Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Monday, Apr 06, 2026

Resign Or Be Pushed? Scenarios Facing UK's Embattled PM Liz Truss

Resign Or Be Pushed? Scenarios Facing UK's Embattled PM Liz Truss

At least four MPs from Truss's Conservative party have publicly urged her to quit in the aftermath of the dramatic U-turns on her economic agenda in recent days.

Calls are growing for Britain's beleaguered Prime Minister Liz Truss to resign or be replaced, after weeks of economic and political tumult over her now largely abandoned tax-slashing economic package.

Here's are four scenarios for Truss, who only succeeded Boris Johnson in Downing Street early last month.

Truss resigns


At least four MPs from Truss's Conservative party have publicly urged her to quit in the aftermath of the dramatic U-turns on her economic agenda in recent days.

Numerous others have told reporters her tenure, just six weeks old, is effectively finished.

Following the decision on Friday to sack her finance minister and replace him with previous leadership rival Jeremy Hunt, Truss could decide her credibility has been so undermined that she must stand down.

She would remain as prime minister until a successor was decided.

That could mean another Tory leadership contest, less than two months after the last one formally concluded.

But the party could avoid a lengthy and divisive fight by consolidating around a single replacement, who is selected in a coronation.

Theresa May replaced ex-premier David Cameron in 2016 -- amid the fallout from the Brexit referendum -- after all the other contenders eventually withdrew.

However, Truss has shown no sign of being willing to resign, with her spokesman telling reporters on Monday she remained "focused on delivery".

No-confidence vote


Tory MPs could try to force Truss from office -- but it would require a unified effort by the party's ever-fractious 357 House of Commons lawmakers.

Conservative party rules prevent a new leader facing a vote of no-confidence by their colleagues in their first year, because only one contest can be held in any 12-month period.

Outside of that, it normally requires 15 percent of the parliamentary party -- currently 54 MPs -- to back a leadership election.

However, the powerful 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers, which sets the party's internal rules, could move to change them to allow for a no-confidence vote in Truss.

In that scenario, it is unclear what threshold would be set to trigger a ballot.

If she lost that possible vote, Truss would no longer be Conservative party leader but would remain as prime minister until a successor was selected.

The 1922 Committee would need to agree on the rules for selecting that new leader -- who would be the party's third this year and fifth since 2016.

Reports suggest Tory MPs do not want a protracted contest decided by rank and file party members, so they could attempt rally behind a single so-called unity candidate.

But the party is deeply divided and may struggle to coalesce around a single figure.

Truss survives


Although she has severely damaged her credibility, Truss may have carved out some political space to steady her faltering premiership, after replacing finance minister Kwasi Kwarteng on Friday with the more centrist Hunt.

Meanwhile, ditching almost all of her mini-budget has calmed the previously roiled markets, giving her some financial stability and time to turn things around.

Truss will meet with different factions of her unhappy party this week, while hosting the cabinet for a reception in Downing Street on Monday night.

Beyond that, Hunt will detail at the end of the month how the government will reduce borrowing over the medium-term, providing a further opportunity to reassure markets.

General election


The next election in Britain is due by January 2025 at the latest, with the government able to decide if and when to trigger a contest prior to that.

However, Truss's government must retain the support of a majority of MPs.

Under Britain's uncodified constitution, there are thought to be three ways they can show they have lost faith, including by passing a no-confidence motion or voting down the government's budget plans.

In such a scenario, the prime minister is expected either to resign or request the dissolution of parliament from the king, which if accepted, prompts a general election.

The main opposition Labour party currently enjoys its highest poll leads in decades, with some surveys showing the Tories set to lose hundreds of seats.

