Liz Truss premiership hanging by a thread after bruising day in Westminster
Liz Truss’s premiership is hanging by a thread after an extraordinary day in Westminster that saw a cabinet minister resign and a Commons motion descend into chaos with allegations of “manhandling and bullying”.
The unprecedented events have led to some Tory MPs declaring the Conservative party is “finished”, with one hitting out at the “talentless people” who backed Ms Truss “for a seat around the cabinet table”.
The prime minister is staring down the barrel after the now former home secretary Suella Braverman resigned over sending an official document from her personal email – and took aim at the PM on the way out.
“I have made a mistake; I accept responsibility; I resign,” she wrote in an barely-coded dig at Ms Truss, whose disastrous mini-budget sparked financial turmoil.
Ms Braverman, a popular figure on the Tory right, voiced “concerns about the direction of this government” , accusing it of breaking manifesto pledges and adding: “It is obvious to everyone that we are going through a tumultuous time.”
The departure has further imperilled the embattled PM’s grip on power following the sacking of chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng last Friday and the axing of the majority of the government’s economic policies on Monday by new chancellor Jeremy Hunt.
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A night of turmoil in Westminster
‘Something has to give’
Lord Frost, former Brexit minister, joined calls for Ms Truss to resign, saying “there is no shred of a mandate” for what she is doing.
“As Suella Braverman made so clear this afternoon, the government is implementing neither the programme Liz Truss originally advocated nor the 2019 manifesto,” he wrote in the Telegraph.
“There is no shred of a mandate for this. It’s only happening because the Truss Government messed things up more badly than anyone could have imagined, and enabled a hostile takeover by its opponents. Something has to give.”
Analysis: Liz Truss is clearly no longer in charge, what isn’t clear is who is – if anybody!
Ms Truss’s authority took a further knock on Wednesday amid claims Conservative MPs were being “bullied and manhandled” into voting with the government to oppose a ban on fracking, counter to what their party manifesto said in 2019.
Several MPs described scenes of chaos in the voting lobby, with Labour’s Jess Philips describing a “massive row” and others saying they witnessed Tory whips “screaming” and MPs “crying”.
The drama was sparked after climate minister Graham Stuart told the Commons minutes before the Labour motion that “quite clearly this is not a confidence vote” – despite Conservative deputy chief whip Craig Whittaker earlier issuing a “100% hard” three-line whip, meaning any Tory MP that rebelled could be thrown out of the parliamentary party.
Widespread reporting followed that Chief Whip Wendy Morton, having been undermined, quit her government post as MPs were filing through the voting lobbies, with Mr Whittaker following her out the door.
After hours of confusion over whether they had gone Downing Street said both “remain in post”.
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Labour MP Chris Bryant claims Tory MP Alexander Stafford was ‘physically manhandled’
Cabinet ministers Therese Coffey and Jacob Rees-Mogg were among a group of senior Tories accused of pressuring colleagues to go into the “no” lobby, with Labour former minister Chris Bryant telling Sky News some MPs had been “physically manhandled into another lobby and being bullied”.
Mr Rees-Mogg, the business secretary, insisted he had seen no evidence of anyone being manhandled while a source close to Ms Coffey, the health secretary and deputy PM, said she has “not manhandled anybody”.
But senior Tory MP Sir Charles Walker said what took place was “inexcusable” and “a pitiful reflection on the Conservative Parliamentary Party”.
‘No way back for Conservative party’
Asked if there was any way back for the Tories he said: “I don’t think so…but I’ve been of that view since two weeks ago.”
Appearing visibly shaken and emotional, he hit out at those in his party who voted for the new prime minister:
“All those people who put Liz Truss in No 10, I hope it was worth it.
“I hope it was worth it for the ministerial red box, I hope it was worth it to sit around the cabinet table.
“Because the damage they have done to our party was extraordinary.”
Speaking to the BBC he added: “I have had enough of talentless people putting their tick in the right box, not because it’s in the national interest but because it’s in their own personal interest to achieve ministerial position.
“I know I speak for hundreds of backbenchers who are worrying for their constituents all the time but are now worrying for their own personal circumstances because there is nothing as ex as an ex-MP.”
‘We are all Charles Walker’
In response, Conservative MP Maria Caulfield said: “Tonight we are all Charles Walker.”
