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| Changing PM would be disastrously bad idea, says foreign secretary | Changing PM would be disastrously bad idea, says foreign secretary |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said changing leadership would be "a disastrously bad idea" | |
| Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said changing leadership would be "a disastrously bad idea" | |
| Getting rid of Liz Truss would be a "disastrously bad idea", the foreign secretary has said, as he defended the prime minister's economic plans. | Getting rid of Liz Truss would be a "disastrously bad idea", the foreign secretary has said, as he defended the prime minister's economic plans. |
| James Cleverly said the PM - who has been in office for 37 days - would stick to her plans despite Tory unrest over tax cuts. | James Cleverly said the PM - who has been in office for 37 days - would stick to her plans despite Tory unrest over tax cuts. |
| The fact that her mini-budget, which sparked market turmoil, surprised some people "is not her fault", he added. | The fact that her mini-budget, which sparked market turmoil, surprised some people "is not her fault", he added. |
| Ms Truss has repeatedly defended the proposed tax cuts outlined last month. | Ms Truss has repeatedly defended the proposed tax cuts outlined last month. |
| There has been speculation that Ms Truss could be forced out of office by Conservative MPs if she does not change course. | There has been speculation that Ms Truss could be forced out of office by Conservative MPs if she does not change course. |
| Rees-Mogg says market turmoil not due to mini-budget | Rees-Mogg says market turmoil not due to mini-budget |
| What will the tax changes mean for you? | What will the tax changes mean for you? |
| The pitfalls lying ahead for an embattled PM | The pitfalls lying ahead for an embattled PM |
| But Mr Cleverly defended her approach, telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme that changing the leadership would not bode well for the UK "politically and but also economically". | But Mr Cleverly defended her approach, telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme that changing the leadership would not bode well for the UK "politically and but also economically". |
| When asked if the government would make any changes to win over rebellious Tory MPs, Mr Cleverly said the "plan is to grow the economy". | When asked if the government would make any changes to win over rebellious Tory MPs, Mr Cleverly said the "plan is to grow the economy". |
| He argued that the only way to counteract the "powerful and negative economic headwinds" buffeting the UK was by stimulating growth. | He argued that the only way to counteract the "powerful and negative economic headwinds" buffeting the UK was by stimulating growth. |
| The government would make "professional and tough decisions" on spending, Mr Cleverly said, adding "we're not going to be cutting public services" but some areas would see "close to inflation growth". | The government would make "professional and tough decisions" on spending, Mr Cleverly said, adding "we're not going to be cutting public services" but some areas would see "close to inflation growth". |
| Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng's mini-budget on 23 September, which included £45bn of tax cuts funded by borrowing, has caused turbulence in financial markets and prompted the Bank of England to intervene to protect pension funds. | Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng's mini-budget on 23 September, which included £45bn of tax cuts funded by borrowing, has caused turbulence in financial markets and prompted the Bank of England to intervene to protect pension funds. |
| Mr Kwarteng is due to set out how he will fund the package and reduce debt on 31 October. | Mr Kwarteng is due to set out how he will fund the package and reduce debt on 31 October. |
| Cabinet minister James Cleverly warned Tory MPs against getting rid of the prime minister | Cabinet minister James Cleverly warned Tory MPs against getting rid of the prime minister |
| But Ms Truss is facing growing calls within her own party to scrap all or part of her economic programme to shore up the UK's economic position ahead of a difficult winter. | But Ms Truss is facing growing calls within her own party to scrap all or part of her economic programme to shore up the UK's economic position ahead of a difficult winter. |
| After a stormy session of Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Ms Truss attended a meeting of backbench Tory MPs, some of whom savaged her economic policies. | After a stormy session of Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Ms Truss attended a meeting of backbench Tory MPs, some of whom savaged her economic policies. |
| Sources in the room at the meeting of the 1922 committee told the BBC that Tory MP Robert Halfon had accused Ms Truss of "trashing blue collar conservatism". | Sources in the room at the meeting of the 1922 committee told the BBC that Tory MP Robert Halfon had accused Ms Truss of "trashing blue collar conservatism". |
| He told her the party's record over the past 10 years had included things like boosting apprenticeships and the living wage, whereas she had cut tax for millionaires and wanted to slash affordable housing and benefits. | He told her the party's record over the past 10 years had included things like boosting apprenticeships and the living wage, whereas she had cut tax for millionaires and wanted to slash affordable housing and benefits. |
| MPs who were present said he got a cheer, while Ms Truss looked "shocked" and said he could come to speak to her. | MPs who were present said he got a cheer, while Ms Truss looked "shocked" and said he could come to speak to her. |
| But as she left the room, the prime minister said it had been a "very good" meeting. | But as she left the room, the prime minister said it had been a "very good" meeting. |
| Earlier at PMQs, Ms Truss denied she was planning public spending cuts, saying the government would instead focus on reducing debt "by making sure we spend public money well". | Earlier at PMQs, Ms Truss denied she was planning public spending cuts, saying the government would instead focus on reducing debt "by making sure we spend public money well". |
| Liz Truss says she "absolutely" rules out making cuts to public spending. | Liz Truss says she "absolutely" rules out making cuts to public spending. |
| Liz Truss says she "absolutely" rules out making cuts to public spending. | Liz Truss says she "absolutely" rules out making cuts to public spending. |
| One MP who supported Ms Truss in the Tory leadership race said the PM acknowledged during the meeting that she could have laid the ground better for her recent policies. | One MP who supported Ms Truss in the Tory leadership race said the PM acknowledged during the meeting that she could have laid the ground better for her recent policies. |
| Ms Truss became prime minister on 6 September after members of the Conservative Party voted for her to be the leader of the party. | Ms Truss became prime minister on 6 September after members of the Conservative Party voted for her to be the leader of the party. |
| She replaced former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was forced out of office by his own cabinet ministers after a string of political controversies. | She replaced former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was forced out of office by his own cabinet ministers after a string of political controversies. |
| An end-of-days vibe | |
| The extraordinary thing is: this just the 38th day Liz Truss has been in office. | |
| And yet astonishingly, an end-of-days vibe has been loitering around this prime minister and her mini-budget for some time. | |
| So some wonder if you lose one, do you effectively lose the other? | |
| The government has had to devolve power to its backbench MPs, such was the collapse in authority at the Conservative Party conference last week following the U-turn on scrapping the top tax rate. | |
| There are Conservative MPs saying something is going to have to give, and maybe it has to be the mini-budget. | |
| That's how you get a leap, in the minds of some, from the mini-budget to the survival of the prime minister. | |
| Does the prime minister just become, as a result of any further about turn, an empty vessel? |