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| Liz Truss's speech ends showcase of dysfunction and division | Liz Truss's speech ends showcase of dysfunction and division |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| There was the content of the prime minister's speech. And then the context of its delivery. | There was the content of the prime minister's speech. And then the context of its delivery. |
| And context is everything. This is a party that has been close to ripping itself to shreds in the last few days. | And context is everything. This is a party that has been close to ripping itself to shreds in the last few days. |
| It was a conference that was a showcase of dysfunction and division, from the cabinet down. Indiscipline within government, mutiny beyond it. | It was a conference that was a showcase of dysfunction and division, from the cabinet down. Indiscipline within government, mutiny beyond it. |
| Let's explore both in more detail - both what was said publicly and what I was told privately. | Let's explore both in more detail - both what was said publicly and what I was told privately. |
| Firstly, there was the ruthlessly successful campaign to get a new prime minister to junk her planned tax cut for the highest earners in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. | Firstly, there was the ruthlessly successful campaign to get a new prime minister to junk her planned tax cut for the highest earners in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. |
| Spearheaded by prominent former supporters of Liz Truss's leadership rival Rishi Sunak, yes, but with broad support including among people in government. | Spearheaded by prominent former supporters of Liz Truss's leadership rival Rishi Sunak, yes, but with broad support including among people in government. |
| A crushing, humiliating, authority sapping U-turn that left the prime minister weakened and vulnerable. | A crushing, humiliating, authority sapping U-turn that left the prime minister weakened and vulnerable. |
| Vulnerable to further mutiny, which followed within hours. | Vulnerable to further mutiny, which followed within hours. |
| Truss pledges to get country through 'stormy days' | Truss pledges to get country through 'stormy days' |
| Rebellion in the air over possible benefit squeeze | Rebellion in the air over possible benefit squeeze |
| Why do politicians use walk-on music? | Why do politicians use walk-on music? |
| Because then came the debate about benefits - whether all such payments should go up in line with wages or the more expensive option of inflation, exposed deeper disagreement, because it exposed indiscipline within government. | Because then came the debate about benefits - whether all such payments should go up in line with wages or the more expensive option of inflation, exposed deeper disagreement, because it exposed indiscipline within government. |
| The Commons leader, Penny Mordaunt, another rival of Liz Truss over the summer, said she supported a rise in line with prices, even though the government's official position was that it hadn't decided. | The Commons leader, Penny Mordaunt, another rival of Liz Truss over the summer, said she supported a rise in line with prices, even though the government's official position was that it hadn't decided. |
| So much for cabinet collective responsibility. A strong prime minister would sack a cabinet minister for such insubordination. | So much for cabinet collective responsibility. A strong prime minister would sack a cabinet minister for such insubordination. |
| Ms Mordaunt remains in post. | Ms Mordaunt remains in post. |
| "She should be called in on Monday morning and sacked," one senior party figure who voted for Ms Truss told me. | "She should be called in on Monday morning and sacked," one senior party figure who voted for Ms Truss told me. |
| Their face etched with anguish, they were astonished and depressed by the early weeks of her time in Downing Street. | Their face etched with anguish, they were astonished and depressed by the early weeks of her time in Downing Street. |
| Collective responsibility? Cabinet members Michelle Donelan, Penny Mordaunt and Jake Berry watched the speech together | Collective responsibility? Cabinet members Michelle Donelan, Penny Mordaunt and Jake Berry watched the speech together |
| But another senior figure, a current cabinet minister, disagreed. Ms Mordaunt is too big a figure to fire when the government is so weak, it could start of a snowballing chain of events that could bring the prime minister down, this minister speculated. | But another senior figure, a current cabinet minister, disagreed. Ms Mordaunt is too big a figure to fire when the government is so weak, it could start of a snowballing chain of events that could bring the prime minister down, this minister speculated. |
| And make no mistake, fears of this government's collapse run to its highest levels. | And make no mistake, fears of this government's collapse run to its highest levels. |
| "People need to calm the [expletive] down!," said another cabinet minister. | "People need to calm the [expletive] down!," said another cabinet minister. |
| The only crutch that gives those at the top reprieve from their gloom is a view that another leadership race would be ridiculous and, for a party languishing so far behind in the opinion polls, an imminent election would amount to a death wish. | The only crutch that gives those at the top reprieve from their gloom is a view that another leadership race would be ridiculous and, for a party languishing so far behind in the opinion polls, an imminent election would amount to a death wish. |
| But there is a growing fear among some Truss supporters that there is a doom-laden fatalism among too many Conservative MPs, an assumption that defeat at the next election is close to inevitable. | |
| "They say it'd be good for us to have a stint in opposition! It drives me mad," one said. | "They say it'd be good for us to have a stint in opposition! It drives me mad," one said. |
| One party veteran said the root of the worries was fundamental and depressing - a concern Ms Truss isn't in control and doesn't know what she is doing and that that is a perception that might stick. | One party veteran said the root of the worries was fundamental and depressing - a concern Ms Truss isn't in control and doesn't know what she is doing and that that is a perception that might stick. |
| Those around the prime minister are shaken by the turbulence of the last few days and glad this conference is over. | Those around the prime minister are shaken by the turbulence of the last few days and glad this conference is over. |
| The speech itself was short and had no new policy ideas. A case of once bitten, twice shy, methinks. | The speech itself was short and had no new policy ideas. A case of once bitten, twice shy, methinks. |
| Watch: Prime Minister Liz Truss at the Tory Party Conference | Watch: Prime Minister Liz Truss at the Tory Party Conference |
| Watch: Prime Minister Liz Truss at the Tory Party Conference | Watch: Prime Minister Liz Truss at the Tory Party Conference |
| But remember too this is a prime minister barely known by the wider electorate, still seeking to introduce herself - and it was this she sought to do in her Birmingham speech. | But remember too this is a prime minister barely known by the wider electorate, still seeking to introduce herself - and it was this she sought to do in her Birmingham speech. |
| Character-shaping moments that give her drive, such as being handed an air hostess badge on a plane as a child, when her brothers were given pilot badges, for instance. | Character-shaping moments that give her drive, such as being handed an air hostess badge on a plane as a child, when her brothers were given pilot badges, for instance. |
| And a framing of her central objective, improving economic growth, by attempting to bind her political opponents together as an "anti-growth coalition." Expect to hear that phrase again. | And a framing of her central objective, improving economic growth, by attempting to bind her political opponents together as an "anti-growth coalition." Expect to hear that phrase again. |
| The problems the government confronts are colossal. Economic growth, or the lack of it, is just one of many. | The problems the government confronts are colossal. Economic growth, or the lack of it, is just one of many. |
| Gripping them would stretch a united outfit - the Conservatives are a long way from that right now. | Gripping them would stretch a united outfit - the Conservatives are a long way from that right now. |