Liz Truss’ support for free speech has been questioned after she doubled down on her claim that a stunt which disrupted a pro-Donald Trump she was talking at was “not funny”.
The former prime minister stormed off stage after campaign group Led By Donkeys used a lettuce-related prank to mock her 49 days as prime minister.
The stunt, by activist group Led By Donkeys, was a reference to when the Daily Star set up a livestream of a lettuce to see which would last longer – Truss’s career in Downing Street after her mini-Budget or the leafy vegetable. The lettuce won.
After becoming aware of the joke - which involved a banner with a lettuce being lowered from the ceiling above her head - Truss said “that’s not funny” and then left the stage.
Truss took to X yesterday afternoon to make her feelings clear about what had happened.
She said: “What happened last night was not funny. Far-left activists disrupted the event, which then had to be stopped for security reasons. This is done to intimidate people and suppress free speech. I won’t stand for it. Would we see the same reaction if the activists were far-right?”
But other users of the social media platform pointed out that the prank was simply an expression of the free speech Truss says everyone should enjoy.