Liz Truss: A Tight Win That Leaves the Tory Party Feeling a Bit Tense
On Monday, the 57‑to‑43 vote split in the Conservative Party’s leadership race handed Liz Truss a victory that’s slimmer than any of her predecessors’. While it’s still a win, it signals that she’ll have to roll up her sleeves to mend a party that’s deeper divided than a family during holiday dinners.
Who Beat Whom?
- Liz Truss – 57 % of the vote
- Rishi Sunak – 43 % of the vote
This margin is the narrowest since 2001 when the party first let its members decide who would lead. And to add a twist, today’s counts show Truss enjoys less support among Conservative MPs than any leader this decade.
Polls vs Reality
During the campaign, the numbers were looking a bit different. A YouGov survey in August had Truss pegged at a whopping 69 % to Sunak’s 31 %. Guess reality likes to surprise us a bit.
Andrew Bridgen, a fellow conservative, weighed in: “It was closer than expected, but by the end of the week, a new government will be in place, and you’ll be amazed at how united the party can get.”
Truss Talks Early in the Morning
In a speech that smelled of ambition and a hint of urgency, Truss agreed to no snap election. Instead, she’s promising a “great victory” for the Conservatives in the next general election in 2024.
“I campaigned as a Conservative and I will govern as a Conservative. We need to deliver over the next two years,” she said, sounding like a motivational speaker at the end of a weekend retreat.
Opposition Takes a Good Jolt
Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s First Minister, was quick to point out that Truss’s modest win is a bit like a low score at a charity football match – sure, you won, but you did so by a hair. She teased that even if Scotland pulled a frantic last‑minute victory, its bid for independence would still struggle under the proposed new referendum law.
Frances O’Grady, the general secretary of the UK Trades Union Congress, sarcastically noted that the victory’s size might not meet the thresholds she’d love to see for a future strike. After all, you need a solid majority of union members to set that stage.
Past Numbers for Comparison
- 2019 – Boris Johnson: 66 % win
- 2005 – David Cameron: 68 % win over David Davis
The Current Call for Unity
Three of the day’s leading Tory figures called for unity behind Truss, stressing that the Conservatives must pull together to tackle the “massive challenges” Britain faces. If you’re listening, it’s not just a slogan – it’s a rallying cry for the party’s survival.
