British foreign minister James Cleverly warned against trying to oust Prime Minister Liz Truss over the backlash her administration has received over her economic plan. Cleverly added that growing the country’s economy would remain the focus.
Cleverly defended Truss’s economic plans Thursday as he warned against ousting Truss at this time. Cleverly’s remarks come amidst growing conflicts within the ruling Conservative Party with Truss, who replaced Boris Johnson last month.
“I think that changing the leadership would be a disastrously bad idea not just politically but also economically, and we’re absolutely going to stay focused on growing the economy,” said Cleverly.
Truss’s government said Wednesday that it would not reverse its tax cuts or reduce public spending in an effort to maintain its stance amidst strained financial markets and the concerns raised over economic policy. Finance minister Kwasi Kwarteng announced $50 billion in tax cuts and support for energy legislation without saying how the bill would be funded.
“What we will make sure is that over the medium term the debt is falling, but we will do that not by cutting public spending but by making sure we spend public money well,” Truss told parliament.
Truss’s business secretary said the government remains committed to economic reforms following a report by The Times saying that Truss’s government was struggling to agree on new policies.
Truss was also pressed on whether she was still committed to a previous pledge of maintaining spending levels after the Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey said that the market support would end on Friday. Truss said she was still “absolutely” committed.
Chris Philip, the junior Treasury minister, also said the government would not reverse its tax cuts.
British finance minister Kwasi Kwarteng cut short his trip to Washington Friday, confirming to reporters that he was leaving for London earlier than expected but did not disclose further details. People familiar with the matter said Kwarteng planned to meet with colleagues to work on the medium-term budget plan.
Kwarteng is expected to announce the plan by the end of the month on October 31, along with independent fiscal forecasts. Kwarteng was in Washington for meetings of the finance ministers of the G20 countries and the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.