201-834: Mary Elizabeth Truss (born 26 July 1975) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from September to October 2022. On her fiftieth day in office , she stepped down amid a government crisis , making her the shortest-serving prime minister in British history. The member of Parliament (MP) for South West Norfolk from 2010 to 2024, Truss held various Cabinet positions under three prime ministers— David Cameron , Theresa May and Boris Johnson —lastly as foreign secretary from 2021 to 2022. Truss studied philosophy, politics and economics at Merton College, Oxford , and
402-529: A civil marriage , she would have been expected to renounce her right of succession . Margaret decided to abandon her plans with Townsend. In 1960, she married Antony Armstrong-Jones , who was created Earl of Snowdon the following year. They divorced in 1978; Margaret did not remarry. Despite Queen Mary's death on 24 March 1953, the coronation went ahead as planned on 2 June, as Mary had requested. The coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey
603-642: A hung parliament ; Heath's Conservatives were not the largest party but could stay in office if they formed a coalition with the Liberals . When discussions on forming a coalition foundered, Heath resigned, and Elizabeth asked the Leader of the Opposition , Labour 's Harold Wilson , to form a government. A year later, at the height of the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis , the Australian prime minister, Gough Whitlam ,
804-459: A psychiatric hospital with the intention of assassinating Charles, who was visiting the country with Diana and their son Prince William . From April to September 1982, Elizabeth's son Andrew served with British forces in the Falklands War , for which she reportedly felt anxiety and pride. On 9 July, she awoke in her bedroom at Buckingham Palace to find an intruder, Michael Fagan , in
1005-404: A 30‑second moment of silence . As a result, much of the fury among the public softened, and the protests were called off. That November, the royal couple held a reception at Banqueting House to mark their golden wedding anniversary. Elizabeth made a speech and praised Philip for his role as consort, referring to him as "my strength and stay". In 1999, as part of the process of devolution in
1206-439: A Royal Knockout in 1987 was ridiculed. In Canada, Elizabeth publicly supported politically divisive constitutional amendments , prompting criticism from opponents of the proposed changes, including Pierre Trudeau. The same year, the elected Fijian government was deposed in a military coup . As monarch of Fiji , Elizabeth supported the attempts of Governor-General Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau to assert executive power and negotiate
1407-531: A cabinet reshuffle , Truss was appointed secretary of state at the department of environment, food and rural affairs (Defra); the changes to the Cabinet made it one third women. She was originally to be made a minister of state, but Cameron changed his mind on the morning of the reshuffle. Her predecessor Owen Paterson "stormed out" of Cameron's Commons study when told he was to be dismissed; nevertheless, he gave Truss his phone number and offered his support. Paterson
1608-502: A cabinet reshuffle . Although she campaigned for the UK to remain in the European Union , Truss supported Brexit following the outcome of the 2016 referendum . Following Cameron's resignation in 2016 his successor, Theresa May, appointed her secretary of state for justice and lord chancellor , making Truss the first woman to serve as lord chancellor in the office's thousand-year history; in
1809-492: A constitutional anomaly in the 21st century. Both contend that such powers lack direct democratic legitimacy due to not being regulated by parliamentary statutes and raise concerns over accountability. Elliot and Thomas have pointed out that judicial intervention in cases such as Miller I and Miller II , where the Supreme Court exercised scrutiny over the use of prerogative powers by the government to prorogue parliament during
2010-476: A diplomatic trip there since the 2018 Salisbury poisonings . The meeting was, according to Payne, a "disaster": Lavrov described it as being "between the dumb and the deaf", and the two ministers spoke over each other and found it difficult to communicate. Five days later, Truss stated that the world was on the "brink of war in Europe", which transpired in the early hours of 24 February as Russia invaded Ukraine . Before
2211-582: A divorcé 16 years Margaret's senior with two sons from his previous marriage. Elizabeth asked them to wait for a year; in the words of her private secretary , "the Queen was naturally sympathetic towards the Princess, but I think she thought—she hoped—given time, the affair would peter out." Senior politicians were against the match and the Church of England did not permit remarriage after divorce. If Margaret had contracted
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#17328588296862412-450: A draft accession declaration in case the King died while she was on tour. In early 1952, Elizabeth and Philip set out for a tour of Australia and New Zealand by way of the British colony of Kenya . On 6 February, they had just returned to their Kenyan home, Sagana Lodge , after a night spent at Treetops Hotel , when word arrived of the death of Elizabeth's father. Philip broke the news to
2613-630: A formal mechanism for electing a leader, thus relieving the Queen of her involvement. In 1957, Elizabeth made a state visit to the United States, where she addressed the United Nations General Assembly on behalf of the Commonwealth. On the same tour, she opened the 23rd Canadian Parliament , becoming the first monarch of Canada to open a parliamentary session. Two years later, solely in her capacity as Queen of Canada, she revisited
2814-473: A great minister, I loved what you did, but we really couldn't go ahead with this one. You're one of the first ministers I've appointed to do something and you've just done it. David Cameron speaking to Truss about her childcare proposal. In September 2012 Truss was appointed as parliamentary under-secretary of state for education and stepped back from the leadership of the FEG, with Kwarteng taking her place. Truss
3015-562: A list of potential Conservative candidates; in October 2009 she was selected for the constituency of South West Norfolk by members of the local Conservative Association, winning over 50 per cent of the vote in the first round of the final against 5 other candidates, including the future deputy prime minister Thérèse Coffey . Shortly after her selection, some members of the constituency association objected to Truss's selection because of her failure to declare her affair with Field. The Mail on Sunday
3216-525: A meeting with Truss where she asked if she would be able to remain in office; his response was "I don't think so, Prime Minister". At 1:35 pm, Truss announced her resignation as the leader of the Conservative Party and as prime minister. She gave the following 89-second-long statement: I came into office at a time of great economic and international instability. Families and businesses were worried about how to pay their bills. Putin's illegal war in Ukraine threatens
3417-462: A pitch of public interest that the boundary between fact and fiction has been lost sight of ... it is not just that some papers don't check their facts or accept denials: they don't care if the stories are true or not." It was reported, most notably in The Sunday Times of 20 July 1986, that Elizabeth was worried that Margaret Thatcher 's economic policies fostered social divisions and
3618-492: A planned transition to self-government. In 1965, however, the Rhodesian prime minister, Ian Smith , in opposition to moves towards majority rule , unilaterally declared independence while expressing "loyalty and devotion" to Elizabeth. Although Elizabeth formally dismissed him, and the international community applied sanctions against Rhodesia, his regime survived for over a decade. As Britain's ties to its former empire weakened,
3819-399: A potential US–UK trade deal. In Australia she made unscripted comments on their free-trade negotiations with the UK; both events were to the dismay of Downing Street officials. Sebastian Payne described Truss's tenure as international trade secretary as "enthusiastic yet disruptive". She continued to document her trips through social media. In February 2020 a reshuffle took place following
4020-812: A settlement. Coup leader Sitiveni Rabuka deposed Ganilau and declared Fiji a republic. In the wake of coalition victory in the Gulf War , Elizabeth became the first British monarch to address a joint meeting of the United States Congress in May 1991. In November 1992, in a speech to mark the Ruby Jubilee of her accession, Elizabeth called 1992 her annus horribilis (a Latin phrase, meaning "horrible year"). Republican feeling in Britain had risen because of press estimates of Elizabeth's private wealth—contradicted by
4221-419: A son, he would have been heir apparent and above her in the line of succession, which was determined by the male-preference primogeniture in effect at the time. Elizabeth received private tuition in constitutional history from Henry Marten , Vice-Provost of Eton College , and learned French from a succession of native-speaking governesses. A Girl Guides company, the 1st Buckingham Palace Company ,
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#17328588296864422-574: A successor has been chosen. Thank you. Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom . The prime minister advises the sovereign on the exercise of much of the royal prerogative , chairs the Cabinet , and selects its ministers . As modern prime ministers hold office by virtue of their ability to command
4623-505: A tactic she had first employed as an MP. Despite her governmental role, Truss remained relatively unknown by the public, with only seven per cent recognising her in March 2019. In June 2018 Truss gave a speech criticising rules and regulations which she said "just g[ot] in the way of consumers' choices and lifestyles", including the government's efforts to reduce alcohol consumption and unhealthy eating habits, and warned that raising taxes could see
4824-504: A tide of happiness and relief." During the war, plans were drawn to quell Welsh nationalism by affiliating Elizabeth more closely with Wales. Proposals, such as appointing her Constable of Caernarfon Castle or a patron of Urdd Gobaith Cymru (the Welsh League of Youth), were abandoned for several reasons, including fear of associating Elizabeth with conscientious objectors in the Urdd at
5025-697: A time when Britain was at war. Welsh politicians suggested she be made Princess of Wales on her 18th birthday. Home Secretary Herbert Morrison supported the idea, but the King rejected it because he felt such a title belonged solely to the wife of a Prince of Wales and the Prince of Wales had always been the heir apparent. In 1946, she was inducted into the Gorsedd of Bards at the National Eisteddfod of Wales . Elizabeth went on her first overseas tour in 1947, accompanying her parents through southern Africa. During
5226-607: A visit to the Grenadier Guards , of which she had been appointed colonel the previous year. As she approached her 18th birthday, Parliament changed the law so that she could act as one of five counsellors of state in the event of her father's incapacity or absence abroad, such as his visit to Italy in July 1944. In February 1945, she was appointed an honorary second subaltern in the Auxiliary Territorial Service with
