Liz Truss is 'a bit crackers' and 'pretending to be Thatcher', ex-Tory MP says

12 July 2022, 16:24

Matthew Parris brands Liz Truss 'a bit crackers'

Conservative leadership hopeful Liz Truss is "a bit crackers" and "pretending to be Margaret Thatcher" according to a top political commentator.

Matthew Parris, former Tory MP and columnist for The Times, made the comment to Shelagh Fogarty on her LBC show.

A number of leading Conservatives have announced they are standing to be the party's next leader, and hence Prime Minister.

Ex-Chancellor Rishi Sunak currently has the most MP supporters, with over 40.

He is followed by Minister of State Penny Mordaunt, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and backbencher Tom Tugendhat.

Speaking to Shelagh Mr Parris said: "Liz Truss looks set to be the right-wing candidate now Priti Patel has dropped out so it may well be Rishi vs Liz.

"She's not a nasty person. Everybody I know who knows her, or has worked with her, likes her.

"She is a very likeable person. She's just a bit crackers!"

READ MORE: Rishi races ahead as Raab and Shapps back former Chancellor in leadership race

Constituent of Tom Tugendhat and councillor speaks to LBC

He added the Foreign Secretary has been "cavorting around pretending to be Margaret Thatcher and making strange speeches".

Mr Parris also gave his opinion on Mr Sunak, who helped bring Boris Johnson down last week by resigning as Chancellor.

He commented: "Rishi Sunak is obviously the frontrunner. He's jolly bright and he's a sort of grown up in the room.

"The rough and tumble of an election campaign will test him.

"Being the Prime Minister requires an enormous amount of intelligence, a lot of hard work and not only ability to see the broader picture but to drill down into the details.

"All those things I think Rishi Sunak has got.

"But campaigning to be a leader, in a contested and ill-natured contest, is another matter altogether and he's just got to get through that."

READ MORE: Priti Patel rules herself out of Tory leadership race