Liz Truss told MPs on Wednesday that she had no intention of stepping down as UK prime minister, insisting she is “a fighter, not a quitter”.
She faced MPs in the House of Commons for just her third Prime Minister's Questions as she battles to keep her beleaguered premiership intact. How her rebellious MPs judged her performance during the showdown could decide her future, just six weeks into her tenure in Downing Street.
With elections to the 1922 Committee completed late on Tuesday, the powerful grouping of backbench MPs may set new rules to trigger a confidence vote in Ms Truss’s leadership.
She is battling to retain her position, and has also risked a fresh fight with Tory MPs by making a vote on a Labour motion on fracking a test of confidence in her administration.
On Monday, new Chancellor Jeremy Hunt reversed almost all of the tax cuts announced by his sacked predecessor Kwasi Kwarteng in September, seeking to calm financial markets following weeks of turbulence.
However, she risked further division when she overruled her chancellor by insisting she is “completely committed” to the triple lock on state pensions just a day after Downing Street triggered a backlash by indicating it could be ditched.
Ms Truss began Wednesday's session by repeating that she accepted she had made mistakes on the economy and again apologised.
She tried to get the upper hand by criticising opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer for refusing to condemn striking railway workers.
She was ridiculed by Sir Keir, who read out a list of her policies which had already been abandoned. He asked if “out by Christmas” was the title or publication date for a book being written about her time in office.
Sir Keir said the government had “crashed the economy” and read out a list of dropped economic policies, with Labour MPs shouting “gone” after each one.
He added: “Economic credibility — gone. And her supposed best friend the former chancellor, he’s gone as well. They’re all gone. So why is she still here?”
Ms Truss replied: “I am a fighter and not a quitter. I have acted in the national interest to make sure that we have economic stability.”
Labour MP Justin Madders asked why Kwasi Kwarteng had lost his job rather than Ms Truss.
Ms Truss replied: “I have been very clear that I am sorry and that I have made mistakes.
“But the right thing to do in those circumstances is to make changes, which I have made, and to get on with the job and deliver for the British people.”
Shouts of “resign” could be heard as Ms Truss answered.
Sir Keir said voters would not accept an apology. “What does she think? People will say that’s alright, I don’t mind financial ruin — at least she apologised.”
Ms Truss replied: “I do think there has to be some reflection of economic reality from the party opposite. The fact is that interest rates are rising across the world and the economic conditions have worsened.
“And we are being honest, we’re levelling with the public unlike [him] who simply won’t do it and what is [he] doing about the fact that workers, train workers are again going on strike.
“The fact is he refuses to condemn the workers, we are bringing forward policies that are going to make sure our railways are protected, people going to work are protected. He backs the strikers, we back the strivers.”
Pension plans prove problematic
Ms Truss said that she and Mr Hunt will be increasing pensions in line with inflation, which currently stands at more than 10 per cent.
Ministers were reportedly considering ditching the manifesto promise due to the squeeze on the public finances in the wake of the mini-budget fiasco.
Ms Truss faced a fresh wave of anger after Number 10 said the policy was under review and her new Chancellor failed to commit to it as he seeks to plug a multibillion-pound black hole.
But she told PMQs: “We’ve been clear in our manifesto that we will maintain the triple lock and I’m completely committed to it — so is the Chancellor.”
Tory MPs have been told a Labour vote in the Commons seeking to ban fracking is being treated as a “confidence motion” in Ms Truss’s embattled government.
Conservative deputy chief whip Craig Whittaker warned his MPs that Wednesday afternoon’s vote is a “100 per cent hard” three-line whip.
The dozens of Conservatives who oppose fracking face being kicked out of the parliamentary party if they do not back the government’s controversial end to the moratorium in England.
Though unlikely, if the prime minister loses the vote she would either be expected to resign or request that King Charles dissolves Parliament, triggering a general election.
Liz Truss — in pictures
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Centre Court
Starting at 2pm:
Elina Svitolina (UKR) [3] v Jennifer Brady (USA)
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) v Belinda Bencic (SUI [4]
Not before 7pm:
Sofia Kenin (USA) [5] v Elena Rybakina (KAZ)
Maria Sakkari (GRE) v Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) [7]
Court One
Starting at midday:
Karolina Muchova (CZE) v Katerina Siniakova (CZE)
Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) v Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR)
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Petra Martic (CRO) [8] v Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE)
Sorana Cirstea (ROU) v Anett Kontaveit (EST)
