Liz Truss says she wanted Boris Johnson to ‘carry on as Prime Minister’

Appearing on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme she said: “I wanted Boris to carry on as prime minister.”

Tory leadership hopeful Liz Truss says it was her wish for law-breaking, lying and bigoted Boris Johnson to carry on as prime minister, despite the ‘mistakes’ he made during his premiership.

Truss made the comments after making it onto the final ballot of two candidates to be put before the Tory membership.

Appearing on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme she said: “I wanted Boris to carry on as prime minister.

“I think he did a fantastic job with the 2019 election, winning us a massive majority. He delivered Brexit, he delivered the vaccines.

“Regrettably, we got to a position where he didn’t command the support of our parliamentary party.”

Presenter Nick Robinson then questioned Truss’ judgement. He told her: “To be clear — despite the rule breaking, despite the law breaking, despite what many people now are perfectly comfortable describing as lies told about what he did and what he knew on certain occasions — your judgment was Boris Johnson remained fit to be prime minister?”

Truss replied: “My judgment was that he admitted that he had made a mistake — or several mistakes — over the course of the last year, but the positive side of the balance sheet was extremely positive.”

Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward

As you’re here, we have something to ask you. What we do here to deliver real news is more important than ever. But there’s a problem: we need readers like you to chip in to help us survive. We deliver progressive, independent media, that challenges the right’s hateful rhetoric. Together we can find the stories that get lost.

We’re not bankrolled by billionaire donors, but rely on readers chipping in whatever they can afford to protect our independence. What we do isn’t free, and we run on a shoestring. Can you help by chipping in as little as £1 a week to help us survive? Whatever you can donate, we’re so grateful – and we will ensure your money goes as far as possible to deliver hard-hitting news.