DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Truss grows into her leadership campaign

DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Truss grows into her leadership campaign

The reason Boris Johnson won his landslide victory in 2019 is that he stood for a fairer, freer, more optimistic Britain.

Instead of the dull machine politicians who had failed to deliver Brexit and so much else, here was a man of vision who would cut through the stasis.

His unite and level up mantra touched millions who’d felt ignored and patronised by both main parties for far too long.

In his short time at No 10, Boris chalked up huge achievements – notably securing Brexit, the vaccine miracle and facing down Vladimir Putin.

This paper believes he could have achieved much, much more and that in a sane world, the current leadership contest wouldn’t even be happening.

Liz Truss, by contrast, is acutely aware that ‘business as usual’ is not an option. Her economic priorities are immediate tax cuts to stimulate growth, suspension of green levies and a bonfire of stifling regulation – music to the ears of many Tories

But he’s gone – brought down by a relentless campaign of vilification and craven fifth-columnists within his own party. So the question now is, which candidate is most likely to pick up his mantle and match his thirst for change?

Rishi Sunak is highly intelligent, personable and hard-working. But with families struggling now, many will think his promises of jam tomorrow aren’t enough.

Liz Truss, by contrast, is acutely aware that ‘business as usual’ is not an option.

Her economic priorities are immediate tax cuts to stimulate growth, suspension of green levies and a bonfire of stifling regulation – music to the ears of many Tories.

Significantly, she has also won the backing of impressive Defence Secretary and Boris loyalist Ben Wallace. His support is a mark of how much Miss Truss appears to be growing into this leadership campaign.

Drawing on her Yorkshire upbringing, she says she has been channelling the spirit of the great Leeds United manager Don Revie. He embodied hard graft, self-belief and an unshakeable determination to win. Essential qualities in a football manager. Even more essential in a prime minister.

Southern discomfort

After such a protracted dry spell, it was only a matter of time before the first water company announced a hosepipe ban.

Southern Water yesterday asked families in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to stop non-essential water use from next Friday. It was, it said, the ‘responsible’ thing to do.

But as they watch their gardens shrivel, consumers are entitled to ask why they are subject to a ban, while others aren’t.

After such a protracted dry spell, it was only a matter of time before the first water company announced a hosepipe ban 

Anglian, which has had similar weather and borders Southern to the north-east, has ruled out restrictions. So could it be that Southern simply doesn’t invest enough in water management and conservation?

The company is losing nearly 100million litres of water a day to leaks and has an appalling record of illegal dumping of sewage in rivers and coastal seas.

Its majority shareholder Macquarie, the Australian investment bank nicknamed the ‘vampire kangaroo’, previously owned Thames Water, sucking billions out and saddling it with huge debts.

Given these antecedents, the regulator Ofwat must now take a long hard look at Southern’s operating practices and make sure it’s fulfilling all its obligations.

Families will reluctantly accept a hosepipe ban if it’s genuinely due to the weather. 

But if it’s even partly due to mismanagement by greedy investors interested only in lining their pockets, they will rightly demand strong government action.

A roaring success

Win or lose in tomorrow’s sold-out Euros final at Wembley, the heroics of England’s Lionesses have taken women’s football to unprecedented heights.

Their skill, team spirit and sense of fair play (not always evident in the men’s game) have thrilled and inspired record audiences. 

A win against Germany tomorrow would be the icing on the cake. We wish them every success.

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