Liz Truss’s attempt to stop Sir Keir Starmer from claiming she “crashed the economy” has done the exact opposite of what she hoped, sparking a fresh wave of ridicule and renewed focus on her chaotic premiership.
In a move that some are already calling a PR disaster, the former prime minister sent a cease-and-desist letter to Starmer, accusing him of defamation over remarks about her handling of the economy during her short-lived stint in Number 10.
Legal Letters and Mortgage Mayhem
Truss’s lawyers demanded Starmer “immediately cease and desist” from repeating claims that her infamous mini-budget caused economic havoc. The letter argued these statements were “false and defamatory” and caused “serious harm” to her reputation.
But Downing Street wasn’t having any of it. A spokesperson for the prime minister hit back, saying, “I don’t think the prime minister is the only person in the country who shares this view of the previous government’s handling of the economy.”
With mortgage rates soaring and borrowing hitting a 17-year high during Truss’s time at the helm, the spokesperson added, “Will she be writing to millions of people across the country too?”
Truss Takes to X (Formerly Twitter)
Doubling down on her claims, Truss took to social media to defend herself, posting:
“I know Keir Starmer won’t repeat his allegations that I crashed the economy because he knows it’s a lie.”
She even shared a video attempting to shift the blame to Labour’s current borrowing figures, suggesting they overshadow her so-called “fiscal event” from two years ago.
However, instead of clearing her name, the move seems to have backfired, reigniting criticism of her economic decisions and giving her detractors fresh material to work with.
Parliament Reacts: “We Won’t Cease and Desist”
Labour’s Lucy Powell didn’t hold back, taking aim at Truss in the Commons:
“Liz Truss’s kamikaze budget directly and immediately led to the gilt market crashing. She might want us to cease and desist, but we won’t cease and desist from telling the truth.”
Even members of Truss’s own party were unimpressed. Conservative peer Lord Bethell told Politics Live:
“It’s unbelievably unhelpful. Then again, it’s not the first unhelpful thing she’s done.”
Social Media Responds
As expected, the internet had a field day. The phrase “Liz Truss crashed the economy” quickly started trending, with users gleefully pointing out that her legal threat only reminded everyone of her 49-day tenure and the chaos that ensued.
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