5427-441: A vote of no confidence, they are often expected to resign from office or request the monarch dissolve parliament to call a general election. The prime minister acts as the principal advisor to the monarch, who is the head of state, a capacity that has evolved gradually during the history of the office. Bagehot says that despite the monarch holding certain theoretical executive powers, in practice, these powers are often executed upon
5628-513: Is able to wield considerable power in the passing of legislation through their ability to manage party discipline and cohesion in voting patterns. Bogdanor states that this largely depends upon the prime minister being the leader of the largest party in the Commons, which can pass legislation without any or little resistance if they can command the confidence of the House. This aspect of prime ministerial power
5829-413: Is authorised with broader support from and within the government. The prime minister must constantly maintain the confidence of the House of Commons because, as Bagehot notes, the power of the prime minister derives from their ability to command a majority in the House in order to pass legislation and continue the functions of government. If a prime minister loses the confidence of the House, which occurs in
6030-497: Is based on an uncodified constitution , meaning that it is not set out in any single document. The British constitution consists of many documents, and most importantly for the evolution of the office of the prime minister, it is based on customs known as constitutional conventions that became accepted practice. In 1928, Prime Minister H. H. Asquith described this characteristic of the British constitution in his memoirs: In this country we live ... under an unwritten Constitution. It
6231-453: Is fine" but the maximum childminder increase went "much too far", and advised her to revise the proposal; Truss ignored Clegg and pushed ahead with the plan, angering Clegg, who then blocked the proposals. Truss also announced proposals to reform A-levels by concentrating exams at the end of two-year courses and said that the UK should attempt to "out-educate" countries in Asia. In July 2014 during
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6432-467: Is informal and often carried out by the office of Whips, who makes sure that MPs remain loyal and vote on the government line. The political scientist Anthony King said that the prime minister's influence over legislation is further solidified through their ability to shape policy before it reaches parliament. King further argued that the shaping of legislation, on many occasions, involves the collaborative efforts of cabinet ministers and civil servants, but
6633-537: Is often through party discipline and having a reliable majority of MPs who vote in support of the government's priorities. Another essential part of the parliamentary powers possessed by the prime minister is determining the composition of the Cabinet. According to Professor Robert Hazell, the prime minister not only chooses cabinet members but also dictates the collective decision-making process of members as well. The prime minister most often would chair cabinet meetings and may determine their frequency, thereby controlling
6834-664: Is true that we have on the Statute-book great instruments like Magna Carta, the Petition of Right, and the Bill of Rights which define and secure many of our rights and privileges; but the great bulk of our constitutional liberties and ... our constitutional practices do not derive their validity and sanction from any Bill which has received the formal assent of the King, Lords and Commons. They rest on usage, custom, convention, often of slow growth in their early stages, not always uniform, but which in
7035-608: The 2010 general election , which saw 148 other Conservatives become MPs for the first time; many of what The Independent described as the "golden generation" would later reach high ranks in government. The Conservatives did not reach an overall majority in the House of Commons and entered into a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats, with Cameron becoming prime minister. Following her election to Parliament, Truss campaigned for issues relating to her constituency, including
7236-554: The 2016 referendum on leaving the European Union , Truss endorsed Remain , saying that the Conservatives had "a golden chance to reform Britain over the next few years" and to avoid "[spending] that time negotiating Britain's exit from the European Union". The referendum resulted in the defeat of Remain and Cameron's resignation; the home secretary Theresa May won the ensuing leadership election and subsequently became leader of
7437-487: The 2017 general election , May demoted Truss from justice secretary to chief secretary to the Treasury , meaning she could attend cabinet meetings but was not a full member; Truss was enraged and called the demotion "incredibly unfair" and was, according to one of her friends, "seething for a good couple of days". Despite what Cole and Heale describe as her "knocked" confidence from the demotion, Truss soon began to contribute to
7638-564: The 2021 cabinet reshuffle ; during her time in the position she led negotiations on the Northern Ireland Protocol and the UK's response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine . In September 2022 Truss defeated Rishi Sunak in a leadership election to succeed Johnson, who had resigned because of an earlier government crisis , and was appointed as prime minister by Elizabeth II two days before
7839-494: The 2024 general election . The position of prime minister was not created; it evolved slowly and organically over three hundred years due to numerous Acts of Parliament , political developments, and accidents of history. The office is therefore best understood from a historical perspective. The origins of the position are found in constitutional changes that occurred during the Revolutionary Settlement (1688–1720) and
8040-603: The Energy Price Guarantee , which was planned to cap average household energy bills at £2,500 per year, costing between 31 and £140 billion for the two years it covered. Truss, who announced the measure in the House of Commons, made an effort to keep the energy cap and the tax plan announcements—which the Chancellor was planned to unveil—separate. On 23 September Kwarteng announced a controversial mini-budget which proposed cutting taxation significantly, including abolishing
8241-569: The Fall of Kabul ; the move was despite Johnson finding Truss " flaky ", according to the historian Anthony Seldon . Truss became the second woman to occupy the office and kept the post of equalities minister. Her early actions as foreign secretary included negotiating at the United Nations General Assembly for the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe ; meeting with her Japanese, Canadian and German counterparts; mounting an unsuccessful attempt to join
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8442-448: The G7 and G20 . 58 people (55 men and 3 women) have served as prime minister, the first of whom was Robert Walpole taking office on 3 April 1721. The longest-serving prime minister was also Walpole, who served over 20 years, and the shortest-serving was Liz Truss , who served seven weeks. The current prime minister is Keir Starmer , who succeeded Rishi Sunak on 5 July 2024, following
8643-721: The High Court were criticised by politicians and by the Daily Mail —which ran with the headline " Enemies of the People "—for ruling against the government on whether Article 50 —which would begin the process of leaving the EU—could be triggered without Parliament's approval. A former lord chancellor, Charlie Falconer , suggested that, like her immediate predecessors, Truss lacked legal expertise and called for her to be dismissed as justice secretary as her perceived inadequate response "[signalled] to
8844-527: The Royal Navy throughout the Second World War), and had sisters who had married German noblemen with Nazi links. Marion Crawford wrote, "Some of the King's advisors did not think him good enough for her. He was a prince without a home or kingdom. Some of the papers played long and loud tunes on the string of Philip's foreign origin." Later biographies reported that Elizabeth's mother had reservations about
9045-639: The Silver Jubilee of her accession. Parties and events took place throughout the Commonwealth, many coinciding with her associated national and Commonwealth tours . The celebrations re-affirmed Elizabeth's popularity, despite virtually coincident negative press coverage of Princess Margaret's separation from her husband, Lord Snowdon. In 1978, Elizabeth endured a state visit to the United Kingdom by Romania 's communist leader, Nicolae Ceaușescu , and his wife, Elena , though privately she thought they had "blood on their hands". The following year brought two blows:
9246-647: The Social Democratic Party —Thatcher's political opponents. Thatcher's biographer John Campbell claimed "the report was a piece of journalistic mischief-making". Reports of acrimony between them were exaggerated, and Elizabeth gave two honours in her personal gift—membership in the Order of Merit and the Order of the Garter —to Thatcher after her replacement as prime minister by John Major . Brian Mulroney , Canadian prime minister between 1984 and 1993, said Elizabeth
9447-461: The Suez Canal . Lord Mountbatten said that Elizabeth was opposed to the invasion, though Eden denied it. Eden resigned two months later. The governing Conservative Party had no formal mechanism for choosing a leader, meaning that it fell to Elizabeth to decide whom to commission to form a government following Eden's resignation. Eden recommended she consult Lord Salisbury , the lord president of
9648-492: The United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union , was successful in keeping check over the authority of both the prime minister and the government. The evolving usage of prerogative powers also has signalled tension between tradition and accountability. Authors Paul Craig and Adam Tomkins state that the absence of a written constitution gives a prime minister greater leeway in employing their given prerogative powers without limits that in turn would create uncertainty although
9849-603: The United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement ; and a visit to Estonia where—like Margaret Thatcher in West Germany —she was photographed in a tank, with the pictures generating both praise and mockery. [W]ho was the person to get the job? Someone who'd been in international trade and travelled around the world for two-and-a-half years. That was a natural promotion. Kwasi Kwarteng on Truss's promotion to foreign secretary. In early 2022 Truss's attention
10050-468: The Wanli Emperor , and remarked, "fortunately postal services have improved since 1602". Elizabeth's visit also signified the acceptance of both countries that sovereignty over Hong Kong would be transferred from the United Kingdom to China in 1997. By the end of the 1980s, Elizabeth had become the target of satire. The involvement of younger members of the royal family in the charity game show It's
10251-400: The advice of the prime minister, the sovereign exercises many statutory and prerogative powers, including high judicial, political, official and Church of England ecclesiastical appointments; the conferral of peerages and some knighthoods, decorations and other important honours. Bagehot identifies the prime minister as the leader of the "efficient" part of government that functions within
