Liz Truss, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, has been at the center of multiple scandals throughout her political career.
From personal controversies to economic mismanagement, her tenure in politics has been marked by dramatic highs and lows. This article delves into the most significant incidents that shaped her legacy.
The Personal Scandal: Affair with Mark Field
In the mid-2000s, Liz Truss became embroiled in a personal scandal that nearly derailed her political ambitions. Between 2004 and 2005, she was involved in an 18-month-long extramarital affair with Conservative MP Mark Field, who had been assigned as her political mentor.
When news of the affair became public in 2006, it sent shockwaves through political circles. The fallout was immediate—Field’s marriage ended after 12 years, and Truss faced backlash within her party. The controversy resurfaced in 2009 when she was selected as the Conservative candidate for South West Norfolk. Some local party members attempted to block her selection, arguing that the affair demonstrated poor judgment.
Despite the backlash, Truss defended herself, stating that the issue was in the past and that she regretted the mistake. Her husband, Hugh O’Leary, stood by her, and the couple remained together, raising their two daughters. This support from her family, combined with the Conservative Party’s decision to back her, allowed Truss to move forward in her political career.
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The Economic Crisis of 2022
Fast forward to 2022, and Truss found herself in the middle of an entirely different scandal—one that would ultimately lead to her resignation as Prime Minister.
After winning the Conservative leadership contest, she promised to prioritize economic growth through tax cuts and deregulation. However, the policies her government implemented sparked financial turmoil. In September 2022, her Chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, announced a mini-budget that included sweeping tax cuts, the abolition of the top income tax rate, and the cancellation of planned corporate tax increases.
The markets reacted with extreme volatility. The British pound plummeted, bond markets suffered, and pension funds faced severe liquidity crises. The Bank of England was forced to step in and buy government bonds to prevent further economic collapse. Investors lost confidence in the UK’s financial stability, and mortgage rates skyrocketed.
The crisis led to widespread criticism from opposition parties, financial institutions, and even members of her own Conservative Party. Under immense pressure, Truss reversed several of the mini-budget’s key measures and eventually dismissed Kwarteng. However, the damage was done. Her credibility was shattered, and after just 44 days in office, she resigned—making her the shortest-serving Prime Minister in British history.
Political Fallout and Legacy
The economic collapse under her leadership significantly impacted the Conservative Party, leading to deep divisions within its ranks. Many MPs and party members viewed her policies as reckless and damaging to the UK’s global reputation. In the months following her resignation, the party scrambled to repair the economic and political damage caused by her tenure.
Truss, however, has remained an active voice in political discussions. She has continued to advocate for tax cuts and deregulation, arguing that her policies were correct but poorly communicated. Some of her supporters still believe she was unfairly treated and that her downfall was engineered by financial institutions resistant to economic reform.
In early 2025, she made a high-profile appearance in the United States, speaking at a conservative political conference where she criticized the UK’s political establishment. She called for a stronger push against unelected bureaucrats and suggested that Britain needed a movement similar to populist conservatism in the United States.
Conclusion
Liz Truss’s political career has been defined by controversy, both personal and professional. While she overcame an early scandal in her career to rise to the highest political office in the UK, her tenure as Prime Minister was short-lived due to economic turmoil and market instability.
Despite her dramatic fall from power, she remains an influential figure in conservative politics, continuing to push for her economic vision. Whether history will judge her as a failed leader or a misunderstood reformer remains to be seen.