By Damola Emmanuel
Mrs. Liz Truss has been consumed by the economic turmoil that has been dogging the United Kingdom for some time now as she resigned her position as the head of the Conservative Party and British Prime Minister after holding power for just 44 days.
Truss, 47, who rode on the political tsunami that swept her predecessor, Boris Johnson, away, will join the list of ex-Prime Ministers precisely in a week’s time when a new PM would have been elected.
In a short message at 10, Downing Street, Thursday, Mrs. Truss, who faced a turbulent economic situation since her assumption of duty, said she could no longer continue as PM as she has failed to deliver on the mandate for which she was elected.
When Mrs. Truss’s successor is elected next week, precisely October 28, Britain would go on record as having three Prime Ministers in one year, a Guinness Book of World Records’ landmark.
With Mrs. Truss going down in history as Britain’s shortest serving Prime Minister, George Canning who died in office in 1827, becomes an effective runner-up for the ‘shortest-serving PM in history’ prize. Canning died in office at the age of 57 after spending only 119 days in power.
Poor Liz Russ! Despite her meteoric rise in British political firmament, she now holds the ignoble title of ‘shortest serving British Prime Minister’.
Below is the full text of Truss’s resignation speech, wherein she admitted she was not up to the top job. The speech is the most extra-ordinary that Britons have ever heard or seen in modern history:
“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 the security of our whole continent and our country has been held back 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 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 that 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 a successor has been chosen. Thank you.”