And former minister Johnny Mercer said, alongside an expletive, that Mr Walker had “nailed it”.
The prime minister is likely to face another bruising day on Thursday, when Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer will accuse her of “insulting” British workers while pledging his government will repeal any new Conservative legislation restricting the right to strike.
Emboldened by a huge surge in the polls, he will tell the TUC conference: “We will meet their attacks with hope, provide the leadership this country so desperately needs and build a Britain where working people can succeed again, where working people are backed as the people who really create economic growth.
“That’s the Labour choice.”
Comedy writer Bill Dare, – who worked on shows including Spitting Image and Dead Ringers – has died after an accident overseas, his agent said.
Described as a “super producer” by his peers, Dare, 64, worked on eight series of hugely popular satire puppet show Spitting Image.
Airing on ITV during the 1980s and 1990s, the show delighted in lampooning public figures including politicians, celebrities and royalty, winning BAFTAs and Emmys. It was rebooted in 2020.
Dare also created Dead Ringers, a comedy impressions show broadcast on BBC Radio 4.
He also produced The Now Show, a satirical take on the news which ran on Radio 4 from 1998 to 2024.
Dare worked on a wide range of comedy shows during his career, including the radio production of The Mary Whitehouse Experience in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He had also written several novels.
In a statement released on Monday, his agent JFL Agency confirmed he died at the weekend.
A spokesperson said: “We are shocked and greatly saddened to have to announce the death of our brilliant client Bill Dare, who died at the weekend following an accident overseas.
“Our thoughts are with his wife Lucy, daughter Rebecca, and with all of Bill’s family and friends who will be devastated by his loss.
“Bill was a truly legendary producer and writer, and his comedy instincts were second to none.”
Oasis depicted on Spitting Image in 1996. Pic: ITV/Shutterstock
Colleagues were quick to pay tribute and reflect on his talent.
Impressionist Jon Culshaw wrote on X: “It’s impossible to express the unreal sense of loss at the passing of the incredible Bill Dare. The wisest comedy alchemist and the dearest, dearest friend. Much love to Lucy and all Bill’s family and friends. We shall all miss him more than we can say.”
David Baddiel posted on the social media platform: “Just heard that the original producer of The Mary Whitehouse Experience on radio, Bill Dare, has died. Bill was an amazing creative force. I owe him much. RIP.”
Former EastEnders actress Tracy-Ann Oberman said she was “devastated” and that her “entire comedy career was down to Bill”.
She wrote: “When I was on the BBC Radio 4 rep company early on in career – I ran into Bill in the corridors – He asked if I was good at accents. I said yes.
“He cast me in a sketch show. I had to do about 15 different accents. We recorded in front of a live audience at Broadcasting House – afterwards Bill said ‘Why have I never met you – you’re going to have a big career’.
“He was incredibly loyal and supportive and really opened a path for me into the R4 comedy world and then TV having come out of the RSC and theatre it was all new. I will always be grateful. Fly high Bill.”
Comedian and writer Mark Steel wrote: “This is so grim. Bill was a compassionate hearty soul with the ability to be beautifully grumpy, a marvellously thoughtful comic mind.
“He’d argue but always listen and you’d always laugh, he made a million shows and wanted them all to matter and would have made a million more.”
Have I Got News for You writer Pete Sinclair said: “I am utterly devastated by Bill’s death. I still can’t believe it. He was a comedy genius. A hugely talented writer as well as a brilliant producer. A close friend and co-writer. I cannot begin to say how much I’ll miss him.”
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Julia McKenzie, comedy commissioner for Radio 4, said: “I am so terribly sorry to hear this tragic news and my thoughts are with Bill’s wife, family and friends.
“Bill has been a huge part of Radio 4 comedy for decades, as a writer and producer, and listeners will have heard his legendary name at the end of many of their favourite shows.
“Bill was a comedy obsessive, and very instinctive about making the funniest choices when it came to writing, directing and editing.
“He cared so much about his work that in the production booth during Dead Ringers you’d see him crouched over the script, utterly focused on the show.
“He was funny and very dry in person, amusingly cynical when he needed to be and always pushed to keep the comedy he made, and particularly satire, spiky.
“I’ve known and worked with him for 18 years and like many I can’t believe he has gone, he will leave a big hole in the comedy world and in our hearts.”
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