UK Politics

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailLiz Truss has delivered an apocalyptic warning that “the West is doomed” unless right-wing politicians like her are put in power to save it.Echoing the rhetoric of Donald Trump, she blamed the “deep state” for her downfall as prime minister when her policies sparked an economic crash.Ms Truss made her controversial comments in an article for Fox News TV, the right-wing US television station credited with helping Mr Trump win power.Liz Truss recently launched the right-wing pressure group Popular Conservatism Mr Trump claimed a secretive network of powerful officials and state institutes – the “deep state” – plotted to thwart his aims.Critics dismissed it as a conspiracy theory aimed at blaming others for his failings.Ms Truss said: “In too much of the free world, the left has been in charge for too long and the results are all too plain to see. Their agents are only too active in public and private institutions and what we have come to know as the administrative state and the deep state.”She said she had seen it for herself first hand as the unnamed figures and bodies “sabotaged my efforts in Britain to cut taxes, reduce the size of government and restore democratic accountability”.Her brief period in No 10 is best remembered for her catastrophic mini-Budget which sent the pound into a nose dive and sparked a crash in the markets.Sunak reveals response to Truss being outlasted by lettuce: ‘Country was in tough spot’In her opinion piece, Ms Truss appeared to all but endorse Mr Trump’s bid for re-election.Going even so far as to claim that “left-wing elites” will be “aided and abetted by our enemies in China, Iran and Russia” to undermine Western societies from within, Ms Truss continued: “In a vital election year for the US, it is why we don’t just need a conservative in the White House. “We need one who is able to take on the deep rot of the deep state and lead the free world.”Her provocative comments are likely to attract ridicule from detractors who say she proved a reckless and incompetent prime minister, whose policies caused people’s mortgage repayments to soar.But her allies insist her policies have since been proven right – and many Tories believe Ms Truss harbours aims of regaining the Tory leadership when Rishi Sunak leaves office, despite lasting just 49 days in Downing Street before being forced to step down.The failed PM is striving to place herself at the forefront of a new brand of right-wing politics, recently lauching her so-called Popular Conservatism movement and now travelling to Washington, DC, where she is due to give a speech at the Republican CPAC event on Thursday.Mr Trump is also due to speak at the event, alongside MyPillow chief executive Mike Lindell, politician Tulsi Gabbard and Steve Bannon. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailSir Keir Starmer has avoided potentially the biggest rebellion of his leadership after Labour MPs were given the chance to vote for the party’s own amendment to an SNP motion calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. The Labour leader had been warned tens of Labour MPs could rebel on Wednesday over the SNP motion, which calls for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict, the release of all hostages held by Hamas and “an end to the collective punishment of the Palestinian people”.Under growing pressure, Sir Keir hardened his stance on Israel’s invasion in recent days to also call for an immediate ceasefire.Labour submitted an amendment to the SNP’s motion which also called for a ceasefire, but stopped short of accusing Israel of “collective punishment” and stressed that Israel “cannot be expected to cease fighting if Hamas continues with violence”. Sir Keir’s approach was thrown into jeopardy hours before the looming vote when the government tabled its own amendment – which under typical parliamentary procedure would supercede Labour’s, leaving his MPs with the choice of either backing the SNP, Tories, or abstaining on calls for a ceasefire.But, in a huge relief for Sir Keir, Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle announced that, in an “exceptional” move, MPs will be given the chance to vote on Labour’s amendments. Sir Lindsay was met with howls of “shame” and “bring back [former Commons speaker John] Bercow” from Tory and SNP MPs, who felt he had sided with Labour in order to let Sir Keir save face. MPs will now be allowed to vote on Labour’s position, followed by the SNP’s and the government’s, meaning Labour MPs facing pressure in their constituencies can vote for a ceasefire in Gaza without rebelling against Sir Keir. Sir Lindsay said it was a “highly sensitive subject” on which “feelings are running high”.“I think it is important on this occasion that the House is able to consider the widest possible range of options,” he said. Sir Lindsay added: “I have therefore decided to select the amendments both in the name of the prime minister and in the name of the leader of the opposition.”But Tory MP William Wragg, chairman of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, tabled a so-called early day motion saying: “That this house has no confidence in Mr Speaker.” Sir Keir has been facing growing pressure from his own MPs to back a ceasefire in Gaza, having appeared in recent days to be outflanked to the left by foreign secretary David Cameron, with his shift in stance last weekend then arguably overshadowed by Prince William’s surprise intervention calling for urgent peace. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailWatch live as MPs debate a crunch Gaza ceasefire vote.The vote on a motion calling for a ceasefire takes place amid mounting concerns about a possible Israeli attack on Rafah.Labour had hoped to avoid another rebellion over the Israel-Hamas war by tabling an amendment to an SNP motion demanding an immediate ceasefire in the region.Sir Keir’s party on Tuesday publicly shifted its stance to back a call for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire”, giving MPs who were unhappy with the leadership’s previous handling of the issue a wording to rally behind.But the government has put down its own amendment to the proposal, raising the possibility that the Commons speaker will not choose Labour’s amendment for a debate.If that happens, it would leave Labour MPs with the choice between voting for the government’s position, which does not go as far as calling for an immediate ceasefire, backing the SNP’s stance, or abstaining altogether.Ahead of the debate, Mr Sunak faces Sir Keir at PMQs. More