Rishi Sunak has tried to distance himself from Liz Truss, amid a blitz of publicity for his predecessor’s new book.
Speaking during PMQs on Wednesday, the prime minister said he had the “stomach to argue out loud” that Truss’ economic policies were “wrong”.
It came after Keir Starmer attacked the Conservatives for the “disastrous, kamikaze Budget” that ’triggered chaos for millions” while Truss was in charge.
The Labour leader said the book included a “long list of people to blame” for Truss’ downfall.
“The American president is blamed at one point. We even learn that the poor old lettuce was part of the deep state,” he said.
Sunak told Starmer: “Everyone knows that two years ago I wasn’t afraid to repeatedly warn what her economic policies would lead to even if it wasn’t what people wanted to hear at the time.
“I was right then and I am also right now when I say his economic policy would be a disaster for Britain.
’I did have the stomach to argue out loud about her economic policies and had the conviction to say they were wrong.”
During the Tory leadership contest in the summer of 2022, Sunak warned Truss’s economic plans would lead to an “inflationary spiral”. Sunak lost the race to Truss.
Truss has dominated the headlines this week following the publication of her book, Ten Years To Save The West.
In multiple interviews to promote it, Truss has, among other things, endorsed Donald Trump for president, broken protocol and revealed the last words the former Queen said to her and refused to rule out another leadership bid.
Truss is a deeply unpopular politician with voters and Labour repeatedly tie the prime minister to the record of his predecessor.
A recent poll showed Truss had a net favourability rating of -54, compared to Sunak on -27 and Labour leader Keir Starmer on -8.