The Lettuce Won

The lettuce has won.

When Liz Truss won the British Conservative Party leadership and became Prime Minister six weeks ago, a major British daily began to publish a photo of her face and an iceberg lettuce (she is called the Ice Queen) to see which would outlast the other.

The lettuce won.

In what is a political earthquake in the United Kingdom, her plans for increased government borrowing without funding, coupled by massive tax cuts for the wealthy and fewer services to the lower economic classes, backfired tremendously. Her policies had not been endorsed by her party, nor had she won an electoral mandate for her economics policy which caused financial markets to collapse and support from within her own party to wither away. 

She had not consulted her own party nor her caucus before announcing this major policy initiative, preferring to follow her own personal ideological path than one of consensus based on common sense.

When it all backfired, she dismissed her Chancellor of the Exchequer and tried to brazen through. Finally, seeing the writing on the wall, she resigned.

Ms. Truss will remain as Prime Minister pending a second Conservative leadership campaign in six weeks. It is only fair to acknowledge that Ms. Truss did the right and honorable thing in resigning which demonstrates the strength of British democracy – something that might not so easily happen elsewhere in similar circumstancess. Nevertheless, this tumultuous series of events is like a black eye for the United Kingdom, a member of the G-7 and permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

While its economy is in shambles, its currency has dropped on international markets, and its prestige has taken a hit, the Conservative Party looks to be deeply divided, and the opposition Labour Party holds a commanding lead in the polls.

In short, Britain’s present situation is a mess and its immediate future very much up in the air.

As is the governing Conservative Party.

With soon to be three Prime Ministers and four Chancellors of the Exchequer in six weeks the new Conservative leadership and government will lack a mandate from voters. The Party will continue to suffer from deep divisions and will not likely enjoy unity of purpose or action.

Ms. Truss’s vision of a return to a Thatcherite Britain was a wrong step for the United Kingdom. Thirty years too late, it made no sense in today’s modern global economy. I would also argue that the United Kingdom has been off step since the decision to implement BREXIT that has left the country looking for a magic formula to return to past glories that will never again exist.

Being Conservative does not mean looking back at past policies that didn’t work then and won’t work now. It means taking a commonsense approach to governance and not surrendering to ideology that has proven ineffectual.

What are the options?

In my view, nothing short of a general election with clearly set out policies by all parties and a government elected with a full mandate to enact it program will do. 

Can this be achieved?

For the past six weeks Britons have witnessed the sorry spectacle of a government seeking to keep itself in power at any cost with little regard for the political, economic, and social situation facing voters. This appeared to be a callous obsession with power that is undoubtedly being reflected in public opinion polls.

This will undoubtedly cost the Conservatives at the polls next election cycle.

As stated above, the United Kingdom is in quite a state. 

The Conservatives must realize that they are in a bind and must take appropriate action. 

My question is, can they, and will they?

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Edición: Laura Espejo