She has been in Downing Street for just three days… but Liz Truss faces her ‘Tony Blair moment’ as she strives to carry the grief of a nation
- She was only installed as PM by the Queen at Balmoral on Tuesday afternoon
- Ms Truss must now rise to the occasion and try to carry the grief of a nation
- Will inevitably be compared to Tony Blair responding to death of Princess Diana
- Full coverage: Click here to see all our coverage of the Queen’s passing
Liz Truss has officially been Prime Minister for barely three full days.
She was installed by the Queen at Balmoral on Tuesday afternoon in the traditional ritual of ‘kissing hands’ – the last of 15 premiers during her 70-year reign.
But new as she is to the role, Ms Truss must now rise to the occasion and try to carry the grief of a nation.
The daunting task will inevitably be compared to Tony Blair responding to the death of Princess Diana in August 1997 – although the tragic circumstances were very different and he had been in post for several months by then.
Mr Blair – now Sir Tony – coined the phrase ‘People’s Princess’ to describe Diana in a tribute delivered outside a church in his Sedgefield constituency.
He was widely praised for summing up the emotions of the country, contrasting with the muted statements that were coming out of the Royal Family.
Speaking in Downing Street this evening after the worst was confirmed, Liz Truss described the Queen as the ‘rock on which modern Britain was built’
Ms Truss was installed by the Queen at Balmoral on Tuesday afternoon in the traditional ritual of ‘kissing hands’ – the last of 15 premiers sworn in during her 70-year reign
Ms Truss had already made one enormous intervention that could define her political life today, announcing an unprecedented £150billion bailout to freeze energy bills for two years.
That was interrupted by news – conveyed to her in a note as she sat on the Commons benches – that the monarch was seriously ill and her family were travelling to Balmoral.
Speaking in Downing Street this evening after the worst was confirmed, Ms Truss described the Queen as the ‘rock on which modern Britain was built’.
Dressed all in black and behind a podium outside the famous black door of No10, Ms Truss said the former monarch had been ‘determined to do her duty’ by appointing her personally at Balmoral this week.
She struck a sombre note and spoke of the ‘great legacy’ from the Queen’s 20 years of service.
The address had none of the glitz of Sir Tony’s supposedly impromptu words in Sedgefield 25 years ago.
But it was delivered from the heart.
Ms Truss will now undoubtedly put politics on hold, and join the nation in focusing on the debt owed to the Queen.
The awesome challenge will inevitably be compared to Tony Blair responding to the death of Princess Diana in August 1997 (pictured) – although the tragic circumstances were very different and he had been in post for several months by then
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