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#173285882968610452-418: The royal house would take her husband's name, in line with the custom for married women of the time. Lord Mountbatten advocated for House of Mountbatten , and Philip suggested House of Edinburgh , after his ducal title. The British prime minister, Winston Churchill, and Elizabeth's grandmother Queen Mary favoured the retention of the House of Windsor . Elizabeth issued a declaration on 9 April 1952 that
10653-681: The service number 230873. She trained as a driver and mechanic and was given the rank of honorary junior commander (female equivalent of captain at the time) five months later. At the end of the war in Europe, on Victory in Europe Day , Elizabeth and Margaret mingled incognito with the celebrating crowds in the streets of London. In 1985, Elizabeth recalled in a rare interview, "... we asked my parents if we could go out and see for ourselves. I remember we were terrified of being recognised ... I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall , all of us just swept along on
10854-437: The "machinery of government" that allows them to guide legislation that align with their party's political and ideological priorities. Brazier argues that the legislative power of the prime minister has greatly expanded following the post-war period and that as a result, the prime minister now directly authorises supervision over government bills and has a consequential role in the introduction of legislation. The prime minister
11055-512: The 14-year-old Elizabeth made her first radio broadcast during the BBC 's Children's Hour , addressing other children who had been evacuated from the cities. She stated: "We are trying to do all we can to help our gallant sailors, soldiers, and airmen, and we are trying, too, to bear our own share of the danger and sadness of war. We know, every one of us, that in the end all will be well." In 1943, Elizabeth undertook her first solo public appearance on
11256-536: The 1981 Trooping the Colour ceremony, six weeks before the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer , six shots were fired at Elizabeth from close range as she rode down The Mall, London , on her horse, Burmese . Police later discovered the shots were blanks. The 17-year-old assailant, Marcus Sarjeant , was sentenced to five years in prison and released after three. Elizabeth's composure and skill in controlling her mount were widely praised. That October, Elizabeth
11457-568: The 45 per cent rate of income tax and the proposed Health and Social Care Levy , cutting stamp duty and the basic rate of income tax and cancelling rises in National Insurance contributions and corporation tax ; the package, which had been constructed by Truss and Kwarteng together, was to be funded by borrowing and was intended to stimulate growth . The mini-budget was received badly by financial markets because it included temporary spending measures whilst permanently cutting tax rates. It
11658-600: The Board of Trade . Following the resignation of Amber Rudd , Truss was additionally appointed minister for women and equalities in September that year. Shortly after becoming international trade secretary, Truss embarked on international trips to the US, New Zealand, Australia and Japan. Truss met with her American counterpart Robert Lighthizer on her first trip to the US, where she gave what Cole and Heale describe as an "incendiary" speech on
11859-527: The British government sought entry to the European Community , a goal it achieved in 1973 . In 1966, the Queen was criticised for waiting eight days before visiting the village of Aberfan , where a mining disaster killed 116 children and 28 adults. Martin Charteris said that the delay, made on his advice, was a mistake that she later regretted. Elizabeth toured Yugoslavia in October 1972, becoming
12060-440: The British system, there is a unity of powers rather than separation . Walter Bagehot described the office of prime minister as the "keystone of the Cabinet arch" that maintained while the prime minister can hold significant power over the executive, it is often exercised collectively through the Cabinet (Government). Ministerial responsibility is also an aspect of a prime minister's executive authority. The prime minister leads
12261-624: The Commonwealth ; she was the most widely travelled head of state . In 1956, the British and French prime ministers, Sir Anthony Eden and Guy Mollet , discussed the possibility of France joining the Commonwealth. The proposal was never accepted, and the following year France signed the Treaty of Rome , which established the European Economic Community , the precursor to the European Union . In November 1956, Britain and France invaded Egypt in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to capture
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#173285882968612462-419: The Conservative Party and prime minister. In July 2016 Truss was appointed as secretary of state for justice and lord chancellor in the first May ministry , becoming the first female lord chancellor in the office's thousand-year history. May's decision to appoint her was criticised by the minister of state for justice , Edward Faulks , who resigned from the government, questioning whether Truss would "have
12663-550: The Conservative Party on 20 October. Sunak was elected unopposed as her successor, and appointed prime minister on 25 October. After spending the duration of Sunak's premiership on the backbenches, Truss lost her seat at the 2024 general election . Mary Elizabeth Truss was born on 26 July 1975 at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford , England. She was the second child of John and Priscilla Truss ( née Grasby );
12864-477: The Conservatives at the next general election . As the leader of the Conservative Party, the majority party in the House of Commons, Truss was appointed as prime minister by Elizabeth II at Balmoral Castle on 6 September 2022 and began to select her cabinet ministers. With the appointment of Kwarteng as chancellor of the Exchequer, James Cleverly as foreign secretary and Suella Braverman as home secretary, for
13065-561: The Conservatives being "crushed" at the polls. She also attacked colleagues who she said should realise "it's not macho just to demand more money", a jibe at the defence secretary Gavin Williamson , who had mounted a largely unsuccessful campaign for an extra £20 billion for his department, including threatening to write "Liz Truss blocked your pay" to everybody in the British Armed Forces. Truss's speech, which also mocked Michael Gove,
13266-471: The King. And the King will never leave." The princesses stayed at Balmoral Castle , Scotland, until Christmas 1939, when they moved to Sandringham House , Norfolk. From February to May 1940, they lived at Royal Lodge, Windsor, until moving to Windsor Castle , where they lived for most of the next five years. At Windsor, the princesses staged pantomimes at Christmas in aid of the Queen's Wool Fund, which bought yarn to knit into military garments. In 1940,
13467-559: The LDYS executive, the party's leader, Paddy Ashdown , said she was "a good debater and is utterly fearless". As a Liberal Democrat, Truss supported the abolition of the monarchy and the legalisation of cannabis , and campaigned against the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 . However, by November 1995 Truss had become critical of the Liberal Democrats, as she "realised the Tory Party
13668-705: The Labour peer George Robertson , said that Truss "had a passion for politics ... she [was] fresh minded, enthusiastic and the Tory Party needed people like that". In January 2008, after losing her first two elections, Truss became the deputy director of Reform , a centre-right think tank , where she advocated for more focus on countering serious and organised crime and higher standards in schools and action to tackle what Reform perceived as Britain's "falling competitiveness". She co-authored The Value of Mathematics , Fit for Purpose , A New Level , Back To Black and other reports. Whilst working at Shell, Truss served as
13869-475: The Labour incumbent after an active Conservative campaign which The Yorkshire Post described as " Blitzkrieg ". Beginning in 2004, Truss embarked on an 18-month affair with the Conservative MP Mark Field , which ended shortly after the following year's election. Following the 2005 general election David Cameron replaced Michael Howard as leader, and Truss was added to the party's A-List ,
14070-981: The Palace —and reports of affairs and strained marriages among her extended family. In March, her second son, Prince Andrew, separated from his wife, Sarah ; her daughter, Princess Anne, divorced Captain Mark Phillips in April; angry demonstrators in Dresden threw eggs at Elizabeth during a state visit to Germany in October; and a large fire broke out at Windsor Castle , one of her official residences , in November. The monarchy came under increased criticism and public scrutiny. In an unusually personal speech, Elizabeth said that any institution must expect criticism, but suggested it might be done with "a touch of humour, gentleness and understanding". Two days later, John Major announced plans to reform
14271-437: The Queen's death, as she had not yet had time to move her belongings to Westminster. Upon Elizabeth's death, Truss delivered a statement outside 10 Downing Street paying tribute to her: Queen Elizabeth II was the rock on which modern Britain was built. Our country has grown and flourished under her reign. Britain is the great country it is today because of her. ... Through thick and thin, Queen Elizabeth II provided us with
14472-762: The United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa , Pakistan , and Ceylon (known today as Sri Lanka), as well as head of the Commonwealth . Elizabeth reigned as a constitutional monarch through major political changes such as the Troubles in Northern Ireland, devolution in the United Kingdom , the decolonisation of Africa , and the United Kingdom's accession to the European Communities as well as its subsequent withdrawal . The number of her realms varied over time as territories gained independence and some realms became republics . As queen, Elizabeth
14673-400: The United States and toured Canada. In 1961, she toured Cyprus, India, Pakistan, Nepal , and Iran . On a visit to Ghana the same year, she dismissed fears for her safety, even though her host, President Kwame Nkrumah , who had replaced her as head of state, was a target for assassins. Harold Macmillan wrote, "The Queen has been absolutely determined all through ... She is impatient of
14874-438: The abilities to declare war, negotiate treaties and deploy the armed forces have historically been part of the monarch's royal authority but have slowly evolved into a function of the office of prime minister. Despite this, the exercise of the prime minister's prerogative powers in these matters is under the oversight of parliament. It is often by convention that a prime minister must seek the approval of parliament before committing
15075-543: The academic Dieter Helm , Truss, having "no obvious interest" in environmental matters, saw Defra instead as "but a first step on a political ladder she wanted to climb up asap ". She was, along with the Treasury, keen to cut the budgets of bodies such as Natural England and the Environment Agency , placing them under stricter direct departmental control: Rory Stewart , one of Truss's junior ministers during her second term as environment secretary, claimed that she saw
