Truss accuses devolved governments of playing ‘political games’
Liz Truss has pledged her commitment to uphold the United Kingdom as she hit out at politicians in the devolved administrations for playing “political games” rather than delivering for voters.
The Foreign Secretary said that if she succeeds in becoming Prime Minister, she would also take on the role of minister for the Union – a position created and held by Boris Johnson.
Her intervention came after she sparked controversy earlier this month by attacking Mark Drakeford and Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Truss described the Welsh First Minister as a “low energy version of Jeremy Corbyn” just days after saying Ms Sturgeon was an “attention seeker” who is “best ignored”.
During a leadership hustings in Wales, Ms Truss said: “The fact is there are too many people in this country who are ashamed of our history, who talk our country down, who say the best days are behind us. They are completely wrong. I’m afraid one of them is Mark Drakeford.”
Her comments attacking Ms Sturgeon were seized on by the SNP leader who said it showed Ms Truss would ignore Scotland if she wins the race for the Tory crown in a ballot among party activists.
UK’family’
In a statement, Ms Truss – who remains the clear favourite to succeed Mr Johnson – insisted she would govern for the whole UK “family” if she gains the keys to No 10.
“Having grown up in Paisley before going to a comprehensive school in Leeds, I consider myself a child of the Union. When I say I will deliver for our country, I mean all of it,” she said.
“My government would put the Union at the heart of everything it does and ensure that all corners of our country are rightly championed at the very top of government.
“For too long, people in parts of our United Kingdom have been let down by their devolved administrations playing political games instead of focusing on their priorities. If elected prime minister, I will deliver for our whole country.
“We are not four separate nations in an agreement of convenience, as some would have us believe. We are one great country which shares a history and institutions, but also family and friends, memories and values.
“I would ensure that our entire family continues to get the attention, support, and investment that it deserves.”
Ahead of a visit next week to Scotland, she accused the SNP of being preoccupied with the issue of independence when, she said, they should be focused on averting a recession.
Infrastructure
She also hit out at the Labour administration in Wales for failing to invest in infrastructure and attacked Sinn Fein politicians in Northern Ireland for trying to “drive a wedge” between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
In contrast, she said she would invest in infrastructure throughout the UK, such as upgrading the A75 between Gretna and Stranraer and building the M4 relief road in Wales.
She said she would also continue to work to open up new export markets for products such as Scottish whisky and smoked salmon, Welsh lamb and ships from Northern Ireland.
The new prime minister will be announced when MPs return to Westminster following the summer break on September 5.
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Is Liz Truss of the opinion, that only Westminster politicians are allowed to play political games?
Liz Truss will govern for the whole UK ‘family’ by denigrating and ignoring two particular awkward siblings who are the democratically elected leaders of their respective countries put there by the voters of those countries in a democratic message to her party that WE DO NOT WANT THEM and we will show in every election pending that WE DO NOT WANT THEM. Coercive control is always called out and punished in the end and it will be. Freedom is nigh!
Furthermore, Mark Drakeford and Nicola Sturgeon NEVER talk down THEIR countries nor disrespect the voters who put them there so maybe Truss should think about that and learn how to proceed with democratically elected governance rather than devoting all her time to sweeping democracy aside and enforcing tyranny.
but she’s a tory?
Go on you old hag, keep on at it, because all you are doing is inflaming those of us who want Independence and pushing people to our point of view.
CYMRU AM BITH! ANNIBYNIAETH!
Oh dear, how do you deal with someone who clearly is already so out of her depth that basic common sense and decency is beyond her understanding. As for operating as the leader of country on the world stage she is a clear and present danger to all but the most deranged Tory backbencher. Mr and Mrs Truss please come and collect your daughter…
I wish we could get them to stop calling Britain/UK a country
Unless you are referring to Y Brythoniaid: the original British. Time to reclaim this identity maybe? Some across the border may not like it.
Truss tells Express readers “I’m on your side” but her eyes betray her…
So…Truss described the Welsh First Minister as a “low energy version of Jeremy Corbyn” just days after saying Ms Sturgeon was an “attention seeker” who is “best ignored”. Which makes Truss what? – An attention-seeking low-energy version of Margaret Thatcher?
