Liz Truss has been leading the Tory leadership contest for weeks and looks set to be the next PM. With extreme plans to cut tax for the wealthy, punish benefit claimants, and deport migrants to Rwanda – which of Truss’ policies do you think would be worse for our country?
Many of these policy announcements by the Foreign Secretary have been crafted to appeal to the typically more right wing Conservative membership, rather than the country at large – leaving many who are struggling with the cost of living fearful that they might receive no additional help from the government.
With promises to crack down on people receiving benefits, the majority of whom are either in-work or disabled and already struggling, while offering massive tax cuts to the wealthiest in society, some are calling Truss a ‘poundshop Thatcher.’
If, like much-despised Maggy, Truss gets a chance to enact any of these policies – which do you think could be most damaging? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.
Or, if you think these proposals could be the making of Britain, let us know why down below.
- ‘Ready’ to eliminate the human race from the earth in a nuclear armageddon
In her most recent hustings, Truss told veteran interviewer John Pienaar that, if faced with a nuclear attack, she would send the UK government’s, final, message to unleash the nuclear armageddon. She said repeatedly: “I’m ready to do that.”
- Refusing to roll out new cost of living payments
Truss has refused to commit to any further cost of living payments to help Brits struggling this winter, describing them as “handouts”, instead opting to end the green levy on energy bills. This will help little with bills forecast to reach £4200 by January.
- Banning public sector strikes and increasing the vote needed for strike action to 50 per cent
The minimum notice period for strike action would be raised from two weeks to four weeks, and a cooling-off period would be implemented so that unions can no longer strike as many times as they like in the six-month period after a ballot.
Though this will reduce strike action, it will also lower British workers’ ability to fight for better workplace safety, pay, and conditions.
- Cutting National Insurance will save minimum wage workers just 76p a month in tax – and save £93 for the richest
In a bid to woo Tory voters, Ms Truss has said she will cut taxes immediately after she gets the keys to No10. Though all workers will see at least a few quid knocked off their bills, the highest-paid workers will benefit overwhelmingly.
- Roll out a Bill of rights
Campaigners have warned that the Tories plan to roll out a ‘Bill of Rights’ will actually weaken Brits’ rights. Rather than enshrine further rights for citizens, the Government hopes to wrestle human rights oversight from the independent non-EU body, the European Court of Human Rights.
They hope that doing so will give them free rein to deport migrants to Rwanda and reduce legal oversight of Government policy.
- Increasing child to staff ratios
Plans to increase child to staff ratios in childcare were rubbished under Mr Johnson’s Government and were attacked when Ms Truss included them in her leadership plans. Childcare professionals believe this would lower their ability to care and nurture children at an important stage of development.
- Public sector pay U-turn
Liz Truss was forced to drop proposals to cut £8.8 billion from public sector pay outside London after furious warnings from senior Tories. The cabinet minister said that her ideas had been misrepresented, while they were widely described as “levelling down” for the UK’s regions.