15276-415: The advice and recommendation of the prime minister and the cabinet. This is considered a major principle of the "unity of powers" that exists within a constitutional monarchy in which the monarch "reigns but does not rule". According to Brazier, the prime minister advises the monarch on matters such as the dissolution of parliament and appointments to the House of Lords, but these decisions are often made with
15477-487: The aftermath of the 2017 general election she was demoted to chief secretary to the Treasury . After May announced her resignation in May 2019 Truss supported Johnson's successful bid to become Conservative leader and prime minister. He appointed Truss secretary of state for international trade and president of the Board of Trade in July and subsequently to the additional role of minister for women and equalities in September. Johnson promoted Truss to foreign secretary in
15678-607: The agenda for policy and steering decisions in their preferred direction. Additionally, the prime minister can exercise considerable control over parliamentary time. Authors Alexander Horne and Gavin Drewry state that the prime minister uses this power through the Leader of the House of Commons , by which they are able to allocate time for government bills and often ensuring access to this time over private members' bills. The prime minister's parliamentary powers also extend to foreign relations. Contemporary historian Anthony Seldon says that
15879-711: The aim of it all, or where it might lead, except that she would be at the centre of it. Julian Glover on Truss, his former schoolmate. In 1977 Truss and her parents moved to Warsaw in Poland, but returned to Britain after John and Priscilla found it "quite grim". After living briefly in Kidderminster , Worcestershire , the family moved to Paisley in Scotland when Truss was four years old, where she attended West Primary School. In 1985 they moved south to Leeds , where Truss attended Roundhay School ; she later said in 2022 that at
16080-466: The armed forces and veterans . Her cabinet was composed almost entirely of those who had supported her during the leadership contest. Truss was the fifteenth and final British prime minister to serve under Elizabeth II , who died on 8 September, two days after appointing Truss. She was told in the early morning that the Queen was unwell and likely to survive a "matter of hours, not days"; Truss ordered black clothes from her Greenwich home in anticipation of
16281-461: The attitude towards her to treat her as ... a film star ... She has indeed ' the heart and stomach of a man ' ... She loves her duty and means to be a Queen." Before her tour through parts of Quebec in 1964, the press reported that extremists within the Quebec separatist movement were plotting Elizabeth's assassination. No assassination attempt was made, but a riot did break out while she
16482-410: The cabinet which makes the holder of that office bear responsibility for the collective conduct of the government. Professor Rodney Brazier points out that the since the prime minister wields significant sway over policy, that power must be subjected to the conclusion and input of Cabinet ministers. This prevents the office of prime minister from becoming more dominant and also ensures that executive power
16683-529: The centuries. The office of prime minister itself is not explicitly mentioned in parliamentary law but is developed by constitutional conventions and therefore it is defined by precedent and tradition. Bogdanor notes that the prime minister's power in parliament is exhibited by their control of the executive (the Cabinet) and their ability to influence the legislative agenda. The ability of the prime minister to influence legislation, according to academic Philip Norton ,
16884-905: The chair of the Lewisham Deptford Conservative Association from 1998 to 2000, having been introduced to the branch by her friend and later Conservative MP Jackie Doyle-Price . During this time, at a reception at the Greenwich Conservative Association, Truss met her future husband, Hugh O'Leary , whom she married in 2000 and with whom she has two daughters: Frances (born 2006) and Liberty (born 2008). Truss unsuccessfully stood for election twice in Greenwich London Borough Council : for Vanbrugh ward in 1998 and Blackheath Westcombe in 2002 . The deputy leader of Greenwich Conservatives, Graeme Coombes, recalled in 2022 that Truss "said [in 1998] she
17085-489: The chancellorship, but decided against it owing to what Payne calls the "fragile geopolitical situation" and instead selected Nadhim Zahawi as Sunak's replacement. However, Johnson's premiership proved untenable and on 7 July he announced his resignation as leader of the Conservative Party, a move which Truss called "the right decision". On 10 July Truss announced her intention to run in the leadership election to replace Johnson. She pledged to cut taxes, said she would "fight
17286-484: The class", which she contrasted with her education at Roundhay. Truss's parents had initially wanted her to study at the University of Cambridge , but Truss instead elected to go to Oxford in what her biographers, Cole and Heale, call a "bout of teenage rebellion". She applied to Merton College but was instead pooled to the all-women's St Hilda's College ; annoyed, she then complained to both colleges, after which she
17487-634: The clout to be able to stand up to the Prime Minister when necessary, on behalf of the judges". Other Conservative members of Parliament criticised Truss's appointment owing to her lack of legal experience; in response, Truss's supporters accused one of the MPs, Bob Neill , of "thinly veiled misogyny". Before Truss's arrival, the budget of the Ministry of Justice —which is responsible for the administration of British prisons —had been subjected to successive cuts under
17688-409: The coalition government. The cuts were blamed for the prisons' rising rates of violence owing to the consequential drop in prison officer numbers. Truss lobbied the chancellor of the Exchequer , Philip Hammond , for £104 million in order to hire an additional 2,500 officers, which Hammond reluctantly delivered. In November 2016, Truss was accused of failing to support the judiciary after three judges of
17889-412: The confidence of the House of Commons , they sit as members of Parliament . The office of prime minister is not established by any statute or constitutional document, but exists only by long-established convention , whereby the monarch appoints as prime minister the person most likely to command the confidence of the House of Commons. In practice, this is the leader of the political party that holds
18090-414: The consent of parliament. The prime minister leads the executive in directing government policy and maintaining coordination between government departments which is dependent upon the cooperation and consent of ministers. Foreign policy and national security are areas in which the prime minister has traditionally enjoyed more authority under what are known as prerogative powers. Vernon Bogdanor argues that
18291-484: The constitutional hierarchy, the premiership was given little formal recognition until the 20th century; the legal fiction was maintained that the sovereign still governed directly. The position was first mentioned in statute only in 1917, in the schedule of the Chequers Estate Act . Increasingly during the 20th century, the office and role of prime minister featured in statute law and official documents; however,
18492-589: The council . Lord Salisbury and Lord Kilmuir , the lord chancellor , consulted the British Cabinet , Churchill, and the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee , resulting in Elizabeth appointing their recommended candidate: Harold Macmillan . The Suez crisis and the choice of Eden's successor led, in 1957, to the first major personal criticism of Elizabeth. In a magazine, which he owned and edited, Lord Altrincham accused her of being "out of touch". Altrincham
18693-438: The course of time received universal observance and respect. The relationships between the prime minister and the sovereign, Parliament and Cabinet are defined largely by these unwritten conventions of the constitution. Many of the prime minister's executive and legislative powers are actually royal prerogatives which are still formally vested in the sovereign , who remains the head of state . Despite its growing dominance in
18894-472: The day after May announced her resignation and subsequently endorsed the former foreign secretary Boris Johnson , the first minister to do so. After Johnson became prime minister Truss was widely expected to be promoted because of her endorsement of his leadership campaign; it was thought she might have been appointed chancellor or business secretary , but she was instead promoted to the position of secretary of state for international trade and president of
19095-507: The department "very much in terms of budgets [and] cuts". Under Truss, Defra launched a ten-year strategy to counter falling bee populations, approved the limited temporary lifting of a European Union ban on the use of two neonicotinoid pesticides and cut subsidies for solar panels on agricultural land. Following the 2015 general election Truss was reappointed as environment secretary, although Helm writes that her second period at Defra "saw little change ... do as little as possible
19296-822: The department, using it, according to a Treasury worker, "like her own personal think tank" by asking for research and advice on monetary policy . In her first few months there, she was largely left out of decision-making processes by Hammond, who was described by Kwarteng as "quite a closed, centrally controlling chancellor"; nevertheless, Truss and the Chancellor were reported to have a good relationship. Beginning in December 2017 she developed an enthusiasm for cultivating her presence on Twitter and Instagram ; Truss began to plan ministerial visits around photo ops for her social media. Some of her civil servants were reported as finding her tenure as chief secretary "exhausting", owing to her work schedule and asking them multiplication questions,
19497-477: The devastation of the war. In post-war Britain , it was not acceptable for Philip's German relations, including his three surviving sisters, to be invited to the wedding. Neither was an invitation extended to the Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII. Elizabeth gave birth to her first child, Prince Charles , in November 1948. One month earlier, the King had issued letters patent allowing her children to use
19698-521: The dismay of the royal family . The book describes Elizabeth's love of horses and dogs, her orderliness, and her attitude of responsibility. Others echoed such observations: Winston Churchill described Elizabeth when she was two as "a character. She has an air of authority and reflectiveness astonishing in an infant." Her cousin Margaret Rhodes described her as "a jolly little girl, but fundamentally sensible and well-behaved". Elizabeth's early life
19899-547: The economy, childcare and mathematics in education. Truss co-founded the Free Enterprise Group of Conservative MPs and wrote or co-wrote a number of papers and books, including After the Coalition and Britannia Unchained . Truss was the parliamentary under-secretary of state for childcare and education from 2012 to 2014 before Cameron appointed her secretary of state for the environment, food and rural affairs in