Yes. Every time a Tory speaks, hypocrisy spews forth.
In other news we learn that Tory ministers at DWP are burying their own internal reports about the numbers being killed and harmed by those Tory ministers’ welfare cuts.
One wonders why politicians get all political when really they should be leading pitchfork waving mobs.
“We are not four separate nations in an agreement of convenience, as some would have us believe. We are one great country …..”
Ms Truss, as we’ve been telling you for 800 years: “no, we are not!”
At least Tito tried to make it work. These Londoncentric Tories don’t give a sh*t about the devolved nations, preferring to use them as part of their mob baiting rhetoric. Truss proving to be empty headed and already past her ditch by date.
Shocked to read that Sinn Fein want to “drive a wedge” between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. I always thought that they were committed Unionists.
I am not sure if it is ignorance, or just stupidity that comes out of her mouth when making a speech. Sinn Fein fought a civil war in Ulster and England, Scotland are on the verge of independence due to how the place is controlled from London, and we have been, not just forgotten when it comes to infrastructure, but they now openly take our funding and brag about it. History in her context, is English history, with the Celts so cleanly rubbed out, one can smell the Dettol. I would love to ask her some simple questions on “our… Read more »
Both Mr Drakeford and Ms Sturgeon have made disparaging remarks about the leader of Ms Truss’ cult. She must now destroy them both whilst keeping her fingers firmly stuck in her ears to avoid hearing the truth, anything but the truth…when this crab emerges triumphant from the bucket there will be a clacking of claws like never before…
Drakeford is a wimp who loves the “Union”. Will Truss even let him lick her boots?
Sturgeon is in a different class.
Let us all be honest, Truss, Sunak and the whole Conservative party are a godsend ! We want an independent Cymru and we’ll get it with this load of colonialistic, English nationalists in power in Westminster.
There are still too many in Wales who would rather be led by Westminster and bend a knee for a foreign monarch, until we change that attitude, independence is going nowhere.
Think you are the only person commenting here who really understands where Wales stands . Where Wales has always stood and sadly always will stand. In a nutshell. Wales will always be part of England until kingdom come
Wales will never see independence period !
I understand your concerns but does that mean – we forget about it? Roll over and just suffer? Or do we fight?
It used to be the same up here in Scotland – you fight!
That is what Wales has always done . Roll over and suffer ! labour having such a stronghold on politics has not helped Wales. In the south it has always been if you stick a Brass Monkey in the window with a Labour sticker on it the people will vote for it. if the political thinking of the south was like the west and north then I could see a chance for an independent Wales. can’t see that happening anytime soon. There also should be a Welsh based Conservative party with no allegiance to the English Tory party. Welsh People… Read more »
We are on that long road. The attitude of my grandchildren towards the language, the English royalty, how we are governed from London, is the polar opposite to views held by my grandparents, and a generation has now grown up knowing devolution, and how making decisions in Cardiff can improve our lives, as we find solutions for us and our nation. Learning more about our history in school, will also help to reinforce our sense of nationhood, replace Henry 8th with Hywel Dda, etc It will take time, but as Bob Dylan said, “the times they are a’ changing” and… Read more »
Indeed Gareth, well wrote.
Yep, but I’ve realised that we can’t call it “conservative” as it’s a toxic brand now. The optics of the word “Tradition” look better. Open to better suggestions, of course.
“We are not four separate nations in an agreement of convenience” – I would suggest to Liz Truss that that “an agreement of convenience” is exactly what the Act of Union between Scotland and England was intended to be.
I see the true side of the tory members is starting to leech out into the media, a recent poll says that they are voting for truss because “she is white and english” did they really need a poll to tell them that, the tories are inescapably racist, always have been, always will be.
When clueless just say “they are playing political games”. As if she isn’t!!!
Regarding playing political games, elsewhere in the ‘news’ it is reported that Therese Coffee at the DWP is refusing to publish several reports on aspects of her department affecting benefit claimants. As these are often matters of life and death (recall the sad death of Errol Graham who starved to death after his benefit was withheld) it is surely a criminal act not to publish and act on said reports. This should be brought before a judge in court at the earliest opportunity…perhaps the Prime Minister in waiting could be asked if she could make this a priority…
when politicians can withhold reports like this or the report on saudi influence on terrorist groups attacking the UK, Russian involvement in various aspects of Westminster politics, it just shows how powerless we the voters are in this democracy, they lie, we die!
