Comedian Joe Lycett has punctuated Liz Truss’ 44 days in office with his hilarious commentary and asides, and had the perfect response to the news of her resignation on Thursday afternoon.
In a live press conference outside Downing Street, Truss announced that she would be standing down as prime minister, just over six weeks after winning the latest Tory leadership contest.
She also revealed that the next PM would be announced in a week’s time, which prompted a response from Joe.
“Omg just heard there’s a leadership election nxt week?????” he tweeted directly to Truss. “U shud run babe youd be perfect!!!”
A day earlier – amid calls for Truss to resign from a number of MPs – Joe tweeted an inspiring quote meme her way, which read: “Hey you, you’re holding onto too many bags. You can’t do it all. You can’t it all. You can’t carry it all.
“Do what you can. Be who you are. Only carry what’s important. And put the rest of the bags down.”
Joe has carried on a running gag about being “very right-wing” ever since he appeared on Laura Kuenssberg’s inaugural BBC politics show last month, the day before Truss was announced as the new PM.
Poking fun at the host’s interview with Truss, which aired moments earlier, Joe sarcastically said: “I know there’s been criticism in the Mail on Sunday today about leftie liberal wokie comedians on the BBC – I’m actually very right wing and I love it,” he sarcastically said.
“I thought she gave great clear answers. I know exactly what she’s up to.”
The Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back presenter added: “She was very clear, what she said! I think we know exactly what’s going to happen. You’re reassured, I’m reassured, are you reassured?!
“I think the haters will say we’ve had 12 years of the Tories, and that we’re sort of at the dregs of what they’ve got available, and that Liz Truss is sort of like the backwash of the available MPs. I wouldn’t say that because I’m incredibly right-wing, but some people might say that…”
Joe’s appearance on the show caused a huge amount of conversation at the time, with the Daily Mail’s front page headline the next day reading: “Now BBC Comic Mocks Truss.”
Earlier this week, the stand-up comic revealed he’d found the perfect use for the front page.