London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 16, 2026

Nicola Sturgeon urges Tories to oust 'lame duck' PM Liz Truss

Nicola Sturgeon urges Tories to oust 'lame duck' PM Liz Truss

Nicola Sturgeon has urged Tory MPs to oust "lame duck" Prime Minister Liz Truss.

The first minister said the Tory leader was "completely out of her depth" after she sacked her chancellor and made a major U-turn on corporation tax.

There have been calls for Ms Truss to resign and a general election to be held amid the turmoil at Westminster.

The prime minister has insisted she is "absolutely determined" to deliver on her leadership promises.

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross says he still has confidence in Ms Truss and that she should remain in Number 10.

After firing close ally Kwasi Kwarteng as chancellor, Ms Truss held a Downing Street press conference on Friday to announce new economic measures the government hopes will calm the financial markets.

Ms Truss reversed a key policy to scrap the planned rise in corporation tax from 19% to 25%, saying this would raise £18bn a year for a "down payment" on her fiscal plans.

Liz Truss announced changes to her fiscal policy at a Downing Street press conference


Ms Sturgeon said the UK government's heavily criticised mini-budget had already "heaped misery" on the public.

The first minister said: "She had already shown herself to be completely out of her depth as prime minister. As of today she is also a lame duck prime minister.

"The sooner she goes and the sooner people get the chance to get rid of this Tory government, that is doing so much damage, once and for all the better."

The first minister urged Tory MPs to take matters into their own hands if their leader does not resign, adding: "This is beyond a joke.

"It was never funny, but Liz Truss has already, through her own decisions, trashed the economy and heaped misery on people who were already struggling with a cost of living crisis."

During the press conference, which lasted less than 10 minutes, Ms Truss was asked by journalists if she should resign.

In reply, she said she was "absolutely determined to see through what I have promised".

Ms Truss has appointed Jeremy Hunt as her new chancellor.

Speaking after the press conference, Scottish Tory leader Mr Ross said he still had confidence in the prime minister and did not believe she should quit.

"I think it's important that we get behind the prime minister and we focus on the challenges that are affecting people up and down in the country," he said.

He said Ms Truss had "listened" and implemented a plan to stabilise the financial markets.

Douglas Ross says the prime minister has listened to critics


Mr Ross also defended his decision to call for the Scottish government to replicate Ms Truss's widely criticised tax plan – which was presented without an assessment from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).

"The plans were for these tax changes to grow the economy and I want to see growth in our economy here in Scotland and across the United Kingdom," he said.

"I expected, and I think many others expected, that the groundwork had been prepared with the markets, with the OBR, and clearly that work had not been done."

The SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford told the BBC he believes Ms Truss will "ultimately be removed from office" by her own MPs.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar also argued there should now be a general election and that the prime minister has "lost all authority".

"She's clearly now a lame duck prime minister," he said.

Kwasi Kwarteng been removed as the UK's chancellor


"It's clear for everyone to see that her plan has trashed our economy, trashed our pound, put people's mortgages up and that is frankly unforgivable."

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex-Cole Hamilton said: "Enough is enough.

"It started with Boris Johnson failing our country, and now Liz Truss is trashing our economy. It's time for us to have our say in a general election."

Scottish Green co-leader Lorna Slater said: "This has already gone on too long, and far too many people are suffering.

"If Liz Truss wants to emerge with any shred of credibility then it can't just be her chancellor that leaves Downing Street, it must also be her."


