Grant Shapps says Liz Truss had right priorities but failed as she did not deal with ‘big structural issues’
Grant Shapps has said Liz Truss had the right priorities but failed as she did not try to deal with the “big structural issues” first.
The business secretary said he agreed the UK should have a low-tax economy, as the short-lived prime minister advocated, but inflation and debt needed to be dealt with first.
He was speaking the morning after Ms Truss released a 4,000-word essay in the Telegraph on Saturday night about what she had wanted to do as PM and why she thought it did not work.
People can ‘come to our own conclusions’ over Truss claims – live politics updates
Mr Shapps, who was home secretary for Ms Truss’ final six days, told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme: “I noted that she said that they hadn’t prepared the ground for these big tax changes.
“And I think the truth is, and we know this, what you’ve got to do first is deal with the big sort of structural issues.
“Deal with inflation first, deal with the debt so you’re on a downward trajectory.
“And then you look towards tax cuts.”
He added: “I completely agree with Liz’s instinct to have a lower tax economy but what we know is if you do that before you’ve dealt with inflation and debt you can end up in difficulty.
“You can’t get the growth out of nowhere.”
Grant Shapps was home secretary under Liz Truss for her final six days
Ms Truss said she was never given a “realistic chance” to implement her radical tax-cutting agenda and claimed she was not warned about the fragility of the British economy.
The former PM also claimed she was ousted by a “very powerful economic establishment” that has “shifted Left-wards” – despite her own MPs forcing her out.
Ms Truss said she has a mandate from Conservative members, after they voted for her over Rishi Sunak, implying the current PM does not as his leadership never went to a vote of the membership.
In her first detailed comments since she was ousted from Number 10, Ms Truss said she had not appreciated the strength of the resistance she would face to her plans.
Read more: Analysis – Truss may be no Messiah but her political comeback has rattled some MPs
‘We’re back to where we should be’
Despite previously calling Ms Truss “tin-eared”, Mr Shapps refused to directly criticise Ms Truss’ leadership, which she called time on after just 44 days following the disastrous mini-budget in September.
He added that, as an MP and former Tory leader, she had the right to put her argument across in the article.
But he backed current PM Rishi Sunak in a backhanded swipe at his predecessor, saying the prime minister is tackling high inflation to ease pressure on the economy before growth can happen.
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Three PMs in three months: A timeline
“I think the main thing for people to know is Rishi Sunak’s come in,” he said.
“He’s removed that premium that we saw because the markets didn’t like what was going on back then and entirely removed the additional premium that was being applied to, essentially, our mortgage rates.
“So we’re back to where we should be.
“And he’s getting on with the difficult things in a world where Putin’s invaded a neighbouring country and inflation is therefore going up. He’s got on with the difficult job of dealing with those things.”
Truss article ‘very important’
Simon Clarke, Tory MP and chief secretary to the Treasury until Ms Truss became PM, said her article poses “important questions” about the extent to which it is possible to deliver tax cuts and/or spending reductions with current economic modelling.
“To what extent does the OBR model the results of policy, and to what extent does it pre-determine it by virtue of its modelling framework?” he tweeted.
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Former Conservative MP for Reading East, Rob Wilson, who was a Truss supporter, said her article is “very important” and “you have to take it seriously” when a former PM says she was “stymied by her own Treasury” and raises questions about the Bank of England and the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).
“I think that she didn’t get a proper go,” he told Sky News.
“She made some mistakes, sure. But, you know, we all make mistakes in life.
“She certainly shouldn’t have had organisations blocking her from doing the things that she set out to do, that’s for certain.”
World
Charlie Kirk’s widow pays tribute to ‘perfect’ husband and says her cries ‘will echo around the world’
Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, described him as a “perfect” husband and father, and said the “evildoers” who assassinated him have no idea what they have unleashed.
“You have no idea of the fire that you have ignited within this wife, the cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry,” she said on Friday in her first public remarks since the assassination.
“If you thought that my husband’s mission was powerful before, you have no idea, you have no idea what you just have unleashed across this entire country and this world, you have no idea.”
Erika Kirk speaks following her husband’s assassination. Pic: Turning Point USA
Mrs Kirk addressed the public after a silent prayer from the studio where her husband recorded his podcast.
She thanked President Donald Trump and vice president JD Vance and his “phenomenal” wife, Usha, for the support, and praised the emergency teams who tried to save her husband’s life.
“Charlie said if he ever ran for office, his top priority would be to revive the American family. That was his priority,” Mrs Kirk said.
“But most of all, Charlie loved his children. And he loved me. With all his heart. And he made sure I knew that every day,” she said.
She called him a “perfect” father and husband, as she held back tears. She also talked about some of his favourite hobbies.
Read more:
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Vice president JD Vance, his wife Usha, and Erika Kirk exit Air Force Two together. Pic: Reuters
Mrs Kirk said the campus tour that his organisation, Turning Point USA, had started will continue – and urged young people to join her late husband’s political movement.
“I promise I will never let your legacy die,” she said, addressing her husband, vowing to make his movement the “biggest thing this nation has ever seen”.
Mrs Kirk says she doesn’t remember the last time she slept, and shared a story about their daughter when she ran into her arms and asked: “Where’s daddy?”
“What do you tell a three-year-old?”
Mrs Kirk finished her remarks, speaking directly to her husband: “I can’t wait to see you again one day.”
“God bless you all, and may God bless America,” she said as she wrapped up her speech.
