Truss says “the last thing the UK needs” is a new general election

The British Prime Minister, Liz Truss, has assured Wednesday in the House of Commons that “the last thing the United Kingdom needs” is a general election, which has provoked booing from the opposition.

Truss has replied in these terms to Labour MP Matt Western after he asked her if she was willing to give in to the demands of the British people, citing a poll in which 60 percent of respondents said they were in favor of early elections.

“I don’t quite know how to measure a good honeymoon, but after five weeks of a crisis conceived in Downing Street, of falling pensions, rising interest rates, turbulence in the mortgage market and total financial chaos, the country has been left wanting a divorce,” Western began her speech.

“In two recent polls, 60 percent of this country wants an immediate general election, but the prime minister claims she is in listening mode. Will she give in to the public?” he has asked.

“I think the last thing we need is a general election,” Truss replied amid boos from opposition MPs, who reminded him of the controversial cuts plan devised by Finance Minister Kwasi Kwarteng, which has also generated rifts in the Conservative Party itself.

On October 31, Kwarteng is scheduled to present his new tax proposal after the government had to backtrack on the initial plan to eliminate the 45 percent marginal rate taxing income above 150,000 pounds (171,596 euros) per year, which would mean a revenue loss to the public coffers of 2,065 million pounds (2,362 million euros) over five years.

In that sense, from 10 Downing Street have advanced that although Truss is committed to avoid public spending cuts, “difficult decisions” will have to be taken once Kwarteng presents the financial plan as a mini-budget.

“We are clear that tough decisions will need to be made given some of the global challenges we face,” said a Downing Street spokesman, who also denied that changing or rejecting Kwarteng’s plan has been on the table.