Tuesday 4 October 2022 01:48 AM DAILY MAIL COMMENT: No more buckling on dash for growth, PM trends now
Politicians, said Tony Benn, need to be signposts, not weather vanes.
Not constantly spun around by the fickle winds of public opinion, but pointing the way ahead – unyielding in the face of criticism or challenge.
Liz Truss became Prime Minister indicating that, in tough times, she'd be that signpost. Rather than chase positive headlines, she declared she had the iron will to take unpopular decisions based on what she believed was good for Britain.
Well, that went well. Yesterday, not even a month into her fledgling leadership, she buckled at the first sign of trouble.
Liz Truss became Prime Minister indicating that, in tough times, she'd be a signpost pointing the way ahead
It was deeply humiliating that just 24 hours after insisting her logical plan to abolish the 45p top income tax rate was set in stone, she and Kwasi Kwarteng performed a screeching U-turn.
Of course, it takes strength of character and courage to stand up to a baying mob, especially a political one. But how depressing they flunked the test so badly.
For there were sound economic reasons for the tax break, a centrepiece of the Chancellor's mini-Budget. The reform sought to make it easier for Britain to attract top talent and incentivise entrepreneurship.
So why has the Government backpedalled? As soon as the proposal was unveiled, the Left toxified it – squealing falsely and maliciously that the Tories were doing nothing but lining the rich's pockets during a cost of living crisis.
And why was Labour's hypocrisy not called out forcefully? After all, Miss Truss sought only
