Liz Truss has replaced Lord David Frost in handling Brexit talks with the European Union following his resignation, Downing Street has announced.
Truss is currently the Conservative MP for South West Norfolk and the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs.
Her appointment as Brexit negotiator for the Northern Ireland Protocol has been met with horror from some given the many mishaps she has found herself in in the past – and the fact that she previously spoke in favour of remain during the 2016 referendum.
In case you’d forgotten, here are six times Truss has put her foot in it over Brexit...
Pro-EU tweet
Rather awkwardly given where we find ourselves, Truss tweeted in 2016 saying she supported the UK remaining in the EU.
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Truss, who is now an ardent Brexiteer, appears to have had a dramatic change of heart since she posted in February 2016, just four months before the EU referendum vote in June.
In the tweet, she wrote: “I am backing remain as I believe it is in Britain’s economic interest and means we can focus on vital economic and social reform at home.”
I am backing remain as I believe it is in Britain's economic interest and means we can focus on vital economic and social reform at home.
— Liz Truss (@trussliz) February 20, 2016
Awkward.
Encouraging women to vote remain
In 2016, before becoming a Brexiteer, Truss was part of a group of female ministers who set up an appeal to encourage women to vote to remain in the EU.
The then environment secretary said she wanted the UK to remain for the sake of her daughters.
Truss said: “I don’t want my daughters to grow up in a world where they need a visa or permit to work in Europe; or where they are hampered from growing a business because of extortionate call costs and barriers to trade.”
Given today’s news, her comments are being shared on social media again.
To be tweeted to heck and back. pic.twitter.com/vRfQV1XqNv
— Emma Kennedy💙 (@EmmaKennedy) December 19, 2021
Again, bit awkward.
“Pork markets”
The infamous “pork markets” moment is a political meme that will go down in history as one of the most awkward speeches ever given.
It was a phrase uttered with glee by Truss in 2014 during a speech given at the Conservative Party Conference when she was secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs.
During her speech, she declared: “In December, I’ll be in Beijing opening up new pork markets.”
Clearly, Truss had expected an applause at the revelation but was instead met with excruciating silence before a trickle of applause began.
Iconic – just maybe not in the way she wanted.
Disastrous interview on Brexit
Unfortunately for Truss, the calamitous public speaking was only set to continue as in March 2019, she participated in a horrible radio interview on LBC on Brexit.
Truss stressed that the idea of holding a second referendum on Brexit would be a “very, very, very bad idea”, but host Eddie Mair reminded her that people, including her, have changed their mind since the vote almost three years prior.
Mair said: “What about people who have changed their minds between then and now?”
Truss replied: “I don’t think people have changed their minds.”
Mair reminded her that she has changed her mind.
While smiling, Truss said: “I have, that’s true. In the other way though.”
Liz Truss talking to Eddie Mair on 2016 referendum
— Peter Stefanovic (@PeterStefanovi2) August 3, 2019
Truss “I don’t think people have changed their minds”
Mair “You have”
Truss “That’s true” pic.twitter.com/W6RS9wMBB4
Trying and failing to explain no-deal Brexit
In October 2019, Brexit negotiations with the EU looked as though they were breaking down and the country was possibly heading towards a no-deal Brexit.
During an interview on BBC Radio 5 Live with Emma Barnet, Truss was asked to explain what a no-deal Brexit will mean for the British public. Instead, she revealed that she didn’t know how it would work.
In the excruciating interview, Truss admitted she didn’t know how we would leave the EU without breaking law if it came down to no deal.
🗣️“I don’t know the precise details of exactly what we will do, and even if I did I wouldn’t tell you”
— BBC Radio 5 Live (@bbc5live) October 2, 2019
The moment International Trade Secretary Liz Truss tells @EmmaBarnett she doesn’t know how the UK will legally achieve a No Deal Brexit
📲Read more https://t.co/8XozMlAQcU pic.twitter.com/CdnzUTMtDD
Helpful stuff, then.
Stilton cheese trade deal with Japan
In more awkward food-related deals, Truss reportedly caused a stumbling block in post-Brexit trade talks with Japan after insisting that the country import more British stilton cheese.
With the deal almost agreed, Truss decided that that was the time to ask that stilton makers be given preferential treatment, all so that the deal appeared better than the deal Japan had with the EU regarding cheese tariffs.
According to the Financial Times, it was a “symbolic win” for the UK outside of the EU, with Brexit having been done.
Brexit is trying to sell Stilton to the Japanese because we made it harder to sell it to Europeans.
— Sarah Hurst (@Life_Disrupted) August 11, 2020
Given her past form on Brexit, it will be… interesting to see how Brexit negotiations go with the EU with Truss representing us.
