Liz Truss being called to resign: What options does the Prime Minister have?

In a recent survey done for Channel 4 News, 64 percent of Brits believe Liz Truss should go and only 12 percent felt she shouldn’t quit.

The poll, which consisted of 2,661 people, also found that 61 percent believe the UK needs to have another general election. When questioned on Friday about her position, Truss stated, as per Newsweek:

My priority is making sure we deliver the economic stability that our country needs. That's why I had to take the difficult decisions I've taken today.

Calls to resign

In addition to this, Truss is now facing calls to resign from within her own party after only six weeks in the top position. Tory MPs Crispin Blunt, Andrew Bridgen and Jamie Wallis have all now publicly gone on record saying they believe she should resign.

All this comes after the disastrous mini budget and the subsequent sacking of Kwasi Kwarteng and U-turn on large parts of their economic policy. It is felt in the party it is just a matter of time before she leaves. One Tory MP commented, according toPolitico,

I’ve never known the atmosphere to be as febrile as it is at the moment.

If Liz Truss leaves before the end of the year it will make her the shortest serving Prime Minister in British history. If this does happen it is likely Truss will stay on as caretaker Prime Minister until the new one is chosen.

What could happen?

As options are slowly running out for the Prime Minister, there are a few possible routes for Truss to take, as listed by Reuters:

Truss resigns voluntarily

Certainly Truss does not seem willing to do this but if she has no support left in her party she will have no option. If this happens, or she leaves from a vote of no confidence there is a process to select a new leader overseen by the 1922 committee.

Senior Ministers try to force her out

If Senior Ministers started resigning en masse, Truss would be forced to resign under the pressure much like her predecessor Boris Johnson.

Vote of no confidence from Conservatives or the opposition

Technically a vote cannot happen until September 2023 unless rules within the Conservative party are overturned. This would require 15% of MPs to write a letter to the chairman of the 1922 committee.

Truss calls a general election

This would be a bold move with the Conservative party so far behind Labour in the polls at the moment so it is unlikely. This would be necessary though if Truss were to lose a vote of confidence in the House of Commons.

With events unfolding rapidly, time is running out for Truss and there are likely to be significant developments over the next few days.

Sources used:

- Newsweek'Two-thirds of Brits want Leader Truss to Resign'

- Politico 'Furious Tories conclude that Liz Truss is finished'

- Reuters'Factbox: How could British PM Truss be removed, and how would she be replaced?'

- Sky News'Liz Truss under pressure as three Tory MPs publicly call for her to quit'

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