It only lasted eight minutes. And she only took four questions. No wonder, perhaps, that Liz Truss’s press conference on Friday infuriated journalists, rattled her own MPs, and left the UK pondering whether – and how long – the prime minister can survive. Scanning the room to pick out favoured reporters, Truss looked uneasy as she offered a series of repetitious platitudes to their pointed and bruising inquiries. Here’s what she was asked – and how she replied: Ben Riley-Smith, political editor, the Daily Telegraph: Can you explain to the public why you think you should remain as prime minister, given you have dumped a key tax cut that led you to be elected and got rid of your chancellor? Liz Truss: I’m absolutely determined to see through what I’ve promised. To deliver a higher growth, more prosperous United Kingdom. To see us through the storm we face …
Harry Cole, political editor, the Sun: You and the ex-chancellor designed this budget together, in lock step we’re told, at times in secret, the two of you – he has to go because of the fallout from it. How come you get to stay? Liz Truss: My priority is making sure we deliver the economic stability that our country needs. That’s why I had to take the difficult decisions I’ve taken today. The mission remains the same. We do need to raise our country’s economic growth levels … Chris Mason, political editor, BBC: Excuse the bluntness, prime minister, but given everything that has happened, what credibility do you have to continue governing? Liz Truss: What I have done today is made sure we have economic stability in this country. Jeremy Hunt as chancellor is somebody who shares my desire for a high growth, low tax economy. But we recognise because of current market issues we have to deliver the mission in a different way … Robert Peston, political editor, ITV News: Prime minister, the former Tory chancellor Phillip Hammond has just said that you have totally trashed the Tories’ election-winning reputation for economic competence. Will you apologise to your party? Liz Truss: I’m determined to deliver on what I set out when I campaigned to be party leader. We need to have a high growth economy but we have to recognise we are facing very difficult issues as a country, and it was right, in the national interest, that I made the decision I made today …