On reprieve after six weeks in Downing Street, British Prime Minister Liz Truss entered a new zone of turbulence on Wednesday with the surprise resignation of her interior minister for the improper use of a personal email address. Rejected by public opinion, challenged within her own majority, the conservative leader, who claims to want to remain in office despite the abandonment of her economic program, once again sees her credibility and her authority weakened.
Truss loses right-handed Home Office chief
Less than a week after having had to dismiss her finance minister, and close friend Kwasi Kwarteng, she lost the very right-wing head of the “Home Office”, responsible for the sensitive file of illegal Channel crossings, which are reaching record levels.
Suella Braverman, 42, said she resigned for using her personal email to send official documents, breaking the departmental code. While making her mea culpa, she launched a heavy charge against the head of government, in a context of frenzy in Westminster. In her letter of resignation, Suella Braverman expressed her “serious concerns” about the government’s policy which, according to her, is giving up on its promises, in particular on the migration file.
A resignation that falls badly for Truss
She was replaced in the process by Grant Shapps, Minister of Transport under Boris Johnson. By naming a supporter of her former opponent in the race for power – and potential candidate to replace her – Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss is taking advantage of this new chaotic episode of her mandate to display an opening which she has been accused of missing since her arrival at the power.
Is this departure starting a hemorrhage within the government like the one that was fatal to Boris Johnson in July? In any case, it’s bad news for Liz Truss, who is trying to regain control after her new Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt broke up the massive tax cuts she had promised on Monday.