20100-400: The election as a Conservative and govern as a Conservative" and would take "immediate action to help people deal with the cost of living". She said she would cancel a planned rise in corporation tax and reverse the increase in National Insurance rates, funded by delaying the date by which the national debt was planned to fall, as part of a "long-term plan to bring down the size of the state and
20301-404: The failure to fly a flag at half-mast over Buckingham Palace, caused public dismay. Pressured by the hostile reaction, Elizabeth agreed to return to London and address the nation in a live television broadcast on 5 September, the day before Diana's funeral . In the broadcast, she expressed admiration for Diana and her feelings "as a grandmother" for the two princes. As a result, much of
20502-523: The first British monarch to visit a communist country . She was received at the airport by President Josip Broz Tito , and a crowd of thousands greeted her in Belgrade . In February 1974, British prime minister Edward Heath advised Elizabeth to call a general election in the middle of her tour of the Austronesian Pacific Rim , requiring her to fly back to Britain. The election resulted in
20703-697: The first half of 2022 Johnson's position as prime minister became increasingly unstable owing to successive scandals damaging his government and his personal reputation, including Partygate , which resulted in him and the chancellor Rishi Sunak receiving fixed penalty notices . During this time, Truss announced the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill , which was intended to overhaul the Northern Ireland Protocol , including measures to free goods produced in Great Britain from what she described as "unnecessary bureaucracy" entering Northern Ireland. The plan
20904-400: The first reigning British monarch to set foot on Russian soil. In October 1995, she was tricked into a hoax call by Montreal radio host Pierre Brassard impersonating Canadian prime minister Jean Chrétien . Elizabeth, who believed that she was speaking to Chrétien, said she supported Canadian unity and would try to influence Quebec's referendum on proposals to break away from Canada. In
21105-509: The first royal transatlantic telephone call on 18 May. In September 1939, Britain entered the Second World War . Lord Hailsham suggested that Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret should be evacuated to Canada to avoid the frequent aerial bombings of London by the Luftwaffe . This was rejected by their mother, who declared, "The children won't go without me. I won't leave without
21306-681: The first time in British history, no white men held any of the Great Offices of State . Other appointments included Thérèse Coffey as deputy prime minister and health secretary, Jacob Rees-Mogg as business secretary, Kemi Badenoch as international trade secretary, Kit Malthouse as education secretary, Penny Mordaunt as leader of the House of Commons and Michelle Donelan as culture secretary . Truss retained Ben Wallace as defence secretary, Alok Sharma as president for COP26 , Alister Jack as Scotland secretary , Robert Buckland as Wales secretary and James Heappey as minister of state for
21507-399: The general election which had been held in December. Truss feared that she would be dismissed after the comments she had made on her previous international trips, but Johnson decided to keep her in post following Javid's resignation as chancellor. During her time at the department Truss became notorious for leaking information. Dominic Cummings , Johnson's chief adviser, later wrote that Truss
21708-480: The goal of enacting the legislative agenda of their political party. In an executive capacity, the prime minister appoints (and may dismiss) all other Cabinet members and ministers , and co-ordinates the policies and activities of all government departments, and the staff of the Civil Service. The prime minister also acts as the public "face" and "voice" of His Majesty's Government, both at home and abroad. Solely upon
21909-420: The government to steer legislation through both Houses of Parliament. Although the prime minister does not possess the power to introduce legislation directly, their control of the cabinet and their role as leader of the largest political party in the House of Commons enables them substantial influence over any legislative agenda. Bagehot points out that this power is based on the prime minister's ability to operate
22110-477: The granting of honours. Brazier argues that prerogative powers allow the prime minister to act within the "authority of the crown" in situations where neither convention nor statutory law applies. As noted by both Bagehot and Brazier, areas in which the prime minister authorises their given prerogative powers are matters of foreign affairs. In recent occasions, the 2003 invasion of Iraq saw Prime Minister Tony Blair deploying British troops to Saudi Arabia without
22311-465: The immediate consent or approval of parliament. Brazier says the rise of parliamentary and public scrutiny has led to calls for reform and checks on the use of prerogative powers. The only prime minister who did not seek parliamentary or legal consent for military action was Anthony Eden during the Suez Crisis in 1956. Professors Mark Elliot and Robert Thomas argue that prerogative powers present
22512-433: The invasion and during its immediate aftermath, Truss advocated for sanctions on Russia and encouraged other G7 leaders to impose them; in March 2022 she stated that the sanctions would end only in the event of a "full ceasefire and withdrawal". Johnson praised Truss's actions, saying that "she was always terrific on Ukraine ... other governments faffed around ... she was very clear and focused". Throughout
22713-404: The judges that they have lost their constitutional protector". She denied that she had failed to defend them, writing: An independent judiciary is the cornerstone of the rule of law, vital to our constitution and freedoms. It is my duty as lord chancellor to defend that independence. I swore to do so under my oath of office. I take that very seriously, and I will always do so. In June, following
22914-599: The largest number of seats in the Commons. The prime minister is ex officio also First Lord of the Treasury (prior to 1905 also the official title of the position), Minister for the Civil Service , the minister responsible for national security , and Minister for the Union . The prime minister's official residence and office, by virtue of being the First Lord of the Treasury, is 10 Downing Street in London. Early conceptions of
23115-460: The left of Labour "; her mother, a teacher and nurse, was a member of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament . When Truss stood for election as a Conservative, her mother agreed to campaign with her but her father declined to do so. Her parents divorced in 2003. [S]he stands out in my memory as a sort of strange, unfocused force, hugely in favour of action and change ... it was always hard to see
23316-501: The line of succession. When her grandfather died in 1936 and her uncle succeeded as Edward VIII, she became second in line to the throne, after her father. Later that year, Edward abdicated , after his proposed marriage to divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson provoked a constitutional crisis . Consequently, Elizabeth's father became king, taking the regnal name George VI. Since Elizabeth had no brothers, she became heir presumptive . If her parents had subsequently had
23517-517: The mandate on which I was elected by the Conservative Party. I have therefore spoken to His Majesty the King to notify him that I am resigning as leader of the Conservative Party. This morning I met the chairman of the 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady. We've agreed there will be a leadership election to be completed within the next week. This will ensure that we remain on a path to deliver our fiscal plans and maintain our country's economic stability and national security. I will remain as prime minister until
23718-409: The market fallout, subsequent government crisis and Conservative unpopularity. After initially defending the mini-budget, on 3 October Truss instructed Kwarteng to reverse the abolition of the 45 per cent income tax additional rate. She later reversed the cut in corporation tax and dismissed Kwarteng, replacing him with Jeremy Hunt on 14 October. Hunt reversed many of the remaining policies announced in
23919-415: The membership for the final leadership vote, with Truss receiving 113 votes to Sunak's 137. In the membership vote, the leader of the 1922 Committee , Graham Brady , announced on 5 September that 43 per cent of ballots were for Sunak and 57 per cent for Truss, making her the new leader. In Truss's victory speech, she said that she would deliver on her campaign promises and pledged to win a "great victory" for
24120-476: The mini-budget, leading to further instability; because of Truss's perceived weakness, he was described by some Conservative MPs and newspapers as the de facto prime minister. During this time, Truss became increasingly unpopular with the public, and contributed to a large fall in support for the Conservatives; in October, she became the most unpopular prime minister in British history, with her personal approval rating recorded in one survey as nine per cent. She
24321-495: The monarch's death ; her government's business was subsequently suspended during a national mourning period of ten days. In response to the rising cost of living and increased energy prices , her ministry announced the Energy Price Guarantee . The government then announced large-scale tax cuts and borrowing , which led to financial instability and were largely reversed. Facing mounting criticism and loss of confidence in her leadership, Truss announced her resignation as leader of
24522-476: The month prior, she had co-authored After the Coalition with some of the people that would later join the FEG: Priti Patel , Kwasi Kwarteng , Dominic Raab and Chris Skidmore . The book advocated for a number of policies, including a reduction in the top rate of tax to 40 pence per pound and the introduction of a carbon tax to reduce pollution. On the publication, Truss wrote: Our message must be that
24723-415: The nation to military action. In addition to this, the prime minister also exerts informal influence over public policy. Brazier notes this is due to the prime minister often being the leader of the largest party in government, therefore having a direct impact in initiating policy both in government and during election campaigns. In the House of Commons, the prime minister guides the law-making process with
24924-413: The new queen. She chose to retain Elizabeth as her regnal name, and was therefore called Elizabeth II. The numeral offended some Scots, as she was the first Elizabeth to rule in Scotland. She was proclaimed queen throughout her realms, and the royal party hastily returned to the United Kingdom. Elizabeth and Philip moved into Buckingham Palace. With Elizabeth's accession, it seemed possible that
25125-412: The office of prime minister evolved as the " Primus inter pares " or "first among equals", however that does not differentiate on status and responsibility upon whoever is holding office. Historically, the prime minister has never been the first among equals at any time prior to 1868. Until now, that characterisation of the prime minister is reflective of the democratic nature of their position. The power of
