Liz Truss likely to visit US and hold minibudget next week
Liz Truss is expected to attempt to hold a mini-budget and travel to the leaders’ summit of the UN general assembly in New York next week in the days after the Queen’s funeral.
It had been suggested the new UK prime minister could make time for an official visit to see the US president in Washington but she is now not thought likely to find time to tag on a trip to the White House.
Joe Biden and other world leaders are expected to come to the UK for the Queen’s funeral but Truss is not holding official bilateral meetings with them out of respect for the period of mourning.
A minute’s silence will be held on Sunday 18 September at 8pm and the Queen’s funeral will be on Monday 19 September.
Truss is also trying to fit in a “fiscal event” before parliament rises again for a recess for party conferences on
Friday next week. The most obvious day would be Thursday 22 September, as parliamentary business has been postponed until after Wednesday 21 and Truss is likely to be in New York until then. However, it could potentially be on the Friday if recess were to be delayed.
Truss’s official spokesperson said the prime minister was still planning to hold a fiscal event this month, which would most likely mean next week to avoid an overlap with the Labour conference the week after.
At the mini-budget, the government is expected to outline further details of Truss’s £100bn-plus emergency bailout for households to help with energy bills as well as plans for tax cuts.
No 10 said legislation would not be needed for this as it would involve guarantees between the government and private energy suppliers. Truss’s spokesperson said some legislation might be needed to enact the package of support for businesses.