After refusing to state whether Emmanuel Macron was “a friend or foe” of Britain, Liz Truss is receiving criticism.
Speaking to Tory members last night in Norwich, the Foreign Secretary asserted that “the jury’s out” on the French President.
The Tory leadership front-remarks runner’s not only put a diplomatic tiff across the English Channel at risk, but also drew swift criticism, including a reprimand from Berlin.
Ms. Truss, who is widely anticipated to succeed Boris Johnson as Prime Minister next month, was criticised for her remarks and accused of displaying a “worrying lack of judgement” and “playing to the gallery.”
The Foreign Secretary had promised to be “robust” with French authorities on the Channel migrant crisis during the Tory leadership race.
Additionally, she is rumoured to be considering starting a new Brexit spat with France and other EU countries by ripping up the Northern Ireland Protocol soon after moving into Number 10.
Awkward! Sunak believes Truss would make a better prime minister than Boris, but she selects Johnson over Rishi.
Rishi Sunak observed Liz Truss, a competitor for the Tory leadership, declare that Boris Johnson would be a superior prime minister last night.
The Foreign Secretary’s response came shortly after Mr. Sunak expressed his preference for Ms. Truss over Mr. Johnson as prime minister.
We need to advance as a party, Mr. Sunak, who resigned as Mr. Johnson’s Chancellor last month, told Tory members in Norwich.
Many of you present, I’m sure, are furious with me for resigning and wish Boris was present. However, this will not help us advance.
When this is over, we’ll all be on the same team and part of the same family, so we need to move ahead as a group.
We must concentrate on defeating Keir Starmer since doing otherwise will prevent us from doing so. It’s important that we look ahead.
Ms. Truss said of Mr. Macron last night on the penultimate hustings of the Tory leadership race: “If I become PM, I would judge him on deeds not words.”
Critics, however, drew attention to the fact that the UK and France are actively coordinating with other Western countries to counter Russian aggression in Ukraine.
There is playing to the crowd and then there is letting the prejudices of the gallery go to your head, especially when now is one of the worst times to try to fracture the West, according to former Tory MP David Gauke, who served in Theresa May’s Cabinet with Ms. Truss.
When Mrs. May was prime minister, Lord Barwell served as her chief of staff. He stated, “You would have thought the Foreign Secretary was aware we are in a military alliance with France.”
And Labour’s shadow foreign secretary, David Lammy, added: “The Foreign Secretary’s decision to needlessly insult one of our closest allies shows a dreadful and worrisome lack of judgement at a time when the West must remain united in the face of Russian attempts to divide us.”
“Liz Truss’ decision-making has clearly gotten obscured by weeks and weeks of playing to the gallery of Tories rather than focusing on the country,” the author writes.
In the meantime, Ms. Truss received a polite reprimand from Germany’s ambassador to the UK regarding the significance of Anglo-French relations.
‘I would argue that the connection with France is of fundamental importance for the UK, therefore my proposal would be really to look for a relationship that is as close as possible,’ Miguel Berger said on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
“I think there needs to be an effort to achieve a decent understanding and cooperation with our French neighbours,” he continued.
However, Ms. Truss did receive support from her followers for her criticism of Mr. Macron.
Some pointed out how Mr. Macron was alleged to have called Mr. Johnson a “clown” in a private chat late last year, prior to his successful campaign to be re-elected as French President.
Veteran Conservative MP John Redwood, who is expected to join the Treasury if Ms. Truss is elected prime minister, said: “President Macron might show friendliness to the UK by arresting the people traffickers on French beaches, and by halting the tiny boats making unlawful and dangerous voyages.”
He might also support the necessity for open trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
At last night’s hustings, Rishi Sunak, who is Ms Truss’s adversary for the Tory leadership, was also asked if Mr. Macron was a “friend or foe,” and he responded immediately: “Friend.”