"Brutal": Liz Truss rebuilds the cabinet with a hard hand - ex-secretary of state confronts her personally

Created: 2022-09-07 13:43

By: Franziska Schwarz

Will she soon rule with a "friends' cabinet"?

New British Prime Minister Liz Truss © Martyn Wheatley/Imago

The cabinet in London has never been as diverse as under Liz Truss - but does it also reflect many points of view?

There are skeptics.

London – Boris Johnson has resigned, Liz Truss is “the new one”.

What can Britain expect from its newly appointed Prime Minister?

In any case, Truss did a good job setting up her new cabinet on Tuesday (September 6).

The otherwise sober PA news agency called the government reshuffle "brutal".

For the first time, there are no white men in any of the “big four offices of state”—Prime Minister, Treasury, Foreign and Home Office.

At the same time, Truss appointed confidants, loyalists and right-wing representatives from her Conservative Party almost exclusively, while dismissing all supporters of her internal party adversary Rishi Sunak - observers have noted that Truss is not forging a cabinet of unity.

Liz Truss rebuilds cabinet: Tories react cautiously

Treasury Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, Secretary of State James Cleverly and Secretary of the Interior Suella Braverman are politically close to the Conservative Truss.

Kwarteng will be the first black man to take charge of government finances in London, and Cleverly is Britain's first black foreign secretary.

The Indian-born Braverman is considered a domestic political hardliner.

The previous Minister of Labor Therese Coffey is considered Truss's closest ally, takes over the Ministry of Health and at the same time becomes Deputy Prime Minister.

All three ministers have so far emerged as ardent opponents of the new sensitivity to dealing with racism and other forms of discrimination known as "woke".

Kwarteng, Cleverly and Braverman support London's controversial plans to deport migrants arriving in the UK to Rwanda.

The opposition Labor Party paid tribute to Truss for the various heads of government - but criticized the political orientation of the new government.

"It's about where you come from - but also about what you do," Labor Deputy Leader Angela Rayner said on BBC radio.

Ex-Secretary of State's wife rages against Truss: "System stinks"

Meanwhile, the wife of sacked Secretary of State Johnny Mercer has caused a stir.

"The best person I know got fired by moron Liz Truss," Felicity Cornelius-Mercer tweeted.

"This system stinks and treats people horribly." Mercer served three times with British troops in Afghanistan and was the first Secretary of State responsible primarily for veterans.

The 41-year-old was disappointed, but was much more reserved than his wife.

According to their description, the conservative politician asked the new Prime Minister Truss: "Why would you want to do that, who can do this role better than me, which of your buddies will get the job, you promised a meritocracy." Truss replied: " I don't know.” Downing Street later announced that Secretary of State James Heappey would also take over Mercer's duties.