Prime Minister Liz Truss: Background and policies revealed

5 September 2022, 12:40 | Updated: 17 October 2022, 13:20

Boris Johnson has officially been replaced as PM by foreign secretary Liz Truss. So who is she? And what are her biggest policies?

Liz Truss has been voted the new prime minister, beating Rishi Sunak, after Mr Johnson was forced to resign in July 2022.

And with a new female PM leading the Conservative party and the country, there are many questions being asked of the foreign secretary including her full politics career, background and an outlook at her policies.

Here's everything you need to know about Liz, aged 47, including some personal details such as where she was born, her husband and children and more:

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Who is Liz Truss and what is her political background?

Former foreign secretary, Liz has always had a head for politics, even playing Margaret Thatcher in a school play at just seven years old.

Now, having beat Rishi Sunak to become the PM, Liz finds herself as the third female to ever lead the country following the Iron Lady and Theresa May.

Liz's journey to this hasn't been easy though as she began her career as a Liberal Democrat before switching to the Conservative party following her time at Oxford University.

She was elected as a councillor in Greenwich in 2006 and got her seat in South West Norfolk in the 2010 election despite the revelation of her affair with Tory MP Mark Field.

In 2012 she officially entered the government as an education minister and in 2014 moved on to environment secretary.

Liz has also served as a justice secretary and became the chief secretary to the Treasury.

In 2021 she moved to her most senior role of foreign secretary.

How will Liz Truss slash crime by 20%

What are Liz Truss's policies?

Taxes

One of her biggest pledges is to 'cut taxes from day one' including the national insurance hike and 2023's corporation tax rise.

Liz also has plans to scrap green energy levies.

Immigration

Ms Truss backs the Rwanda plan and has spoken about introducing further similar schemes. She also wants to increase Border Force capacity by 20% and to get tougher on illegal immigration.

Crime and policing

Police forces and stations could face league table systems to encourage better practices.

She has promised that police would investigate every burglary and spend less time on 'Twitter rows and hurt feelings'.

In terms of domestic violence, she wants to introduce special training and also backs a domestic abuse register.

Environment

Liz will continue the plan to reach net zero by 2050 but has also revealed she wants to scrap green energy levies which could harm that target.

Who is Liz Truss's husband and children?

Liz is married to accountant Hugh O'Leary who she met in 1997. They married in 2000 and hit a bumpy road when her affair was revealed in 2006.

However, the couple are still happily married and have two daughters together, Liberty and Frances.

Where was Liz Truss born and where does she live?

Liz lives in Thetford, Norfolk and also London.

Originally, the PM was born in Oxford before moving to Glasgow with her parents and siblings when she was four. She then went to school in Leeds before university in Oxford.