Seldon Says Truss Was a Better PM Than Johnson
- Anthony Seldon, a political biographer, claims in a new book that Liz Truss was a better Prime Minister than Boris Johnson.
- Despite traumatising the economy, Truss is viewed as having a lesser negative impact on public life compared to her predecessor, Johnson.
- The comparison between Truss and Johnson sheds light on differing perceptions of their leadership styles and impacts on the UK.
In a striking evaluation, Sir Anthony Seldon, Britain’s leading political biographer, has published a biography of Liz Truss that challenges prevailing perceptions of her time in office. Known for his comprehensive accounts of every prime minister since Sir John Major, Seldon’s latest work, serialized in The Times Magazine, offers a fresh perspective on Truss, who is often labeled as the most disastrous prime minister in recent history. Truss’s premiership, which famously unraveled in a matter of weeks, has been the subject of much ridicule, particularly in comparison to her predecessors. Despite the rapid decline of her leadership, Seldon posits that Truss may have outperformed Boris Johnson, who faced significant criticism for his handling of various issues during his time in Downing Street. This assertion is particularly provocative given the widespread consensus regarding Truss’s failures. Seldon’s biography aims to dissect the complexities of Truss’s political journey, examining the factors that contributed to her brief tenure and the decisions she made while in office. By placing her performance alongside Johnson’s, Seldon invites readers to reconsider the metrics by which political success and failure are judged. As the political landscape continues to evolve, Seldon’s insights may prompt a reevaluation of Truss’s legacy and the broader implications of her leadership style, challenging the narrative that has dominated public discourse since her resignation.