FEMAIL recalls Liz Truss’ most memorable moments – including THAT cheese rant

Liz Truss has made it to the final two in the race to become the next leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister – and will now battle it out against Rishi Sunak until September.

They will spend the rest of the summer wooing Conservative Party members, who will decide which of them will gain the keys to No10.

The incumbent Foreign Secretary, 46, has spent months, if not years, tacitly campaigning to become the UK’s third female PM – with some very memorable times which made Ms Truss something of a household name.

These include the meme-defining moment when she vented her anger over cheese imports into Britain, and pictures of her standing atop a tank in a nod to Conservative leader Margaret Thatcher.

For many, she was a figure of fun, but for those in the governing Conservative Party choosing who should replace Boris Johnson, it is her conversion to passionate Brexit supporter and her offer of tax cuts that have propelled her to within touching distance of becoming Britain’s next prime minister.

Here, FEMAIL looks back at some of her most memorable moments in the public eye so far…  

EMBARRASSING GAFFE IN VICTORY TWEET 

Ms Truss said she was ‘ready to hit the ground’ in an embarrassing gaffe on Twitter after advancing to the final two of the Tory leadership contest

Ms Truss said she was ‘ready to hit the ground’ in an embarrassing gaffe on Twitter after advancing to the final two of the Tory leadership contest.

In a tweet posted minutes after coming second placed in the last vote of Tory MPs, the Foreign Secretary thanked colleagues for their support before saying the blunder.

She wrote: ‘Thanks for putting your trust in me. I’m ready to hit the ground from day one.’ 

She later deleted the tweet and reposted it with the correct phrase: ‘I’m ready to hit the ground running from day one.’

The tweet was seized upon by Dominic Cummings who used the gaffe to warn Tory members against electing Ms Truss as leader.

Mr Cummings said that the Foreign Secretary would certainly hit the ground but would not ‘bounce’ – in reference to the poll boost that new Prime Minister’s tend to receive.

GETTING ‘LOST’ AT HER OWN LEADERSHIP LAUNCH 

Another moment saw Ms Truss finish her speech when l aunching her leadership campaign and leave the podium the wrong way

Another moment saw Ms Truss finish her speech when l aunching her leadership campaign and leave the podium the wrong way 

Another moment saw Ms Truss finish her speech when launching her leadership campaign and leave the podium the wrong way. 

Viewers tuning in to watch Tory leadership hopeful were left in stitches after she seemed to get lost on her way out of the press conference.

After finishing her speech where she highlighted Delivery, Trust, and Vision, she strode purposefully towards what she thought was the exit, before realising it was the wrong way and looking around lost.

Thankfully she was tapped on the arm and ushered out to the actual exit on the other side of the room.

Audience members can be seen in the background and many seemingly look to be struggling to contain their laughter. 

Several viewers online also noticed the mistake, and social media exploded with memes and hilarious comments. 

One comment said: ‘My favourite part of the Liz Truss leadership launch was when she got lost leaving the room.’

PASSIONATE SPEECH ABOUT PORK MARKETS

'Pork markets' – a phrase uttered by Ms Truss during the 2014 Conservative Party Conference (pictured) has resurfaced now she's in the leadership run

‘Pork markets’ – a phrase uttered by Ms Truss during the 2014 Conservative Party Conference (pictured) has resurfaced now she’s in the leadership run

Both leadership candidates served for years under Boris Johnson in senior Cabinet posts. Ms Truss also served under her predecessors Theresa May and David Cameron, as her ministerial career stretches back to 2012.

She first attracted public attention during the now famous 2014 conference when she was made environment secretary. 

Her speech to the Conservative Party Conference slamming UK cheese imports and highlighting the importance of ‘pork markets’ in China went viral, for all the wrong reasons.

Ms Truss told Conservative Party members at the end of her speech: ‘In December, I’ll be in Beijing, opening up new pork markets.’ 

She grinned widely as she uttered the sentence, probably expecting applause. Instead, an awkward meme was born. 

IMPASSIONED CHEESE RANT

During the same 2014 Conservative Party Conference her famous speech included a rant on UK cheese import. This early ministerial speech arguably went on to define her career with the everyday person

During the same 2014 Conservative Party Conference her famous speech included a rant on UK cheese import. This early ministerial speech arguably went on to define her career with the everyday person 

During the same 2014 Conservative Party Conference her famous speech included a rant on UK cheese import. This early ministerial speech arguably went on to define her career with the everyday person.

While she was known to fight particularly hard for UK-grown produce, she stated Britain imported two thirds of its cheese, before angrily declaring: ‘That. Is. A. Disgrace.’ 

There was a dramatic pause and then a ripple of small applause and the clip has become a much-used GIF and meme online.

She appeared outraged that British people weren’t eating enough British cheese and said: ‘I want to see us eating more British food here in Britain.’

Social media went into meltdown and one comment said: ‘Will somebody, for the love of god, please tell me if @trussliz ever sorted out the cheese deficit.’

