Thread by @GivingCuppa

Truss refuses to rule out public spending cuts as she defends substance, but not presentation, of mini-budget [and throws Chancellor under the bus]
Here are the main points from the Liz Truss BBC interview with Laura Kuenssberg.
theguardian.com/politics/live/… #TrussFails #TrussMustGo

/2 #LizTruss admits she should have ‘laid ground better’ before mini-budget and says cabinet not consulted about 45% top rate #TaxCuts : Truss defended the government’s controversial mini-budget in its entirety, accepting that the presentation could have been improved

/3 , but giving no indication that she wants to change the substance of it. Asked if she was committed to getting rid of the 45% top rate of tax (the most controversial element), she said she was.

/4 She refused to deny that she might cut public spending. It is clear that, without reversing the #taxcuts, the government will only be able to get borrowing under control by cutting spending and at least four times she refused to deny that she might cut public spending.

/5 She also refused to commit to increasing departmental budgets (which were set when inflation was lower) in line with the current rate of #inflation .

/6 She said the decision to abolish the 45% top rate of income tax was taken by the chancellor, #KwasiKwarteng. Asked if the whole cabinet had discuss this, she replied:

"No, no we didn’t. It was a decision the #chancellor made."

/7 This is being interpreted as a #hint that #KwasiKwarteng is being lined up to take the #blame. It would be hard for Truss to sack Kwarteng over the 45% top rate decision when she appointed him and approved it herself, but she would not be the first PM to sack a chancellor

/8 for implementing a policy favoured by No 10. Ask #NormanLamont. In what may or may not be relevant, Tim Shipman reports in the Sunday Times today that it was Chris Philp, the chief secretary to the Treasury and #Kwarteng’s deputy, who “during the leadership election

/9 wrote a paper for #Truss recommending the abolition of the 45p tax rate”.
theguardian.com/politics/live/… #ToryLies #TrussFails