Earlier in September, Liz Truss was the third woman ever to be elected Prime Minister in the United Kingdom. Member of the UK’s Conservative Party, she succeeded Boris Johnson and follows an example of her two prior female Prime Ministers, Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May.
Truss holds an impressive political history. A graduate of studies in philosophy, economics and politics from Merton College, Oxford, she made her political debut in 2010 as the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for South west Norfolk.
In 2012, Trust was appointed Parliamentary under Secretary of State for Education and Childcare, and from 2014-2016, she held the position of Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Under David Cameron’s government, Liz Truss became the youngest female cabinet minister.
Truss assumed the role of Lord Chancellor and Secretary for Justice in 2016, and from 2017-2019 she was the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
In 2019, Truss was appointed Minister for Women and Equalities, and two years later she was the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs.
Her Policies
Truss’s policies revert back to those of one of her two female predecessors, Thatcher and May. These policies extend to small government, lower taxes, deregulation, strict immigration policies and more support for the military.
Truss has since taken action to benefit businesses and the wealthy, showcasing her “Trussonomics” policy, which according to CNBC is comparable to her political idols— Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan. President Biden has already voiced his concerns and dislike for the policy she proposed, which is mostly known as trickle-down economics.
The current health of the UK’s economy is damaged with high levels of inflation, so Truss economic policies come at an interesting time. Furthermore, Truss voiced her opinion against Brexit in 2016.
It’s notable that the prime minister also holds other prominent titles, specifically, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Minister for the Union.
During her time at Oxford, Truss was an advocate for the abolition of the monarchy and leader of the Liberal Democrats’ student society. Interestingly, she switched political affiliations post-grad to the Conservative Party.
Who Truss Trusts
It is the first time in history of Great Britain in which the top positions in parliament are not held by white men.
Truss is credited with appointing the most diverse senior Cabinet. Some of her appointees include Kawsi Kwarteng as chancellor of the exchequer, Suella Braverman as home secretary, James Cleverly as foreign secretary, Benn Wallace as defense secretary and Thérèse Coffey as deputy prime minister.
Truss, An Extension of the Johnson Parliament
While the new prime minister position bears a new face, Truss is essentially an extension of Boris Johnson’s ideology. According to Gavin Barwell (former chief of staff to Theresa May and a previous Conservative), Truss resembles a “broadly continuity Johnson.”
She shares the same views as her predecessor regarding Ukraine, although she is recognized for diverging in her position on social spending. However, both Johnson and Truss defy standard British political recommendations in refusing to appoint an ethics advisor.
Elizabeth Truss has had many roles in the British political landscape, and both UK citizens and international communities will be watching as she steps into this new role.