Another said: ‘To all the single people out there. I hope you find somebody who smiles at you the same way that Liz Truss does when talking about pork markets and cheese.’

BACKING BRITS GOING TO UKRAINE TO HELP FIGHT PUTIN’S ARMY

Ms Truss said she would support British nationals who chose to fight alongside Ukrainian forces against the Russian invasion as the embattled nation called on foreign fighters to join the war effort

Ms Truss said she would support British nationals who chose to fight alongside Ukrainian forces against the Russian invasion as the embattled nation called on foreign fighters to join the war effort 

Ms Truss said she would support British nationals who chose to fight alongside Ukrainian forces against the Russian invasion as the embattled nation called on foreign fighters to join the war effort.

Asked on the BBC’s Sunday Morning programme in February 2022 if she would support UK citizens who chose to answer the call, Ms Truss said: ‘I do. I do support that and of course that is something that people can make their own decisions about.

‘They are fighting, the people of Ukraine are fighting for freedom and democracy, not just for Ukraine but for the whole of Europe because that is what President Putin is challenging.

‘And absolutely, if people want to support that struggle, I would support them in doing that.’

Her comments came after Ukraine’s defence ministry appealed for foreigners to come forward to join its armed forces and fight back against Putin’s army, with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba urging people to contact his department. 

However, although Truss gave her backing to Britons who wanted to join the resistance movement, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and a No 10 spokesman both appeared to contradict her.

Mr Wallace said he didn’t ‘want to see British people killed any more than I want to see Ukrainians’. He asked people who were not properly trained or an ‘experienced member of an armed forced’ not to join the war in Ukraine.

MARGARET THATCHER PHOTO OPS 

Liz Truss (pictured in Moscow) has been mocked by Russian media for her Thatcheresque pictures in the Red Square

Margaret Thatcher visiting Russia in March 1987

Liz Truss (left) was mocked by Russian media earlier this year for posing for pictures similar to those taken of Margaret Thatcher (right) during her visit to the country in 1987

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss visits British troops on deployment to Estonia

Margaret Thatcher British Prime Minister stands in a British tank during a visit to British forces in Fallingbostel

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss visits British troops on deployment to Estonia last November. Mrs Thatcher in one in Germany in 1983

If Ms Truss wins, she would become Britain’s third female prime minister. She has forged her image in homage to the first, Margaret Thatcher. 

But she has faced some criticism from opponents for her fondness for social media, especially photo-sharing platform Instagram, and for photo ops that seem to paint her as the heir to Thatcher.

Truss has posed in a British Army tank in Eastern Europe, evoking an image of Thatcher during the Cold War.

And she was mocked by Russian media earlier this year for posing for pictures similar to those taken of Thatcher during her visit to the country in 1987. 

In a televised leadership debate this week, Britain’s top diplomat sported a pussy-bow blouse eerily similar to one the late prime minister used to wear.

Truss is a favourite among many Conservatives, who revere Thatcher above all other leaders. Critics say it’s an empty homage and believe Truss lacks the gravitas to lead the country amid economic turbulence. 

But while she is popular with party members, there are questions over how popular she is with the wider electorate.

She has come in for criticism over her wooden performances in the leadership debates and her campaign launch and how this will transfer across if she becomes PM. 

She came bottom of a poll this week of who voters wanted to become prime minister, with Sunak first and Tom Tugendhat second. 

GAFFE WHICH SAW HER PLEDGE TO ‘UNDERMINE’ UK FARMERS 

Ms Truss was once again left red faced after accidentally promising to ‘undermine’ UK farmers in US trade talks during a Commons question time.

The gaffe happened when she was working as the Trade Secretary’s in 2020 during a Commons questions session.

Responding to concerns over UK food standards she said: ‘Of course in any trade deal we strike, we will be taking into account our high standards to make sure our farmers are undermined.’

Clearly a slip of the tongue, but one which she did not immediately correct herself, the remark caused a huge stir online, forcing her to apologise later on.

She later said: ‘We’re absolutely clear that we’re going to stand up for our high standards in any deal we strike, including with the United States, and making sure that the high standards our farmers operate to will not be undermined.’

HOW THE TORY LEADERSHIP RACE WILL PLAY OUT

Today – A fifth ballot of Tory MPs has decided Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak will be the final pair, ending the parliamentary phase of the contest.

Tomorrow  – MPs will head away from Westminster for their summer break.

Late July and August – CCHQ will assume responsibility for leadership election and will send out ballot papers to around 200,000 Conservative Party members. The Tory grassroots will be asked to decide between the final two candidates.

5th September –  The result of the membership ballot is announced, with the candidate receiving more than 50 per cent of the vote being declared the new Tory leader and Boris Johnson’s replacement as Prime Minister.

6th September – The new Tory leader is likely to be formally appointed as PM during a visit to the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

7th September – The new PM is set to be quizzed in the House of Commons in their first ever Prime Minister’s Questions.

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