Liz Truss has spent the past week preparing to become prime minister of the UK. She’s been firming up plans to help households and businesses hit by soaring energy costs and finalizing her cabinet appointments.
The British public have been souring on the governing Conservatives after Boris Johnson was forced from office in July follow a string of scandals and the party is running about 10 percentage points behind the opposition Labor Party, with an election due in 2024.
None of those measures would focus resources on the poorest Britons, who pay little or no income tax and use far less energy than the middle classes. One government aide involved in discussions on her first policy moves said they had watched the last two weeks of the contest with trepidation. They were alarmed that Truss ruled out energy rationing despite internal government documents clearly making contingencies for organised blackouts for heavy industry. They also said it was amateurish to rule out ever raising tax, arguing this would be a hostage to fortune.
Ben Wallace, likely to stay on as defence secretary, has won plaudits at home and abroad for his leadership on the war in Ukraine, where he worked closely with Truss. Kwasi Kwarteng, a likely chancellor, served in Johnson’s cabinet for 18 months as business secretary, and has led the government’s policy on energy security in that time.
Jacob Rees-Mogg is likely to take charge of the business and energy portfolio despite repeatedly criticising the previous government’s push to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. Other Johnson advisers who hoped to stay in government have been told there won’t be jobs for them, with previously junior staff replacing them.
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