- Title: Profile of Conservative Party leadership hopeful Truss
- Date: 19th July 2022
- Summary: ALGIERS, ALGERIA (AUGUST 26, 2022) (AGENCY POOL) FRENCH PRESIDENT, EMMANUEL MACRON WALKING (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH PRESIDENT, EMMANUEL MACRON, SAYING: "I say it, the British people, Britain, is a friend of France, a strong ally, no matter its leaders, and sometimes despite its leaders or the small mistakes they can make while speaking in public." MACRON ANSWERING QUESTIONS (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH PRESIDENT, EMMANUEL MACRON, SAYING: "If France and Britain cannot say whether they are friends or enemies - this word isn't neutral - then we are headed for serious problems." MACRON LEAVING
- Embargoed: 2nd August 2022 15:07
- Keywords: Boris Johnson Conservative leadership EMMANUEL MACRON IRELAND Lizz Truss foreign secretary next prime minister
- Location: VARIOUS
- City: VARIOUS
- Country: UK
- Topics: Europe,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00K843301011970RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: For many, a figure of fun, but for those in the governing Conservative Party choosing who should replace Boris Johnson, it is Liz Truss' conversion to passionate Brexit supporter and her offer of tax cuts that have propelled her to within touching distance of becoming Britain's next prime minister.
It also helps that she is not former finance minister Rishi Sunak, who some in the governing Conservative Party blame for triggering the rebellion against his boss, Johnson, and fear cannot beat the opposition Labour Party in the next election.
Truss, Britain's foreign secretary, made it to the final two in the race alongside Sunak, and looks poised to win them over - ranking first in polls so far - to be appointed their new leader, and Britain's next prime minister,
on Sept. 5.
Supportive lawmakers say Truss can govern from day one, with a plan to revive the economy by cutting 30 billion pounds ($36 billion) in taxes.
Her robust stance on Russia, China and with Brussels over Brexit will also feature in the campaign.
Saying she is a true Conservative, she has dismissed Sunak, a long-term party member and former Goldman Sachs banker, as being a "socialist".
Truss's ascent to the top of the Conservative Party has been anything but straightforward.
Born to parents she describes as "left-wing", her mother, a nurse and a teacher, and her father, a math lecturer, took her on demonstrations against then Conservative prime minister Thatcher, now her political idol.
She criticised the monarchy when a member of the more centrist Liberal Democrats at the University of Oxford, and described her conversion to conservatism as a "rebellion" spurred by a belief that people "should succeed on merit".
Since entering the foreign office in September last year, Truss has been prolific in posting pictures of her endeavours -- from standing in Moscow's Red Square in a fur hat despite it being relatively warm to standing atop a tank in Estonia.
She has modelled herself as a strident critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, but some fear her robust stance on Russia's war could ratchet up tensions to perilous levels.
Her appeal, even her most reluctant supporters say, is that she is dynamic, a workaholic who is across the detail of policy.
Others believe she can steady the ship after Johnson's turbulent three years in power. - Copyright Holder: POOL (CAN SELL)
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