'It's time for Liz Truss to go' - Sturgeon


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Spain in Ecstasy: "We Feel Unbeatable, We Taught the Whole World a Lesson"
Spain and UK Dismantle Gibraltar Border Following Landmark Schengen Integration Treaty
Church of England Rejects Plan to Rewild Thirty Percent of Land by 2030
UK Parliament Examines Future of Gaelic Broadcasting in Scotland
Thames Water Faces Criticism Over Four Million Pounds in Bonus Payments
South East Water Crisis Puts UK Water Regulation Under Renewed Scrutiny
UK Report Highlights Racial Inequality in Homelessness Support Services
UK Government Defends Proposed Social Media Curfew for Teenagers Despite Criticism
Reform UK Gains Recognition as Major Political Party in New Polling
Labour Party Faces Internal Divisions Over Gaza Policy and Asylum Reform
Experts Warn UK Housing and Transport Infrastructure Is Unprepared for Rising Extreme Heat
UK Human Rights Committee Begins Review of Immigration and Asylum Bill
UK Parliament Launches Inquiry Into Declining High Streets Across England
Bank of England Governor Warns of Growing AI Risks to Global Financial Security
UK Public Finance Institutions Mobilize Fifty Billion Pounds to Support Growth and Jobs
UK Parliament Opens Inquiry Into Long-Term Strategy Toward Russia
UK-India Trade Agreement Takes Effect With Zero-Duty Access for Nearly All Indian Exports
Forget Tinder: The Surprising Platform Where People Find Love
UK Government Faces Growing Debate Over Local Control of Immigration Enforcement
UK Biodiversity Forum Highlights Business Need to Protect Natural Environment
UK Parliament to Consider Workplace Temperature Limits Amid Climate Concerns
UK Parliament Considers Independent Immigration Appeals Authority Proposal
BBC Charter Renewal Scrutiny Intensifies as Parliament Reviews Broadcaster’s Future
Parliament Reviews Future of UK Maternity and Neonatal Care Services
UK-India Trade Accelerator Launched to Help Smaller Firms Expand Into Indian Market
UK Business Leaders Meet in Edinburgh to Address Economic Risks From Biodiversity Loss
UK Parliament Prepares for Sir Keir Starmer’s Final Prime Minister’s Questions Before Leadership Transition
Green Party-Led Lewisham Council Moves Against Cooperation With Home Office Immigration Raids
UK Government Faces Parliamentary Pressure Over Capita Contracts in Shared Services Programme
UK Economy Expected to See Modest Growth as OECD Highlights Fiscal and Global Risks
Public Accounts Committee Warns UK Government’s Four Point Three Billion Pound Shared Services Plan Risks Failure
EU and UK Sign Agreement Removing Gibraltar Border Controls After Years of Post-Brexit Uncertainty
OECD Warns UK Must Maintain Fiscal Discipline as Andy Burnham Prepares to Become Prime Minister
UK-India Free Trade Agreement Enters Into Force as Businesses Seek New Growth Opportunities
Harvard Astrophysicist to Lead U.S. Scientific Advisory on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena
On the Island That Did Not Yield to Trump, There Is No Electricity, and 10 Million Live in Darkness
Emergency Sirens Activated Across Bahrain as Interior Ministry Issues Shelter Directives
Key Trends to Watch
United Nations Expert Calls for Full Implementation of Supreme Court Ruling on Legal Definition of Sex
Industry Coalition Urges Labour Lawmakers to Back Continued North Sea Oil and Gas Production
Parliamentary Committee Calls for Tougher Restrictions on Unhealthy Food Advertising
Government Expands Awaab's Law to Cover Heat and Additional Housing Hazards
Energy Regulator Opens Independent Investigation Into National Grid Operator
United Kingdom and European Union Sign Landmark Gibraltar Border Agreement
Chancellor Unveils Financial Services Reform and Artificial Intelligence Strategy at Mansion House
Counterterrorism Police Take Over Investigation Into Killing of Former Minister Ann Widdecombe
Beer Industry Warns UK Rules Could Limit Growth of Alcohol-Free Market
Home Office Faces Legal Challenges Over Asylum Seeker Accommodation Closures
UK Heatwaves Linked to More Than Two Thousand Seven Hundred Deaths as Climate Debate Intensifies
Home Secretary Faces Pressure Over Political Security After Ann Widdecombe Murder Investigation
×