Not just a matter of Truss: Britons want responsibility from next PM
| Brighton and Hove, England
The lettuce outlasted the prime minister.
After just 44 days in office, Liz Truss resigned as Britain鈥檚 prime minister, making her tenure the shortest in the United Kingdom鈥檚 history. The Daily Star livestreamed a head of iceberg (in a wig), asking 鈥淲ill Liz Truss still be prime minister within the 10-day shelf-life of a lettuce?鈥�
This led to many jokes 鈥� it鈥檚 the 鈥渆ndive times,鈥� 鈥渟he could not romaine.鈥� But in the real world, no one is laughing at the prospect of a third British prime minister in two months, with residents of the United Kingdom concerned about financial insecurity and an era of instability that seems to have taken root since the Brexit referendum.
Why We Wrote This
A story focused onLiz Truss was forced to resign because her priorities were out of sync with what Britons wanted from their government. Now the public seems most concerned that the next leader restore a measure of maturity to No. 10 Downing St.
Ms. Truss鈥� chaotic departure from office, coming so soon after the end of Boris Johnson鈥檚 scandal-marred time at No. 10 Downing St., has left Britons with feelings of frustration and disconnect from their government. And while the Conservative Party is working at breakneck speed to determine Ms. Truss鈥� replacement, most Britons seem to want the next government to be realistic and grown-up about the problems the country faces.
鈥淚鈥檇 like someone to say, well, here we are, and here鈥檚 what I think is the best聽way out of it,鈥� says Lynda Warren, a retired university professor who lives in Eglwys Fach, Wales.聽鈥淪omeone who has some vision and honesty about how they鈥檙e going to deal with the variety of financial problems we鈥檝e got.鈥�
鈥淭he government doesn鈥檛 serve the people鈥�
Hakan Ozdemir moved to the U.K. from Turkey four years ago. In Turkey, he was a solicitor. In Britain, he works as a Deliveroo driver as he gets ready to retake his exams. Mr. Ozdemir says he left his native country because of the unstable political situation and,聽while he鈥檚 largely happy with his life in the U.K., he feels let down by a failing political system.
鈥淭he entire world is unstable and politicians aren鈥檛 going to fix it,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檓 done with wishing for things from the government. I won鈥檛 vote in the next election, or perhaps聽for the rest of my life. The government doesn鈥檛 serve the people that voted them in. I used to think they work for us. But I don鈥檛 believe that now.鈥�
The overwhelming feeling among the British public is the desire for a leader with maturity to take control of this sinking ship and steer it in the right direction. Dr. Warren would like the next leader聽of the U.K. to reflect the values of British citizens. She鈥檚 not convinced it鈥檚 likely, however.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think we are, at the end of the day, any worse than any other country. But I do think we鈥檙e in one almighty mess worldwide,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 look forward to the future with a great deal of confidence for it being a聽happy place.鈥�
Paul Bussey,聽a film and TV editor from Brighton and Hove, echoes this sentiment. 鈥淭he resignation of the PM after just six weeks speaks volumes about how the ruling party are functioning because if they can鈥檛 elect a leader that stays in power for more than 44 days, how on earth are聽they going to run a country? The harsh reality is, they鈥檙e not.鈥�
He, like many others, believes the country is losing its international standing and any kind of credibility on the world stage. 鈥淸This government] can鈥檛 even get its own house in order,鈥� he says. 鈥淗ow could we possibly go to another country and tell them, you should聽do it like this? What right do we have?鈥�
What Mr. Bussey says he would like from the next government is honesty. 鈥淚 want people鈥檚 taxes used intelligently to support those in the community that are vulnerable. Because if you don鈥檛 look after them, it鈥檚 just an erosion of civilized society. There is proof that when you聽look after people on the lowest rung of the ladder, society as a whole improves.鈥�
鈥淲e need someone to actually be in charge鈥�
After Brexit and the general election of 2019, the country was so tired and scarred, the last thing the public wanted was another election. Yet, in a desire for some last semblance of stability and leadership, there are rising calls for an early general election.
People are noting that if the next election stays on schedule, it raises uncomfortable questions. If the status quo remains, how many more prime ministers does the country cycle through in the remaining two years? Is the entire country to be at the mercy of the psychodrama of an imploding ruling party? Despite the urgency of such issues, many are unconvinced they will have the chance to vote for their next PM any time soon.
鈥淔or there to be a聽general election, the Conservatives would have to vote for it. And turkeys don鈥檛 vote for Christmas,鈥� says Dr. Warren.
Max Patterson, a voter in his early 20s from Knebworth, England, says he鈥檚 trying to be realistic about the prospects for an election. 鈥淎lthough I personally want a general election, there is a reality that this Christmas, we need someone to actually be in charge of making the decisions that are going to help people, given how many are under threat over energy bills and the rising cost of living,鈥� says Mr. Patterson, who works with an environmental nonprofit.
鈥淔or me, it鈥檚 about someone coming in who鈥檚 genuinely open to ideas, someone who鈥檚 calm and collected and can put the markets at聽ease, put the people at ease, and come out with clear communication about what the government is going to do. The public don鈥檛 care who鈥檚 in charge, they just want people that are actually going to help them.鈥�
What he鈥檚 wary of is the continued revolving door and yet another prime minister coming in with a completely new set of ideas that are ideological. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 going to be continuing the problem and kicking the can down the road, unfortunately.鈥�
