United Kingdom
In reply to the discussion: Liz Truss has resigned [View all]Emrys
(8,008 posts)Maybe read down this UK Group's recent posts for a taste of them.
She came in to office interpreting her win among Tory members as carte blanche to enact some of the most regressive tax policies the country's ever seen - and this at a time of crisis when sane policies were desperately required - thanks to her spiritual sponsorship by a UK lobby of right-wing "think tanks" referred to as Tufton Street. The money markets rebelled, and she and her chancellor were forced into a series of devastating U-turns in quick succession.
She then proceeded to throw her chancellor under the bus when it became clear what a liability the policies she had agreed with him were in reality and electorally, with the Tory vote collapsing and Labour's stock rising astronomically in a series of polls. Then she lost one of the most right-wing home secretaries the UK's ever had, supposedly over a transgression by that home secretary, but mainly because they fell out over the horrible policies she wanted to enact, which were too much even for Truss.
On the level of personality, shortcomings that were only too obvious from her past political career and the Tory hustings were unignorable in a prime minister. She was physically awkward, mentally vacant and emotionally deadpan to the point where many of us had to conclude there was something seriously wrong with her, and she never engaged even in one phone call with the leaders of the devolved assemblies. She also failed to engage with her parliamentary party, which never clearly favoured her as a candidate. That erupted last night into near-brawls in the voting lobbies and utter chaos as the party whips resigned then seemingly unresigned, and there were accusations of literal physical bullying by members of her cabinet. Her personal shortcomings were not dissimilar to Boris Johnson's, but he had that inexplicable Woodhousian bluster that for some reason let him sail through a long series of crises and scandals until he finally had to resign.
It was hard to imagine someone less well suited to the role of prime minister than Boris Johnson, but by jingo, she gave it her level best shot.