Liz Truss: Tories' 'Woke' Shift Cost Votes, Reform Party Impact Significant

In a candid discussion at the Conservative Party conference, Liz Truss, the former Prime Minister who served for 45 days in 2022, offered a critical assessment of her party's approach to cultural issues and electoral strategy. Speaking with Tim Stanley of The Telegraph, Truss argued that many Conservatives had embraced progressive policies in an attempt to gain votes, a move she believes ultimately backfired.

Truss pointed to the Equality Act 2010 and the Gender Recognition Act 2004 as catalysts for what she termed a "big push on woke" in Britain. She contended that these legislative measures had far-reaching effects, influencing institutions such as the Civil Service, the BBC, and the corporate sector.

"Many Conservatives have simply gone along with it because they thought it was electorally advantageous to be seen as progressive. What we've seen is a shift from the establishment being fuddy-duddy conservatives to the establishment being the liberal Left."

The former Prime Minister expressed confidence that she would have performed better in the July 2024 general election than her successor, Rishi Sunak. She noted that during her brief tenure in Downing Street, the Reform UK party, which garnered over four million votes in the election, was polling at just three percent.

Truss defended her economic vision, asserting that if her tax-cutting agenda had been "allowed to succeed," the UK would now have lower corporation tax rates and duty-free shopping in London. However, she acknowledged the challenges she faced without the full support of her parliamentary colleagues.

Reflecting on the Conservative Party's electoral prospects, Truss suggested that retaining Boris Johnson as leader would have given the party its best chance of victory. She criticized the decision to remove Johnson from office, calling it a "very stupid move" by some of her colleagues.

The impact of the Reform UK party was a significant factor in Truss losing her South West Norfolk seat, according to her analysis. She argued that the party's success in attracting Conservative voters led to Labour victories in many constituencies, despite voters not necessarily being enthusiastic about the Labour Party itself.

Truss also offered a critique of the current Conservative leadership contest, stating that none of the hopefuls had fully acknowledged the severity of the challenges facing both the party and the country. She called for a more honest assessment of the situation and concrete proposals for addressing issues such as energy prices, including discussions on fracking and fossil fuel development.

As the Conservative Party grapples with its future direction, Truss's comments highlight the ongoing debate within the party about how to balance traditional conservative values with the evolving social and political landscape of the United Kingdom. With the next general election on the horizon, the party faces the challenge of uniting its various factions and presenting a compelling vision to the electorate.