Liz Truss breaks silence on economic fallout in painful series of BBC interviews
The Prime Minister was facing intense pressure to speak up as the pound plunged, the IMF gave an extraordinary statement and the Bank of England was forced to intervene on her government’s tax-slashing measures.
In a series of eight interviews with BBC local radio stations in England – snubbing Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – Truss doubled down on the Chancellor’s strategy.
READ MORE: Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng AWOL as Tories wreck UK economy
In her first public comments since Kwasi Kwarteng’s statement plunged the financial markets into turmoil, the Prime Minister told BBC Radio Leeds: “We had to take urgent action to get our economy growing, get Britain moving and also deal with inflation.
“Of course that means taking controversial decision but I am prepared to do that as Prime Minister because what is important to me is that we get our economy moving, we make sure that people are able to get through this winter and we are prepared to do what it takes to make that happen.”
Shortly after, the Prime Minister told BBC Radio Norfolk: “Of course there are elements of controversy as there always are, but my priority was making sure that we were supporting the British people in what is going to be a very difficult winter and a difficult time.”
Asked whether she would stick to her plan, Prime Minister Liz Truss told BBC Radio Norfolk: “This is the right plan that we have set out.
“This is about making sure people are going into the winter not worried about high fuel bills, which is what we were looking at.
“It was simply unconscionable that we could have allowed that to happen.”
More to follow
