‘Country will not tolerate another change of leader’

THE Tory party has thrown away years of work to build its reputation for economic competence, a Conservative former chancellor has said.

Lord Hammond said Liz Truss will have to return to a “more conventional economic policy”, but added that she can survive in her role as Prime Minister because his party’s MPS will not want to risk a General Election.

He said while the party might be “disillusioned with her”, they know ousting Ms Truss could result in the country going to the polls early.

Lord Hammond said the Government’s growth agenda is “in tatters” and that the usual arguments used against Labour on economics would look “extremely limp” given the turmoil of recent weeks since the minibudget was announced.

He told Radio 4’s World At One programme: “They (the Government) haven’t fully resolved the economic question, and I do not think they can resolve the political damage that has been caused.

“The Tory Party has to be the party of competence in government. It may have various other attributes, but it has to be competent, and a steady hand on the tiller.

“And I’m afraid we’ve thrown away years and years of painstaking work to build and maintain a reputation as a party of fiscal discipline and competence in government.”

He said the country is “in a situation where it’s going to require a lot of hard work and self-discipline over a number of years to get this economy back on track”.

On Ms Truss’s political future, he said: “I think she can survive. And the logic of that is simply that I personally do not believe the country will tolerate another change of leader without a General Election.”