Liz Truss ‘enjoying well-deserved break’, says environment secretary Therese Coffey
Liz Truss is “enjoying a well-deserved break” after resigning six weeks into her premiership.
The environment secretary Therese Coffey told Sky News that the former prime minister is spending time with her family after her chaotic time in office.
Asked how Ms Truss is doing, Ms Coffey said: “I have, of course, been in touch with Liz and she’s a good friend. She’s with her family. And I think she’s enjoying a well-deserved break.”
Ms Truss became the UK’s shortest serving prime minister in modern British history after resigning just 44 days into the job.
She succeeded Boris Johnson on 6 September after defeating Rishi Sunak in the summer leadership race with a promise of tax cuts to boost growth.
But this proved to be her undoing after her mini-budget caused turmoil in the financial markets and sent the pound crashing.
Ms Coffey, who was health secretary and deputy prime minister under Ms Truss, said the ex-PM is now spending “good quality time” with her husband and children after what has “clearly” been a “high tempo time” for them.
“I’m pleased that they’re getting that time together,” she told BBC Breakfast.
“I look forward to Liz returning – and as she said, she’d be serving the people of her constituency, South West Norfolk, from the backbenches.
“I believe that she will continue to be a strong advocate of key Conservative principles. I look forward to seeing her again when she’s come back from her short break with her family.”
On Tuesday, Ms Truss used her farewell speech in Downing Street to stress the need to be “bold” as she defended the tax-cutting agenda that triggered economic chaos and ultimately led to her demise.
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Liz Truss left Downing Street on Tuesday after a brief but chaotic spell as prime minister
Watched by Ms Coffey and a small group of aides, she said she had acted “urgently and decisively” to support families and businesses, including overturning a rise in national insurance introduced by Mr Sunak when he was chancellor.
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But her departing words were criticised for making no reference to the damage caused by her economic policies during her brief time in office.
Speaking to LBC radio, Ms Coffey said she believes she does not owe people an apology for the economic chaos caused by Ms Truss’s government.
Asked if she felt she should say sorry for the impact on the country’s finances, she said: “I’m very confident that the financial situation is one of seriousness, as I’ve explained repeatedly to your listeners.
“The aftershock of COVID, the impact of Russia’s invasion in Ukraine – they’ve all been challenging times. And we need to continue to try and grow our economy so that we can have that prosperity in our country.”
Pressed on the question she said: “I don’t believe I owe an apology to your listeners, no, as much as I don’t think you owe me an apology for keeping me late from the next show.”
A man’s body has been recovered from an area of flooding in North Yorkshire, police have said, as major incidents have been declared in two counties.
The body was found near Intake Lane in Beal, close to Eggborough and Knottingley.
Police believe the man may have entered the water in the last 24 to 48 hours.
Follow the latest on the weather
North Yorkshire Police said: “Despite extensive enquiries, including with our colleagues in Humberside and West Yorkshire Police, we have been unable to identify him.
“He was found without any identification or personal belongings.”
The man was also described as white, in his early 50s to 60s, with light brown short hair and stubble.
He was wearing brown walking boots, blue denim jeans, a multicoloured knitted jumper and possibly a dark green waterproof coat, police added.
It comes after Leicestershire and Lincolnshire both declared a major incident in response to the extreme weather hitting the UK and Ireland.
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Leicestershire Fire and Rescue was the first emergency service in England to declare an incident and said it had received more than 200 calls since Monday morning over widespread flooding.
Crews had found cars stuck in floodwater and evacuated residents from flooded homes and rising waters, with some 17 people rescued as of 1.45pm.
The Lincolnshire Resilience Forum declared a major incident shortly after, and noted that emergency services had rescued children who were stranded at a school in Edenham.
Meanwhile, the Met Office has three yellow weather warnings – each for snow and ice – in effect throughout Monday evening and Tuesday morning.
Pic: Met Office
A warning covering the west and north coast of Scotland – reaching into Inverness and Aberdeen – will last until midday, while an alert in effect for all of Northern Ireland will last until 11am.
The Met Office has also issued a warning covering Wales and parts of northwest England on Monday evening, moving into southwest England, the Midlands and parts of southern England in the early hours of Tuesday.
On Wednesday, a yellow weather warning for snow is in effect across the south of England – stretching from just above Truro in Cornwall to Canterbury in Kent – from 9am to midnight.
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