She looks so like Golum in that picture.
The very essence of glee and spite.
What a charmer
I’m sure the ‘Dedringers’ crew are making her puppet as we speak and I’m certain it will be as good as Thatchers’ ‘Spitting Image’ one.
Why is it that she has the ring attached to her necklace like that? My precioussssss…….
Projection again from the poor photocopy of thatcher
“In contrast, she said she would invest in infrastructure throughout the UK…”
So she’s going to devolve the HS2 money to Wales so proper investment into rail, bus travel and roads between N+S of the country which are all actually needed?
“and building the M4 relief road in Wales.”
Nope, of course she’s just interested in helping people in transport in and out of England (driving up house prices in Wales, ensuring jobs don’t go beyond Cardiff, ensuring young talent goes towards England) through a relief road which is an environmental nightmare and is a short-term fix only.
I’ve been delving into Ms Truss’ cosmic background and the predictions are not good. If, as I suspect, she will be an amalgamation of all the worst traits associated with ‘wood rabbits’ and big cats…’Leo’ weaknesses include being a egotistical, domineering, stubborn, controlling and a vain show off while wooden rabbits can be selfish, heartless, emotionally unstable and rather expensive to maintain…expect many more 3 grand lunches and millions on travel, she will be sure to take as much out of the public purse as she can in the time she has available…much like her beloved Fat Shanks…
have you looked into her involvement with far right, anti climate change lobby groups in the US yet?
money for doing nothing…universal income for C21 politicians…
Braverman 10k in the Guardian mod…
Braverman copped 10 grand of that, it is there for all politicians to help themselves…The grandchildren of bent politicians better start wising up…granddad, how much did you make out of climate change denial…
At a stretch the recent and projected profitability of oil and gas companies is on a par with compensating slave owners for giving up their slaves and much of that original wealth has been reinvested a number of times over the last two hundred years…
Dirty money can never be properly laundered, just look at the problems associated with Palm Oil in West Africa and elsewhere…even the state of the UK today is proof of that, where would the Tory Party be without Ben Elliot…a country that has sold its soul so many times is beyond the pale…
She doesn’t like Solar, which is far better than windmills, imo.
btw Has anyone looked into placing solar panels on coal tips? I was passing the Bersham one and it’s very big. It is supposed to be a museum, but you could get a hell of a lot of panels up there, though is it stable enough?
Worth an article?
She hit out at the Labour government for failing to invest in infrastructure…
Gives us our HS2 money and devolve power to transport and we’ll do a fantastic job with infrastructure!
Kinda difficult to do with one hand tied behind our back.
She’s probably unaware of where HS2 will run and of which countries had to contribute.
Elsewhere in the same statement, she’s promised to open new markets for “Scotch whisky, Welsh lamb and ships in Northern Ireland”.
This string of childhood caricatures and the slack-witted promise (remember the content of her post-brexit trade deal with Japan?) confirms what you’ve just alluded to concerning the orifice in which she keeps her head.
Err no Liz Truss its YOUR party that’s playing political games and NOT the other way around. The devolved administrations were democratically elected by the voters in their respective countries, and they know full well that if they don’t deliver then they are going to be voted out. Your party only has the interests of England at heart, this is blatantly obvious to everyone. Your party refused to devolve Air Passenger Duty to Wales solely to defend the interests of Bristol Airport, yet they have the nerve to attack Mark Drakeford over the current state of Cardiff Airport. So why… Read more »
Of course the Tory party is playing political games, but then in their worldview they, and whoever they see as being part of the club, ‘one of us’, within the Westminster bubble, are entitled to be considered legitimate players of these games.
What they absolutely don’t like is anyone outside that club joining in, and when they do, the Torys will throw their toys out of the pram.
Liz Truss is the gift that just keeps on giving. 🥴🇬🇧
Opportunity knocks for Scotland and Cymru, united Eire?