Eight regional interviews at 8 AM, one after the painful other, and all went for the jugular. “Have you slept well?” “Are you ashamed of yourself?” “Reverse Robin Hood”. Not so much speed dating as speed slating!
After complete silence from the PM for six whole days, it was ill advised to emerge without a new argument, new framing, a more compassionate tone or fresh resolve. But that’s what she did.
8.00 AM: Radio Leeds’ Rima Ahmed asks: “Have you slept well? I am really glad you are here. Because since Friday… the pound has dropped to a record low... Where have you been?”. Truss says she stopped energy bills rising to £6,000.
8.08 AM: Radio Norfolk’s Chris Goreham asks: “Since Friday the IMF, the Bank of England, the bishop of Norwich, the RSPB, wildlife trusts across the country have all spoken out... Is your judgment better?” Truss replies: “I have to do what I believe is right”.
8.15 AM: Radio Kent tells PM listeners asked “what on earth were you thinking” and “are you ashamed?". PM says she will "help ordinary households”. Host Anna Cookson replies: “Haven’t you been reading the news? My listeners are not sleeping at night”.
8.22 AM: Asked by Radio Lancashire’s Graham Liver if she’s ever visited the Preston New Road fracking site, PM replies: “I don’t think I’ve been to that site in the past”. The presenter retorts: “Shouldn’t you?” She says projects only run with local consent.
8.30 AM: Radio Nottingham’s Sarah Julian says PM has broken 2019 pledge for a "fairer tax system". PM dodges the question, saying: “It’s not fair to have a recession. It’s not fair to have towns where you’re not having the investment”.
8.38 AM: Asked by Radio Tees how she’ll tackle child poverty, PM says her “number one thing” is to “help more people get into work and create high-paid jobs". Child Poverty Action Group blast: "Promising more jobs without wider changes ignores facts”.
8.45 AM: Radio Bristol’s James Hanson blasts her “scripted answers” and says: “It's hard to know what is falling more since you entered Downing Street, the value of the pound or the Tory poll rating”. Later, the PM refuses to say listeners’ “pensions are safe”, replying: “Well, the Bank of England do that”.
8.52 AM: Liz Truss is briefly lost for words when Radio Stoke’s John Acres says she’s achieving growth by “borrowing more and putting our mortgages up!”. After a pause, she replies: “We need to borrow more this winter for the energy crisis we’re facing…”.
Many Tories will wince at this from Labour’s Angela Rayner: “Liz Truss has finally broken her long painful silence with a series of short painful silences”!
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