Truss claims her school 'let kids down' as council 'cared more about political correctness than English and Maths'

31 August 2022, 20:13 | Updated: 31 August 2022, 21:23

Liz Truss hits out at 'political correctness' of Leeds City Council during her time at school

Liz Truss has claimed that the comprehensive school she went to 'let down kids' because the local council cared more about political correctness than teaching students English and Maths.

Speaking at the final Tory leadership hustings, hosted by LBC, Ms Truss said she was not from a "traditional Conservative background", growing up in Paisley in Scotland and Leeds in Yorkshire, where she went to a comprehensive school.

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"And what I saw at my school, is I saw some children being let down. They were let down by low expectations because of the area of the city that they lived in.

"They were let down because of Leeds City Council, who cared more about political correctness than making sure all the children understood English and Maths. And they were let down by lack of opportunity in the area.

"And I thought that waste of talent was wrong. And that’s why I’m in politics, because I want everybody wherever they live, wherever they’re from to have opportunity. I want us to be an aspiration nation."

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Ms Truss is widely expected to win the Tory leadership race with former Chancellor Rishi Sunak. Polling of Conservative members closes this Friday (September 2), with the new Prime Minister to be announced on Monday (September 5).