Liz Truss defends mini-budget in grilling from Bristol presenter

Radio Bristol presenter James Hanson has been praised across the world for his grilling of Liz Truss in a probing interview about the state of the economy.

But Truss has defended the economic unrest sparked by the mini-budget, saying “it is right that the government took action.”

Speaking to BBC Radio Bristol, she insisted the crash was the fault of Vladimir Putin, not the government’s actions.

Breakfast presenter Hanson scrutinised the new prime minister, saying: “It’s hard to know what has fallen more since you entered Downing Street: the value of the pound or the Tory poll rating,” asking “but you’ve made the situation worse so far, haven’t you?”.

Speaking in public for the first time since the fall-out, Truss rigidly defended her actions and replied: “Let’s remember the situation we were facing when I entered Downing Street was that people were facing bills of up to £6000 this winter for their energy.”

“We were facing very high inflation and an economic slowdown, and I and the chancellor have taken decisive action to deal with that.”

But the host criticised Truss for giving “the same scripted answer” she had given “to every other local BBC radio station this morning”.

“It’s not working, is it, Prime Minister?”

Liz Truss questioned by @jhansonradio on BBC Radio Bristol #liztruss #liztrussPMhttps://t.co/Vbwzg6UrGP

— BBC Radio Bristol (@bbcrb) September 29, 2022

The interview was part of a series of regional radio station interviews on Thursday morning in the run-up to the Tory party conference staring on Sunday

They came in the wake of the tax-cutting measures laid out on Friday such as scrapping the 45p top rate, reversing the National Insurance rise and cancelling an increase to corporation tax – benefitting the wealthiest in the country.

Since then, the UK economy has been thrown into turmoil with the pound dropping and mortgage deals being pulled in a housing market panic.

Trust continued: “But it is right that the government took action to deal with people’s fuel bills, it’s right that we took action to deal with the excessively high tax burden and it’s right that we’ve taken action to get the economy going and the vast majority of the package on Friday was about energy support and if we hadn’t acted decisively and quickly on energy support, people would be facing these appalling fuel bills this winter.”

“I think that’s what’s important today. Of course, it’s a difficult situation, of course the decisions are tough, but we have to do it.”

Yikes! pic.twitter.com/WgEnt4DYlm

— James Hanson (@jhansonradio) September 29, 2022

Truss told BBC Radio Bristol listeners there would be more detail on help for businesses struggling with rocketing energy bills.

She said: “In about two months, he [the business secretary] will give people more details of how that package will work. But we’re determined to make sure that small businesses are supported.”

The government is now facing demands from opposition parties to recall parliament from its conference to deal with the economic problems.

Main photo: Prime Minister’s Office

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