Liz Truss’s visit to an electronics business was canceled without explanation from Downing Street.
This afternoon, Liz Truss canceled an event at which she was scheduled to receive questions from the media.
Downing Street has not explained why the trip to an electronics manufacturing was canceled.
The visit was canceled due to “government business,” according to a source who declined to elaborate.
It comes as the prime minister struggles for her political survival in the wake of a tumultuous week in Westminster that saw her new chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, dismantle nearly all of the economic plans that brought her to power only six weeks ago.
Ms. Truss has apologized for her missteps and vowed to continue fighting, but some Conservative MPs have expressed doubts about her future.
William Wragg disclosed on Wednesday that he has written a letter of no confidence in the Prime Minister, making him the sixth Conservative MP to publicly demand Ms. Truss to go.
He expressed his profound displeasure with the mini-budget and the present administration’s economic stance.
“I am ashamed of what transpired with that financial statement,” he stated.
“I cannot face my constituents, look them in the eye, and recommend that they support our wonderful party.”
It is unknown when the letter was first submitted to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench Members of Parliament.
Conservative MPs are not required to state publicly that they have submitted a letter of no confidence in their leader, and Sir Graham is notoriously secretive about the number of such letters he has received.
Ms. Truss’s allies have vowed that she will still be prime minister by Christmas, but some have speculated that her days as a leader may be numbered.
Miriam Cates, a member of the Conservative Party, has expressed doubt that Liz Truss should lead the party into the next election.
And Conservative MP Steve Double cautioned that Ms. Truss will likely have to resign “very soon,” telling Times Radio that “she is in the last chance saloon.”
The statements were made as the Prime Minister faced a make-or-break PMQs in the House of Commons, during which she declared her “full commitment” to the pensions triple lock.
She made the guarantee even though Mr. Hunt had specifically ruled out any further financial commitments before October 31, when he will present a medium-term fiscal strategy.
Today, according to Ms. Truss’s spokeswoman, the prime minister and the chancellor reached an agreement on the triple lock.
Ms. Truss had previously pledged her commitment to the triple lock — a Conservative manifesto pledge — during the Tory leadership race, but doubts were raised on Monday after the chancellor tore up his predecessor’s mini-budget, raising questions about what other policies could be scrapped to balance the budget.
Ms. Truss was under pressure to clarify her position after Downing Street failed four times on Tuesday to commit to maintaining the pensions guarantee, prompting two former ministers to warn that they would not vote to abolish the triple lock.
No. 10 stated on Wednesday that Ms. Truss is working to create bridges with Tory MPs, including through “quite regular” events for backbenchers.
But she risks a new battle with backbenchers by making tonight’s vote on a Labour resolution on fracking a confidence vote in her administration.
Labour is utilizing an opposition day discussion to force a vote on whether fracking should be banned.
Conservative lawmakers are being persuaded they must vote with the government to oppose a ban, contrary to their 2019 platform.
