Star comment: Liz Truss' masterclass in how not to conduct politics
Liz Truss has burned through political capital like Jeff Bezos burns through rocket fuel. The Prime Minister who was initially rejected by two thirds of her own MPs has wasted no time in ending the honeymoon period that she might have enjoyed.
By pinning the Conservative Party’s political colours to a mast which favoured the richest and provided worse terms for those on middle incomes and society’s poorest and most vulnerable, she’s opened the door for Labour.
The continued mismanagement of her Chancellor’s mini-budget has been a masterclass in how not to conduct politics. Ms Truss ought to publish independent findings into the likely effects of a budget that’s already been scrapped - yet she dare not do so for the inevitable fall-out it will cause.
Her round of regional media interviews last week were disastrous and she has gone into a Conservative Party conference a wounded, diminished figure.
Her colleagues will allow her some time to put things right, though the signs are not good. With the Conservatives trailing so badly in the polls, she appears unable to foresee the effects of her own policies and thoroughly indecisive.
Ms Truss has survived by being a political chameleon. As Prime Minister, she cannot afford to continue in that manner. She will be - and has been - found out.
Rather than chasing headlines or posing for Instagram, Ms Truss needs to put the hard work in and demonstrate she is a safe pair of hands. If she does not, it is easy to forecast that Sir Kier Starmer will be the next Prime Minister when the nation goes to the polls in 2024.
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Enjoying a drink socially can be one of life’s great joys. But alcohol has a habit of creeping up on people. For some it can wreck lives through addiction. For many others an occasional treat can turn into a more unhealthy habit. At best, it’s a way to quickly gain weight and become unhealthy.
Today we offer some tips on keeping the right balance when it comes to drinking. While no-one is saying you should cut it out altogether, it does us all good occasionally to reassess how we lead our lives.
The key is to drink in moderation. A little and often is the best way to go, while those who over-indulge should be aware that there’s help out there and ways to combat an unhealthy relationship with the demon drink.
Finding the right balance is the key, as people learn to enjoy a glass or two, without the negative effects.
