The head of the Foreign Ministry of Great Britain, Liz Truss, is a front-runner to become the next prime minister of the United Kingdom. The Conservative Party voted her in as one of the final two contenders in the Conservative leadership contest. Her opponent is former Chancellor Rishi Sunak.
Truss has taken a firm stance against Russian President Vladimir Putin, and she is considered a favourite of the Conservatives’ right-wing party.
“I want to lead a government committed to core Conservative principles: low taxes, a firm group of spending, driving growth in the economy, and giving people the opportunity to achieve anything they want to achieve…”
Liz originally backed ‘Remain’ in the 2016 Brexit referendum. She has since changed her mind and called Britain leaving the EU “an opportunity” to reshape its economy.
Truss is Britain’s first Tory female foreign secretary, and she made history by becoming the first-ever female Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor in its thousand-year history.
If Liz wins and becomes the new Prime Minister, it would be the third time that the Conservative Party put a woman in the country’s highest office, after the premierships of Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May.
Meanwhile, Boris Johnson bid a farewell to the House of Commons on Wednesday. His final words contained a famous catchphrase from The Terminator.
“Hasta la vista, baby.”
Five things to know about Liz Truss
Truss has been the environment secretary, justice secretary, chief secretary to the Treasury, trade secretary and is now the foreign secretary
Elizabeth Truss was appointed Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on 15 September 2021. She was appointed Minister for Women and Equalities on 10 September 2019. She was elected as the Conservative MP for southwest Norfolk in 2010.
Liz Truss’s parents have opposing political views to their daughter
John Kenneth and Priscilla Mary Truss are both “left-wing activists” and raised her to despise Margaret Thatcher.
She is married with children
Truss lives in Norfolk with her husband and accountant Hugh O’Leary and their two daughters, Liberty and Frances.
She is a big fan of 1980s music and karaoke
“The one thing people do not know about me is I do like 1980s music, and I do like karaoke. My favourite song is I Wanna Dance [With Somebody] by Whitney Houston.”
The infamous cheese speech
Truss went viral in 2014 when she emphasized a passionate speech about the UK’s food industry and imports. Her speech quickly became meme-defining moment for the leadership contestant.
“We import two-thirds of our cheese. That. Is. A. Disgrace.”