World
UK joins NATO operation to bolster Europe’s eastern flank after Russian drone incursions into Poland
NATO is to bolster Europe’s eastern flank, including the use of UK military resources, after Russia’s “reckless and unacceptable” violation of Polish airspace.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte announced operation ‘Eastern Sentry’ on Friday, involving the deployment of equipment on the border with Belarus, Russia and Ukraine to deter potential Russian aggression.
Poland shot down Russian drones which flew over the country on Wednesday, something the military alliance has portrayed as an attempt by Moscow to test NATO’s military response.
It underlines long-held concerns about the potential expansion of Russia’s three-year war in Ukraine.
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Michael Clarke: Russia looking to frighten NATO
Russia said its drones went astray because they were jammed, but European leaders believe the incursions were a deliberate provocation by Russia.
“It’s reckless and unacceptable. We can’t have Russian drones entering allied airspace,” Mr Rutte told a news conference.
Mark Rutte described Russian drones entering Polish airspace as ‘reckless’. Pic: Reuters
He added that allies, including the UK, France, Germany and Denmark, have so far committed to the mission with others set to join.
In a statement, the UK’s Ministry of Defence said: “The UK is fully committed to playing our part in NATO’s Eastern Sentry following the reckless and dangerous airspace violations by Russia”. It added that the details of the UK’s contribution would be announced soon.
Yvette Cooper visited Ukraine on Friday, her first visit to the country since becoming foreign secretary after a cabinet shake-up by Sir Keir Starmer.
Ms Cooper described her trip, which included a meeting with the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as a demonstration of solidarity with Ukraine.
“The UK will not stand idly by as Putin continues his barbaric invasion of Ukraine,” Ms Cooper said, noting what she said was the Russian president’s “complete disregard for sovereignty” by sending drones into NATO airspace.
Yvette Cooper met Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Friday. Pic: Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters
Pic: Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters
Prince Harry also made a surprise visit to Kyiv on Friday, where he met with wounded service members.
NATO already has substantial forces in eastern Europe, including thousands of troops, but the alliance did not explain how many additional forces would be involved in the new operation.
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Prince Harry’s surprise visit to Ukraine
Speaking at the alliance’s Brussels headquarters, US General Alexus Grynkewich told reporters the additional resources will enable the alliance to “plug gaps in the line” and concentrate forces wherever they’re needed while improving communications across NATO’s entire eastern flank.
NATO detailed a modest number of additional military assets – including two F-16 fighter jets and a frigate from Denmark, three Rafale fighter jets from France and four Eurofighter jets from Germany.
The announcement also coincided with a joint military exercise involving thousands of Russian and Belarusian troops, which began on Friday.
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Meanwhile, new measures were announced by the UK against Russia on Friday.
They included bans on 70 vessels the UK says are part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” that transports Russian oil in defiance of sanctions.
Some 30 individuals and companies – including Chinese and Turkey-based firms – were also sanctioned for their part in supplying Russia with electronics, chemicals, explosives and other weapons components.
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Putin is testing the West
Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, dismissed Donald Trump’s suggestion that the drone incursion into Poland may have been “a mistake”.
“We would also wish that the drone attack on Poland was a mistake,” Mr Tusk wrote on X. “But it wasn’t. And we know it.”
US-led efforts to steer Moscow and Kyiv toward a peace settlement have so far failed to progress.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said talks to end the war were currently on “pause” even though channels of communication remain open.
Thousands of troops are taking part in a joint military exercise between Russia and Belarus, as tensions with the EU run high following a Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace earlier this week.
The Zapad joint military exercise which began on Friday will involve drills in both Russia and Belarus as well as in the Baltic and Barents seas, the Russian defence ministry said.
Belarusian defence officials initially said about 13,000 troops would participate in the drill, but in May, its defence ministry said that would be cut nearly in half.
It comes just two days after Poland, with support from its NATO allies, shot down Russian drones over its airspace.
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Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Friday morning hit back at a suggestion by US President Donald Trump on Thursday that the incursion may have been a “mistake”.
He said in a post on X: “We would also wish that the drone attack on Poland was a mistake. But it wasn’t. And we know it.”
Russia said its forces had been attacking Ukraine at the time of the incursions and that it had not intended to hit any targets in Poland.
Friday also saw Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper travelling to Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv on the same day the UK announced fresh sanctions against Moscow.
Prince Harry was also in Kyiv for a surprise visit to help with the recovery of military personnel seriously injured in the three-year war with Russia.
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Prince Harry arrives in Kyiv
Ms Cooper, who was appointed foreign secretary last week, posted about her visit on X saying: “The UK’s support for Ukraine is steadfast. I am pleased to be in Kyiv on my first visit as Foreign Secretary.”
The UK’s new sanctions include bans on 70 vessels that Britain says are part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” that transports Russian oil in defiance of sanctions already in place.
Yvette Cooper with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv. Pic: Valentyn Ogirenko/PA
Some 30 individuals and companies – including Chinese and Turkey-based firms – have also been sanctioned for their part in supplying Russia with electronics, chemicals, explosives and other weapons components.
Read more from Sky News:
Maps and videos show seconds before Charlie Kirk was shot
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Meanwhile on the frontline, Ukrainian drones struck Russia’s oil-loading Primorsk port overnight, an SBU official said.
The attack caused fires and suspended oil-loading operations, the official added.
Russian defence systems also intercepted and destroyed 221 Ukrainian drones overnight.
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