25326-425: The office of prime minister has grown significantly since the first prime minister, Robert Walpole in 1721. Prime ministerial power itself evolved gradually alongside the office itself which have played an increasingly prominent role in British politics since the early 20th century . During the premierships of Tony Blair and Margaret Thatcher , prime ministerial power expanded substantially and their leadership in
25527-418: The office were described as "presidential" due to their personal yielding of power and tight control over the cabinet. The prime minister is regarded as one of the world's most powerful political leaders in modern times. As the leader of the world's sixth largest economy , the prime minister hold significant domestic and international leadership alongside being the leader of a prominent member state of NATO ,
25728-645: The opinions and private lives of the royal family during the 1980s led to a series of sensational stories in the press, pioneered by The Sun tabloid. As Kelvin MacKenzie , editor of The Sun , told his staff: "Give me a Sunday for Monday splash on the Royals. Don't worry if it's not true—so long as there's not too much of a fuss about it afterwards." Newspaper editor Donald Trelford wrote in The Observer of 21 September 1986: "The royal soap opera has now reached such
25929-463: The parliamentary candidate for the Calder Valley constituency, was forced to resign by the local Conservative Association because of an affair with the association's chairman. Catling claimed that the members of the party that had opposed her were sexist and said that she was "accused of everything except murder and paedophilia". Truss, who was selected as the candidate for the seat, narrowly lost to
26130-532: The parliamentary party in anticipation of a leadership election. In September plans for a National Insurance increase were opposed by Truss; Downing Street expected her resignation, but Truss later decided against it. In September 2021, during a cabinet reshuffle , Johnson promoted Truss from international trade secretary to secretary of state for foreign, Commonwealth and development affairs, replacing Dominic Raab , who had been criticised for holidaying in Crete during
26331-475: The plan. The former claimed that prices would not fall; the latter claimed that "her appointment signal[led] a rapid deregulation of the sector"; and the Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee challenged Truss to demonstrate how to care for so many children on her own. Following a negative response from trade unions and childminders, Truss met with the deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg , who told her that "some of this
26532-476: The popular press and by later biographers with raising his spirits and aiding his recovery. Elizabeth's only sibling, Princess Margaret , was born in 1930. The two princesses were educated at home under the supervision of their mother and their governess , Marion Crawford . Lessons concentrated on history, language, literature, and music. Crawford published a biography of Elizabeth and Margaret's childhood years entitled The Little Princesses in 1950, much to
26733-447: The powers of the Crown, entrusting its authority to responsible ministers (the prime minister and Cabinet), accountable for their policies and actions to Parliament, in particular the elected House of Commons . Although many of the sovereign's prerogative powers are still legally intact, constitutional conventions have removed the monarch from day-to-day governance, with ministers exercising
26934-428: The prime minister acts as the main representative of the government in the international sphere, including in parliament, where treaties are ratified and international commitments are debated. The most significant powers given to the prime minister are "prerogative powers". These are a set of constitutional privileges deriving from monarchial authority that have gradually evolved into tools of executive power managed by
27135-401: The prime minister and the government. Bagehot famously called the British system as one where "the executive power is now yielded by the prime minister" rather than the monarch, a shift from personal to political power. Prerogative powers allow the prime minister to act without the immediate or direct consent of parliament especially in circumstances such as declaring war, deployment of troops and
27336-463: The prime minister and the sovereign. The concept of " the Crown " resolves this paradox. The Crown symbolises the state's authority to govern: to make laws and execute them, impose taxes and collect them, declare war and make peace. Before the " Glorious Revolution " of 1688, the sovereign exclusively wielded the powers of the Crown; afterwards, Parliament gradually forced monarchs to assume a neutral political position. Parliament has effectively dispersed
27537-404: The prime minister depends on the support of their respective party and on the popular mandate. The appointment of cabinet ministers and granting of honours are done through the prime minister's power of appointment . The prime minister alongside the cabinet proposes new legislation and decide on key policies that fit their agenda which is then passed by an act of parliament . The power of
27738-527: The prime minister's approval is needed in order to initiate the legislative agenda. King's analysis of contemporary politcs showed that some prime ministers often bypass or overrule the cabinet on traditional discussion and to push through their preferred agendas with notable cases such as Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair. The prime minister's influence in the Houses of Parliament is derived from longstanding conventions and statutes that have gradually evolved through
27939-462: The prime minister's powers and relationships with other institutions still largely continue to derive from ancient royal prerogatives and historic and modern constitutional conventions. Prime ministers continue to hold the position of First Lord of the Treasury and, since November 1968, that of Minister for the Civil Service , the latter giving them authority over the civil service . Under this arrangement, Britain might appear to have two executives:
28140-501: The private chapel of Buckingham Palace on 29 May, and she was named Elizabeth after her mother; Alexandra after her paternal great-grandmother , who had died six months earlier ; and Mary after her paternal grandmother. She was called "Lilibet" by her close family, based on what she called herself at first. She was cherished by her grandfather George V, whom she affectionately called "Grandpa England", and her regular visits during his serious illness in 1929 were credited in
28341-480: The public hostility evaporated. In October 1997, Elizabeth and Philip made a state visit to India, which included a controversial visit to the site of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre to pay her respects. Protesters chanted "Killer Queen, go back", and there were demands for her to apologise for the action of British troops 78 years earlier. At the memorial in the park, she and Philip laid a wreath and stood for
28542-452: The removal of various Canadian royal symbols during his term of office. In 1980, Canadian politicians sent to London to discuss the patriation of the Canadian constitution found Elizabeth "better informed ... than any of the British politicians or bureaucrats". She was particularly interested after the failure of Bill C-60, which would have affected her role as head of state. During
28743-498: The resulting shift of political power from the sovereign to Parliament. The prime minister is the head of the United Kingdom government . As such, the modern prime minister leads the Cabinet (the Executive). In addition, the prime minister leads a major political party and generally commands a majority in the House of Commons (the lower chamber of Parliament). The incumbent wields both significant legislative and executive powers. Under
28944-592: The retention of the Tornado GR4 airbase at RAF Marham in her constituency; the replacement of the old aircraft with around 150 new F-35 strike fighters ; the conversion of the A11 west of Thetford into a dual carriageway , which was completed in 2014; and preventing a waste incinerator being built in King's Lynn . Truss co-founded the Free Enterprise Group (FEG)—a grouping of over 30 Thatcherite Conservative MPs—in October 2011;
29145-403: The room with her. In a serious lapse of security, assistance only arrived after two calls to the Palace police switchboard. After hosting US president Ronald Reagan at Windsor Castle in 1982 and visiting his California ranch in 1983, Elizabeth was angered when his administration ordered the invasion of Grenada , one of her Caribbean realms, without informing her. Intense media interest in
29346-406: The royal finances, drawn up the previous year, including Elizabeth paying income tax from 1993 onwards, and a reduction in the civil list . In December, Prince Charles and his wife, Diana, formally separated. At the end of the year, Elizabeth sued The Sun newspaper for breach of copyright when it published the text of her annual Christmas message two days before it was broadcast. The newspaper
29547-403: The royal house would continue to be Windsor . Philip complained, "I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his own children." In 1960, the surname Mountbatten-Windsor was adopted for Philip and Elizabeth's male-line descendants who do not carry royal titles. Amid preparations for the coronation, Princess Margaret told her sister she wished to marry Peter Townsend ,
29748-462: The royal prerogatives, leaving the monarch in practice with three constitutional rights: to be kept informed, to advise and to warn. Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She had been queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during her lifetime and
29949-515: The school she "saw kids ... being let down", a claim which was criticised as inaccurate by several former Roundhay pupils. When Truss was 12 she and her family spent a year in Burnaby, British Columbia , Canada, where she attended Parkcrest Elementary School whilst her father taught at Simon Fraser University . Truss praised the Canadian curriculum and the attitude that it was "really good to be top of
30150-416: The security of our whole continent. And our country has been held back by for too long by low economic growth. I was elected by the Conservative Party with a mandate to change this. We delivered on energy bills and on cutting National Insurance. And we set out a vision for a low-tax, high-growth economy that would take advantage of the freedoms of Brexit. I recognise though, given the situation, I cannot deliver
30351-448: The senior politicians Michael Gove and Grant Shapps . I think it's a shambles and a disgrace ... I hope all those people that put Liz Truss in Number 10, I hope it was worth it. I hope it was worth it for the ministerial red box , I hope it was worth it to sit round the Cabinet table because the damage they have done to our party is extraordinary. Charles Walker 's remarks on
