UK PM-elect Liz Truss gets frustrated at being compared to Thatcher

Liz Truss got "frustrated" after she was "compared to Margaret Thatcher", the media reported.

When asked whether she models herself on the former Tory prime minister, she disagreed with the accusation, saying: "I don't accept that, I am my own person". Aged nine, she played Thatcher in a mock election at school, the BBC reported.

She apparently got "zero votes -- I didn't even vote for myself".

Truss has worked for three former prime ministers. She was promoted by David Cameron to environment secretary and worked as justice secretary under Theresa May. She was eventually made foreign secretary by Boris Johnson in 2021.

 

Truss will become the third female Prime Minister of UK. All female prime ministers so far have been Conservative.

Truss is 47, married and has two daughters. After university she worked as an accountant for Shell, and Cable & Wireless, and married fellow accountant Hugh O'Leary in 2000. The family lives in Thetford, Norfolk, the BBC reported.

Before she entered the leadership contest, many knew her from a speech to the Tory Party Conference in 2014 where she enthusiastically promoted British cheese and pork.

Liz Truss has been named as the new Conservative leader on Monday -- and will become UK PM on Tuesday, Daily Mail reported.

Truss takes the helm of a country in the grip of a cost-of-living crisis after seeing off the former chancellor's challenge with support from 81,326 party members, compared to Sunak's 60,399.

The 57 per cent to 43 per cent result - closer than some had expected - was announced by 1922 committee chair Sir Graham Brady in a glitzy ceremony at the QE2 Centre in Westminster, Daily Mail reported.

Truss said it was an 'honour' to be the new leader of the 'greatest political party on Earth'. 'I know that our beliefs resonate with the British people,' she said.

"I campaigned as a Conservative and I will govern as a Conservative... I will deliver a bold plan to cut taxes and grow our economy."

She added: "We will deliver a great victory for the Conservative Party in 2024."

Truss also paid tribute to Boris Johnson, who will formally hand over power to her tomorrow, saying he 'got Brexit done, crushed Jeremy Corbyn, rolled out the vaccine, and stood up to Vladimir Putin'.

But the new premier faces one of the toughest in-trays in decades, with inflation fears mounting as gas prices soar again and the Pound slides further.

Speculation is growing that Truss will opt for a bold furlough-style move to freeze energy bills -- possibly by loaning companies money to hold down costs.

Wholesale gas prices rocketed by around 30 per cent on Monday, following Russia's decision to shut down a key gas pipeline, the Daily Mail reported.

--IANS

san/pgh