By Rob Picheta | CNN
Liz Truss will become Britain’s shortest-serving prime minister ever, after announcing her intention to resign just six weeks into a disastrous term that pitched Britain deep into political and economic turmoil.
Truss said Thursday that she would step aside for a new leader to be chosen within the next week, after a growing number of her own Conservative Party’s lawmakers said they could not support her any longer.
It brings to an ignominious end a catastrophic tenure in Downing Street, which appeared doomed ever since Truss’s flagship economic agenda sent markets into panic and led to a fall in the value of the pound.
George Canning previously held the record for the shortest term in Downing Street, having served for 119 days until his death in 1827. Truss, by contrast, lasted a mere 45 days before she announced her intention to quit.
Her decision ensures a fresh power struggle within the ruling Conservative Party, which has hemorrhaged public support for the past year and has now overthrown Boris Johnson and Truss in the space of a few months.
Here’s a look at the life of Liz Truss, prime minister of the United Kingdom.
Birth date: July 26, 1975
Birth place: Oxford, England
Birth name: Mary Elizabeth Truss
Father: John Kenneth Truss, math professor
Mother: Priscilla (Grasby) Truss, nurse and teacher
Marriage: Hugh O’Leary (2000-present)
Children: Frances, Liberty
Education: Merton College, University of Oxford, B.A., 1993-1996
Youngest female cabinet minister in UK history.
Appointed the most ethnically diverse Cabinet in UK history.
Former president of the Oxford University Liberal Democrats.
Met her husband at the 1997 Conservative Party conference.
As a child, joined her parents at protests against nuclear weapons and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
1994 – As a university student, Truss calls for abolishing the monarchy at a Liberal Democratic conference, “We do not believe people are born to rule.”
1996 – Truss joins the Conservative Party.
1996-2000 – Works for Shell, eventually becoming a commercial manager.
2000-2005 – Economic director at Cable & Wireless.
2006-2010 – Councillor in the London borough of Greenwich.
May 2006 – A Daily Mail article exposes an extramarital affair between Truss and MP Mark Field, who had been assigned to her as a political mentor. The affair is thought to have ended in June 2005.
2008-2010 – Deputy director of Reform, a think tank.
2009 – Truss is selected to be the Conservative MP candidate for South West Norfolk. After a demand by some local party members that she end her candidacy, citing her past affair with Field, Truss survives a vote and remains the candidate.
2010 – Elected MP for South West Norfolk.
2012 – Co-authors “Britannia Unchained: Global Lessons for Growth and Prosperity,” a book that describes the British people as ‘among the worst idlers in the world,’ who ‘are more interested in football and pop music’ than working hard.
September 2012-July 2014 – Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for Education and Childcare.
July 2014-July 2016 – Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
February 20, 2016 – In a Twitter post, Truss announces that she supports the “Remain” position on Brexit.
July 2016-June 2017 – Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
June 2017 – Truss is demoted to chief secretary to the Treasury. She serves in the position until July 2019.
October 11, 2017 – Truss tells BBC2 she would now vote to leave the European Union if the Brexit referendum were to be held again, “I have changed my mind….I believed that there would be major economic problems. Those haven’t come to pass and I have also seen the opportunities.”
July 2019-September 2021 – Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade
September 2019 – Is appointed minister for women and equalities.
December 2019 – Is appointed chief post-Brexit negotiator with the EU, tasked with settling the Northern Ireland protocol.
September 15, 2021 – Is appointed foreign secretary.
May 17, 2022 – In a statement delivered to the House of Commons, Truss announces she will introduce legislation to make changes to the Northern Ireland Protocol, a portion of Britain’s withdrawal agreement from the EU.
July 10, 2022 – In an op-ed published in The Telegraph, Truss announces that she is joining the race to replace Prime Minister Boris Johnson as leader of the Conservative Party.
September 5, 2022 – Is elected leader of the Conservative Party. In her victory speech, Truss promises a “bold plan” to cut taxes and build economic growth.
September 6, 2022 – Appointed prime minister by Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral Castle.
September 20-21, 2022 – In her first foreign trip as prime minister, Truss meets with foreign leaders at the United Nations General Assembly, including US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron.
September 23, 2022 – Truss’ government announces sweeping tax cuts which would wipe £45 billion ($50 billion) off government revenues over the next five years, representing the largest cuts in 50 years.
October 3, 2022 – Truss cancels her plan to slash the top rate of income tax, after a rebellion among lawmakers and a week of financial and economic turmoil.
October 14, 2022 – Truss says she is scrapping plans to reverse a rise in business taxes, a move that will save £18 billion ($20 billion), after a revolt by investors and members of her own Conservative Party worried about the impact of soaring government borrowing at a time of decades-high inflation. Truss also fires finance minister Kwasi Kwarteng.
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