Liz Truss - Locally Clueless

And so it came to pass that Liz Truss, for some reason made Prime Minister, decided in her infinite wisdom to do a round of interviews for local radio stations: perhaps she and her advisors believed this to be a softer option than the glare of national TV shows. But it soon became clear that this was a campaign that was developing not necessarily to her advantage.

The problem she faced can be put directly: her inquisitors were all experienced journalists, well used to grilling politicians and detecting bullshit, they did not depend, like their Westminster contemporaries, on “access” being denied them, she had been poorly briefed (or perhaps it hadn’t sunk in), her delivery was wooden, and to cap it off, she talked well, but lied badly.

Her Radio Stoke experience, with John Acres, was typical. “It’s how we grow the size of the pie, so that everyone can benefit” she claimed. “By borrowing more, and putting our mortgages up?” asked Acres. Long pause. “We need to borrow more this winter for the energy crisis that we’re facing”. Acres was not persuaded. “We’re going to spend more in mortgage fees under what you’ve done, based on the predictions, than we would have saved on energy”.

Come on Liz! Let’s have a bit of the old wit! Another long pause. “I don’t think anybody is arguing that we shouldn’t have acted on energy”. Anyone convinced? No, me neither. Nor was Matt Chorley - a Murdoch journalist now at Times Radio - who noted that Radio Kent’s interviewer was not messing around: “Are you ashamed of what you’ve done? Are you?”

That one got worse. After Ms Truss claimed “We are working very closely with the Bank of England” came the retort “They are putting out your fire to be fair” followed by “How much suffering is enough? Haven’t you been reading the news? This is a crisis”. Take that one off the grill, it’s done.

Radio Norfolk was no kinder, and the interviewer was no Partridge. Chorley was gobsmacked. “Utterly bizarre response to her own local BBC station asking why the roof of the local hospital is held up by dozens of props. Truss tells BBC Norfolk that she will lobby the health secretary as a local MP. But won’t make promises on her behalf. What?!?” Then came Radio Bristol.

Toby Earle noted “James Hanson, BBC Bristol, calls out Liz Truss’s scripted answers, refuses to accept this is all down to Putin, & asks if the Bank of England had to intervene because of him”. There was a little more ridicule: “it’s hard to know what has fallen more since you entered Downing Street, the value of the pound of the Tory poll rating”. OUCH! Then came the lying.

Pippa Crerar of the Guardian observed “Liz Truss said several times in her radio round that no family would pay more than £2,500 this year for energy bills.This is just *not* the case”. Oh aye? Martin Lewis had the numbers. “THERE IS NO £2,500 CAP ON ENERGY BILLS. Instead the new 1 Oct guarantee, like the old caps, limits - Daily charge (28p gas, 46p elec) - & Unit rates (10p/kWh gas, 34p/kWh elec). So use more, pay more. £2,500 is just what someone with [average] use [would] pay”. Oh dear!

The reaction was less than totally favourable, even from her own side, as Rachel Wearmouth of the Staggers revealed. “Truss began laughing at one point during her Radio Bristol interview. This is a disaster … A Tory MP who backed Truss texts: ‘It's an utter shitshow’”. Adam Bienkov of Byline Times concluded “That has to be the most brutal round of local radio interviews I've ever heard a Prime Minister face”. And that wasn’t the worst part.

He added “Not a single note of contrition from Liz Truss, or even the slightest indication she plans to change course in any way.” Paul Waugh of the i Paper mused “The most telling thing in each interview is the dismissive laughter in her voice as she answers some of the questions. Quite revealing”. And Kitty Donaldson of Bloomberg had bad news from those markets.

“This is a chart of the UK government bond market while Liz Truss has been on air - investors are worried by her comments, are selling gilts and the yields rise - short version: they’re not reassured by her doubling down”. Markets that are all about the C-Word, as in Confidence. If they don’t have any in Ms Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng, that will be, as the saying goes, “priced in”.

Former Tory MP Matthew Parris said before Ms Truss was elected leader of the Tory Party “She’s crackers. It isn’t going to work”. Dead right it isn’t.

Enjoy your visit to Zelo Street? You can help this truly independent blog carry on talking truth to power, while retaining its sense of humour, by becoming a Patron on Patreon at

https://www.patreon.com/Timfenton