So it is seen as highly unlikely that the scores of Conservative MPs needed to vote down the government would join opposition parties in doing so.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Iranian Drone Strike on US Embassy in Saudi Arabia Reportedly Targeted Intelligence Facility
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Meets French Embassy Official to Strengthen Bilateral Engagement
Saudi Arabia Calls on United States to Seize Strategic Opportunity to Reshape Middle East
Dating Apps Surge in Saudi Arabia as Social Norms Rapidly Evolve Among Youth
Saudi Arabia Detains Over Fourteen Thousand Illegal Residents in Week-Long Enforcement Drive
Saudi Foreign Minister Engages in Diplomatic Talks with Pakistan, Kuwait and Latvia on Regional Developments
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Cruise Missile as Regional Tensions Intensify
Saudi Stock Market Edges Higher as Tadawul Index Records Modest Gain
Underlying Rivalry Between Saudi Arabia and UAE Persists Despite Temporary Calm
Saudi Arabia’s Non-Oil Sector Contracts in March as Regional Tensions Weigh on Business Activity
Saudi Arabia Unveils Ambition to Establish Prestigious Global Prize Rivaling the Nobel
Saudi Crown Prince to Engage Wall Street in Push for Investment and Economic Expansion
Iran Accuses Saudi Arabia and UAE After Downing of Chinese-Made Drone
Saudi Arabia Condemns Attack on Hospital in Sudan, Calls for Protection of Civilians
Coordinated Drone Strike Targets CIA Facility Within US Embassy in Saudi Arabia
Italy’s Meloni Prioritises Energy Security and Strait of Hormuz Stability During Gulf Tour
Uncertainty Emerges Over Timeline and Direction of Saudi Arabia’s Ambitious Ski Resort Project
UAE and Saudi Arabia Escalate Strategy with Drone Operations Targeting Iran
Trump Delivers Characteristic Remarks on Saudi Crown Prince Amid Intensifying Iran Conflict
Drone Strike on US Embassy in Riyadh Caused Greater Damage Than First Reported
Saudi Arabia Introduces Flexible Solutions for Expired Visas Amid Regional Disruptions
Saudi Arabia’s Online Car Market Accelerates with AI Pricing and Fully Digital Buying Experience
Saudi Arabia Reassesses Defence Strategy as Iranian Drone Threat Drives Shift in Military Partnerships
Drone Strikes Target Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain as Regional Conflict Intensifies
Japan and Saudi Arabia Align Efforts to Ease Rising Tensions with Iran
Saudi Crown Prince and Italy’s Meloni Strengthen Strategic Ties in High-Level Talks
SpaceX Explores Potential Five Billion Dollar Investment from Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund Ahead of IPO
Saudi Arabia Lifts Key Import Barriers to Expand Access for U.S. Beef Exports
Saudi Arabia Enforces Strict Travel Penalties for Visits to Restricted Countries
Italy’s Meloni Embarks on Strategic Gulf Tour to Address Energy Security and Regional Stability
Saudi Film Festival Rescheduled to Summer as Regional Tensions Continue
Saudi Arabia Reports Forty Two Point Six Billion Dollars in Foreign Tourist Spending in 2025
Saudi Crown Prince and Russian President Hold Strategic Call on Escalating Regional Crisis
Saudi Arabia Advances Rail Network as Strategic Alternative to Strait of Hormuz Shipping Route
Ruanyun Edai Launches Saudi Arabia Hub With Forecast of Ten Percent Revenue Growth
Greek Defence Minister Visits Troops in Saudi Arabia Following Successful Missile Interception
Saudi Arabia Expands Global Strategy With Focus on African Critical Minerals
SpaceX Explores Potential Five Billion Dollar Investment From Saudi Fund Ahead of Possible IPO
US Central Command Dismisses Iranian Claim of Mass Casualties Among American Personnel in Saudi Arabia
Co-Diagnostics to Establish Molecular Diagnostics Facility in Saudi Arabia Through Joint Venture
Trump Engages Saudi Crown Prince in Talks on Potential Iran Ceasefire
Saudi Arabia’s Sadara Suspends Operations as Supply Chain Disruptions Intensify
Saudi Arabia Accelerates Energy Shift by Trading Oil Revenues for Battery Investments
Saudi Arabia Introduces Flexible Options for Expired Visas Amid Regional Disruptions
Online Narratives Surge as Iran–US Tensions Spill Into Digital Arena Following Trump Remarks
Saudi Arabia Urges Trump to Seize Strategic Moment as UAE Weighs Ground Deployment
Saudi Arabia Redirects Nearly One Million Barrels of Oil Daily Away from Strait of Hormuz
Saudi Arabia Carries Out Execution of Businessman Linked to 2011 Qatif Unrest
Ukraine–Saudi Defense Pact Signals Rising Demand for Battlefield Expertise
Saudi Arabia Balances Diplomacy and Defense Preparedness Amid Iran Conflict
×