30552-429: The speech went viral online. In March the following year Truss was one of two cabinet ministers to vote against the government's proposal to mandate plain packaging for cigarettes. When she had been asked previously about the issue during a constituency meeting, Truss said "when it comes to things like this, I take a more libertarian approach ... I don't know if it's the government's role to regulate this". During
30753-508: The stability and the strength that we needed. She was the very spirit of Great Britain, and that spirit will endure. On 10 September Truss attended Charles III's accession ceremony and took an oath of allegiance to the King with fellow senior MPs. On 19 September she attended the Queen's funeral service in Westminster Abbey , reading the second lesson . On 8 September, in response to the ongoing cost of living crisis , Truss announced
30954-491: The state cannot do everything: while the government can help, it can never fully solve any individual's problems. The NHS can't keep you healthy if you don't eat or exercise properly. A teacher can't get you the grades if you aren't prepared to work. The job centre can't find you work if you aren't prepared to write a CV. Another book by the same authors, Britannia Unchained , was published in September 2012. The book attracted controversy for claiming that "the British are among
31155-467: The style and title of a royal prince or princess, to which they otherwise would not have been entitled as their father was no longer a royal prince. A second child, Princess Anne , was born in August 1950. Following their wedding, the couple leased Windlesham Moor , near Windsor Castle, until July 1949, when they took up residence at Clarence House in London. At various times between 1949 and 1951, Philip
31356-486: The subject of education: she advocated for more rigorous teaching in school subjects, especially mathematics, calling for mathematics lessons to be compulsory for all students until the age of 18 and expressing concern about a perceived overreliance on calculators from primary school pupils. Truss criticised "[giving] media studies the same value as further maths " and suggested in 2011 that students should have to sit GCSEs for "5 traditional academic subjects". [Y]ou're
31557-426: The tax burden". The political scientist Vernon Bogdanor said in a 2022 article that "[Truss] appreciated that winning over the membership required not detailed policy proposals but the creation of a mood". Truss received 50 votes on the first of Conservative MPs' 5 ballots , with the number of votes cast for her increasing in each; on 20 July Truss and Sunak were chosen by the parliamentary party to be put forward to
31758-525: The third time at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth in July 1939, Elizabeth—though only 13 years old—said she fell in love with Philip, who was 18, and they began to exchange letters. She was 21 when their engagement was officially announced on 9 July 1947. The engagement attracted some controversy. Philip had no financial standing, was foreign-born (though a British subject who had served in
31959-764: The throne in 1936 upon the abdication of his brother Edward VIII , making the ten-year-old Princess Elizabeth the heir presumptive . She was educated privately at home and began to undertake public duties during the Second World War, serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service . In November 1947, she married Philip Mountbatten , a former prince of Greece and Denmark . Their marriage lasted 73 years until his death in 2021 . They had four children: Charles , Anne , Andrew , and Edward . When her father died in February 1952, Elizabeth, then 25 years old, became queen of seven independent Commonwealth countries:
32160-864: The tour, in a broadcast to the British Commonwealth on her 21st birthday, she made the following pledge: I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong. But I shall not have strength to carry out this resolution alone unless you join in it with me, as I now invite you to do: I know that your support will be unfailingly given. God help me to make good my vow, and God bless all of you who are willing to share in it. Elizabeth met her future husband, Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark , in 1934 and again in 1937. They were second cousins once removed through King Christian IX of Denmark and third cousins through Queen Victoria . After meeting for
32361-456: The union initially and teased Philip as " the Hun ". In later life, however, she told the biographer Tim Heald that Philip was "an English gentleman". Before the marriage, Philip renounced his Greek and Danish titles, officially converted from Greek Orthodoxy to Anglicanism , and adopted the style Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten , taking the surname of his mother's British family . Shortly before
32562-714: The unmasking of Anthony Blunt , former Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures , as a communist spy and the assassination of Lord Mountbatten by the Provisional Irish Republican Army . According to Paul Martin Sr. , by the end of the 1970s, Elizabeth was worried the Crown "had little meaning for" Pierre Trudeau , the Canadian prime minister. Tony Benn said Elizabeth found Trudeau "rather disappointing". Trudeau's supposed republicanism seemed to be confirmed by his antics, such as sliding down banisters at Buckingham Palace and pirouetting behind Elizabeth's back in 1977, and
32763-602: The use of such powers by the prime minister is often constrained by political convention than by law. King Charles III [REDACTED] William, Prince of Wales [REDACTED] Charles III ( King-in-Council ) [REDACTED] Starmer ministry ( L ) Keir Starmer ( L ) Angela Rayner ( L ) ( King-in-Parliament ) [REDACTED] Charles III [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] The Lord Reed The Lord Hodge Andrew Bailey Monetary Policy Committee The British system of government
32964-400: The wedding, he was created Duke of Edinburgh and granted the style His Royal Highness . Elizabeth and Philip were married on 20 November 1947 at Westminster Abbey . They received 2,500 wedding gifts from around the world. Elizabeth required ration coupons to buy the material for her gown (which was designed by Norman Hartnell ) because Britain had not yet completely recovered from
33165-619: The worst idlers in the world. We work among the lowest hours, we retire early and our productivity is poor". In 2022 Truss stated that the authors had each written a different chapter of the book; Raab had written the chapter which contained that claim. Truss soon became well known amongst members of Parliament in Norfolk for her frequent photo ops but was well respected amongst Conservative MPs, who recognised her as dedicated and hard-working, and by staff as attentive to local issues. Some of Truss's earliest contributions to parliamentary discourse were on
33366-428: The year before Truss's birth, their first son, Matthew, had died. Truss was known by her middle name, Elizabeth , from early childhood, with her father—a professor of pure mathematics at the University of Leeds —using it regularly, which she preferred; after being given a badge with "Mary" on it on her first day of school, Truss asked her teacher that it be changed. She later described her parents' politics as being "to
33567-469: The year that followed, public revelations on the state of Charles and Diana's marriage continued. In consultation with her husband and John Major, as well as the Archbishop of Canterbury ( George Carey ) and her private secretary ( Robert Fellowes ), Elizabeth wrote to Charles and Diana at the end of December 1995, suggesting that a divorce would be advisable. In August 1997, a year after the divorce, Diana
33768-606: Was "the only minister I shouted at in Number 10" because of her "compulsive pathological leaking". Truss's pursuit of a trade deal with the US concerned some in the National Farmers' Union (NFU), which worried about an influx of lower-quality food products if passed; the NFU, along with The Mail on Sunday , campaigned against such a deal in May. The COVID-19 lockdowns eliminated international travel, and Truss instead attended virtual meetings. By early 2021 Truss's attempted US trade deal
33969-603: Was a "behind the scenes force" in ending apartheid. In 1986, Elizabeth paid a six-day state visit to the People's Republic of China, becoming the first British monarch to visit the country. The tour included the Forbidden City , the Great Wall of China , and the Terracotta Warriors . At a state banquet , Elizabeth joked about the first British emissary to China being lost at sea with Queen Elizabeth I 's letter to
34170-696: Was accepted by Merton and began her studies there in September 1993. Truss read philosophy, politics and economics and graduated in 1996. During her time at university, Truss was active in the Liberal Democrats and was a member of the Oxford Reform Club. She became the president of the Oxford University Liberal Democrats in her first year and a member of the national executive committee of Liberal Democrat Youth and Students (LDYS) in 1995. During Truss's previous, unsuccessful bid for
34371-491: Was alarmed by high unemployment, a series of riots , the violence of a miners' strike , and Thatcher's refusal to apply sanctions against the apartheid regime in South Africa. The sources of the rumours included royal aide Michael Shea and Commonwealth secretary-general Shridath Ramphal , but Shea claimed his remarks were taken out of context and embellished by speculation. Thatcher reputedly said Elizabeth would vote for
34572-506: Was already established. In 1953, Elizabeth and Philip embarked on a seven-month round-the-world tour, visiting 13 countries and covering more than 40,000 miles (64,000 km) by land, sea and air. She became the first reigning monarch of Australia and New Zealand to visit those nations. During the tour, crowds were immense; three-quarters of the population of Australia were estimated to have seen her. Throughout her reign, she made hundreds of state visits to other countries and tours of
34773-410: Was also controversy over the fact that Truss was not from Norfolk, with some in the association asking for a local candidate and saying that she had been "parachuted in". On 16 November, the motion was put to the association: following both sides making their arguments, including what Cole and Heale call an "impassioned" speech from Truss, it was defeated by 132 votes to 37. Truss was elected as an MP in
34974-671: Was blamed for the pound falling to its lowest ever rate against the US dollar (US$ 1.033) and prompted a response from the Bank of England which, amongst other measures, bought up government bonds ; the public reaction was also broadly negative. The mini-budget was criticised by the International Monetary Fund , the US president Joe Biden , the Labour Party and many within Truss's party, including
35175-651: Was born on 21 April 1926, the first child of Prince Albert, Duke of York (later King George VI), and his wife, Elizabeth, Duchess of York (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother). Her father was the second son of King George V and Queen Mary , and her mother was the youngest daughter of Scottish aristocrat Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne . She was delivered at 02:40 ( GMT ) by Caesarean section at her maternal grandfather's London home, 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair . The Anglican Archbishop of York , Cosmo Gordon Lang , baptised her in
