been Conservative?”A delighted prime minister had a question of her own. “It is quite extraordinary, isn’t it,” she asked, “that there doesn’t seem to be the ability in the Labor Party to find a female leader, indeed a leader who doesn’t come from north London?” The exchange drew a smile from even Sir Keir.Of course, pace Macaulay, parliamentary government is about more than talking. There has to be action — in Ms. Truss’s case, on energy supply and costs of living in the short term and “wokery” and migration levels in the medium term.Elsewise, the long-term prospects of the Conservative government are grim. For Sir Keir and Labor will employ every excuse to call for early elections, exploiting public disaffection to bring down the Tories before the legislated end of their mandate.For concerning the comprehensive issues that feed the cost-of-living crisis, Ms. Truss’s response — “the British people want a government that is going to sort it out” — is double-edged.If the Conservatives fail to deliver, their days in power are numbered and it will be, as Churchill also said, “the beginning of the end.”BrexitDiarist@gmail.com

Two Prime Ministers Savor the Woman Question as Liz Truss Makes Her Debut as Premier

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