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Portrait of Liz Truss

Prime Ministers · 21st century

Liz Truss

1975– · British

Conservative

In office: 2022

Liz Truss is the shortest-serving prime minister in British history, in office for 49 days in autumn 2022. She was the last prime minister appointed by Elizabeth II, who died two days later. Her chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng's unfunded "mini-budget" tax cuts caused turmoil in the financial markets, and she resigned after sacking him and reversing most of the plan.

How to spot them

  • ▸Shortest-serving prime minister: 49 days
  • ▸The 2022 mini-budget and Kwasi Kwarteng
  • ▸Outlasted by a lettuce in a Daily Star livestream
  • ▸Last prime minister appointed by Elizabeth II, at Balmoral
  • ▸'That is a disgrace' speech about imported cheese (2014)

In office

The 'mini-budget' of September 2022 (2022)

Kwasi Kwarteng's unfunded tax cuts, including abolishing the 45p rate, triggered a gilt market crisis and Bank of England intervention

Appointment by Elizabeth II at Balmoral (2022)

The Queen's last act of appointing a prime minister, two days before her death

The Daily Star lettuce livestream (2022)

A lettuce 'outlasted' her premiership

The Energy Price Guarantee (2022)

Capped typical household energy bills at £2,500 a year

Sacking Kwasi Kwarteng and appointing Jeremy Hunt as Chancellor (2022)

Hunt reversed most of the mini-budget days later

Key ideas

  • Promised 'growth, growth, growth' through tax cuts and supply-side reform
  • After office she blamed the 'economic establishment' and 'deep state' for her downfall

Quick-fire facts

  • •Born in Oxford in 1975; studied PPE at Merton College, Oxford
  • •As a young Liberal Democrat she spoke in favour of abolishing the monarchy in 1994
  • •Served as Foreign Secretary 2021–2022 before beating Rishi Sunak for the party leadership
  • •In office from 6 September to 25 October 2022
  • •Lost her South West Norfolk seat to Labour at the 2024 general election
  • •Wrote Ten Years to Save the West (2024); announced CPAC's first Great Britain conference, set for London in July 2026

Drill it — 6 cards

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Sources