35376-462: Was criticised by Hammond; Ed Vaizey , an ally of Gove's; and Gove himself; a speech she gave in November similarly joked about Matt Hancock, the newly appointed home secretary, Sajid Javid , and the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt . Before May's resignation announcement on 24 May 2019 Truss had sought the opinion of her colleagues on whether she could credibly stand and courted media attention. As it became apparent she could not win, she ruled herself out
35577-586: Was criticised by the European Commission but was received well by the European Research Group —a Eurosceptic faction within the parliamentary Conservative party—and the right-wing Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party . Amid mounting pressure on Johnson following the Chris Pincher scandal , on 5 July Sunak and Javid resigned within minutes of each other. Johnson again considered giving Truss
35778-558: Was deemed futile. Instead, she focused on joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership , which necessitated free trade agreements with Australia, Japan and New Zealand. The Australia deal, finalised in December, was described by one of Truss's aides as "the hardest thing she's ever got through"; the New Zealand deal was agreed to shortly thereafter. By mid-2021 she had started to ingratiate herself with
35979-413: Was denounced by public figures and slapped by a member of the public appalled by his comments. Six years later, in 1963, Macmillan resigned and advised Elizabeth to appoint Alec Douglas-Home as the prime minister, advice she followed. Elizabeth again came under criticism for appointing the prime minister on the advice of a small number of ministers or a single minister. In 1965, the Conservatives adopted
36180-522: Was directed towards a build-up of Russian troops near the Russia–Ukraine border . Truss supported a plan which declassified a large amount of intelligence on Russia, releasing it to the public for the first time in order to weaken the Russian government in the event of an invasion. On 10 February 2022 she met the Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, becoming the first British minister to go on
36381-611: Was dismissed from his post by Governor-General Sir John Kerr , after the Opposition-controlled Senate rejected Whitlam's budget proposals. As Whitlam had a majority in the House of Representatives , Speaker Gordon Scholes appealed to Elizabeth to reverse Kerr's decision. She declined, saying she would not interfere in decisions reserved by the Constitution of Australia for the governor-general . The crisis fuelled Australian republicanism . In 1977, Elizabeth marked
36582-468: Was dismissed partly because of his culling plans for badgers with tuberculosis , which Truss later supported. Early actions at the department included setting up a "food crime unit" to prevent incidents similar to the 2013 horse meat scandal , approving planning for the Thames Tideway Tunnel and development of Flood Re , a scheme designed to insure homes at a high risk of flooding. According to
36783-510: Was forced to pay her legal fees and donated £200,000 to charity. Elizabeth's solicitors had taken successful action against The Sun five years earlier for breach of copyright after it published a photograph of her daughter-in-law the Duchess of York and her granddaughter Princess Beatrice . In January 1994, Elizabeth broke the scaphoid bone in her left wrist as the horse she was riding at Sandringham tripped and fell. In October 1994, she became
36984-452: Was formed specifically so she could socialise with girls her age. Later, she was enrolled as a Sea Ranger . In 1939, Elizabeth's parents toured Canada and the United States. As in 1927, when they had toured Australia and New Zealand , Elizabeth remained in Britain since her father thought she was too young to undertake public tours. She "looked tearful" as her parents departed. They corresponded regularly, and she and her parents made
37185-416: Was hoping to stand for Parliament ... she was destined for bigger and better things". However, Alex Grant, the candidate who had defeated Truss in 2002, called her "largely invisible during the campaign". In the 2006 council election , Truss was elected for Eltham South, but did not seek re-election to the council in 2010 , standing down the day she became an MP. At the 2001 general election Truss
37386-555: Was in Montreal ; her "calmness and courage in the face of the violence" was noted. Elizabeth gave birth to her third child, Prince Andrew , in February 1960; this was the first birth to a reigning British monarch since 1857. Her fourth child, Prince Edward , was born in March 1964. The 1960s and 1970s saw an acceleration in the decolonisation of Africa and the Caribbean. More than 20 countries gained independence from Britain as part of
37587-484: Was killed in a car crash in Paris. Elizabeth was on holiday with her extended family at Balmoral. Diana's two sons, Princes William and Harry , wanted to attend church, so Elizabeth and Philip took them that morning. Afterwards, for five days, the royal couple shielded their grandsons from the intense press interest by keeping them at Balmoral where they could grieve in private, but the royal family's silence and seclusion, and
37788-445: Was occasional republican sentiment and media criticism of her family—particularly after the breakdowns of her children's marriages, her annus horribilis in 1992, and the death in 1997 of her former daughter-in-law Diana —support for the monarchy and her personal popularity in the United Kingdom remained consistently high. Elizabeth died aged 96 at Balmoral Castle , and was succeeded by her eldest son, Charles III. Elizabeth
37989-497: Was pilloried in national and international press as a u-turner , and a chaotic vote on fracking along with the resignation of Braverman as home secretary compounded a rapid deterioration of confidence in her leadership. On 19 October, in response to a question by the leader of the opposition, Keir Starmer , Truss said that she was a "fighter and not a quitter", quoting a 2001 phrase by Peter Mandelson . Shortly before noon on 20 October, Truss's forty-fifth day in office, Brady held
38190-547: Was pleased with her appointment, and praised Michael Gove , the secretary of state for the department; she also formed a friendly rivalry with the future health secretary Matt Hancock . In January 2013, Truss wrote a white paper — More Great Childcare —in which she proposed increasing the maximum number of children childminders could look after at a time from three to four, as a means of reducing childcare costs. The press, including Conservative-leaning papers like The Daily Telegraph and The Times , were largely hostile to
38391-493: Was saying quite sane things"; in her last year at the university, she resigned from the LDYS. By 1996 Truss had joined the Conservative Party. From 1996 to 2000 Truss worked for Royal Dutch Shell , living in Lewisham and Greenwich and qualifying as a chartered management accountant . In 2000 she was employed by Cable & Wireless and rose to the position of economic director before leaving in 2005; one of her colleagues there,
38592-498: Was selected for the safe Labour seat of Hemsworth , West Yorkshire , coming a distant second but achieving a 3.2 per cent swing to the Conservatives, thought impressive by her party colleagues. The election saw the Conservatives make a net gain of one seat, which was considered a disappointment; the party leader William Hague subsequently resigned, with Truss supporting the former defence secretary Michael Portillo 's unsuccessful leadership campaign. In January 2005 Sue Catling,
38793-471: Was served by more than 170 prime ministers across her realms. Her many historic visits and meetings included state visits to China in 1986, to Russia in 1994, and to the Republic of Ireland in 2011, and meetings with five popes and fourteen US presidents. Significant events included her coronation in 1953 and the celebrations of her Silver , Golden , Diamond , and Platinum jubilees . Although there
38994-629: Was spent primarily at the Yorks' residences at 145 Piccadilly (their town house in London) and Royal Lodge in Windsor. During her grandfather's reign, Elizabeth was third in the line of succession to the British throne , behind her uncle Edward, Prince of Wales , and her father. Although her birth generated public interest, she was not expected to become queen, as Edward was still young and likely to marry and have children of his own, who would precede Elizabeth in
39195-553: Was stationed in the British Crown Colony of Malta as a serving Royal Navy officer. He and Elizabeth lived intermittently in Malta for several months at a time in the hamlet of Gwardamanġa , at Villa Guardamangia , the rented home of Philip's uncle Lord Mountbatten . Their two children remained in Britain. As George VI's health declined during 1951, Elizabeth frequently stood in for him at public events. When she visited Canada and Harry S. Truman in Washington, DC, in October 1951, her private secretary Martin Charteris carried
39396-417: Was televised for the first time, with the exception of the anointing and communion . On Elizabeth's instruction, her coronation gown was embroidered with the floral emblems of Commonwealth countries. From Elizabeth's birth onwards, the British Empire continued its transformation into the Commonwealth of Nations . By the time of her accession in 1952, her role as head of multiple independent states
39597-403: Was the first to report on the affair, and party members claimed to have been misled over Truss's " skeleton in the cupboard ". A motion was proposed to terminate Truss's candidature; the proponents of Truss's deselection were branded the "Turnip Taliban " by Conservative Party officials and the press, including by the Mail , a reference to stereotypes about Norfolk being a county of farmers. There
39798-473: Was the monarch of 15 realms at her death. Her reign of 70 years and 214 days is the longest of any British monarch , the second-longest of any sovereign state , and the longest of any queen regnant in history . Elizabeth was born in Mayfair , London, during the reign of her paternal grandfather, King George V . She was the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother ). Her father acceded to
39999-450: Was the political objective". At the Conservative Party conference in September 2014 Truss made a speech in which she said "we import two thirds of our cheese. That is a disgrace" and "in December, I'll be in Beijing, opening up new pork markets". Four days after Truss delivered the speech, parts of the video were featured on the satirical panel show Have I Got News For You ; the awkward, stilted delivery led her to be mocked and clips of
40200-446: Was the president of the Oxford University Liberal Democrats . In 1996 she joined the Conservative Party . She worked at Royal Dutch Shell and Cable & Wireless and was the deputy director of the think tank Reform . After two unsuccessful attempts to be elected to the House of Commons , she became the MP for South West Norfolk at the 2010 general election . As a backbencher she called for reform in several policy areas including
40401-455: Was the subject of another attack while on a visit to Dunedin , New Zealand. Christopher John Lewis , who was 17 years old, fired a shot with a .22 rifle from the fifth floor of a building overlooking the parade but missed. Lewis was arrested, but instead of being charged with attempted murder or treason was sentenced to three years in jail for unlawful possession and discharge of a firearm. Two years into his sentence, he attempted to escape
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