Tory Party Conference Final LIVE: Liz Truss Addresses Tories As Infighting Over Benefits Continues

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from Truss will defend its plans to economy in a crunch speech for her party on Wednesday, as the infighting continues over whether or not to increase benefits.

The Prime Minister will address Conservatives at the party conference in Birmingham, as questions swirl about her leadership. She will defend her “new approach” that will “unleash the full potential of our great country”.

But Mrs. Truss faces an arduous task to restore Tory morale after a conference that has seen a sea change in totemic tax policies, cabinet dissent and the threat of another major division over the level of benefits.

Former Secretary of State Grant Shapps has warned she has little more than a week to save her leadership.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman suggested that Tory rebels such as Michael Gove, whose criticism was one of the reasons the government made a humiliating U-turn in scrapping the top tax rate, had in fact staged a “coup” against Ms. truss.

An ongoing row over whether to increase benefits in line with inflation also threatened to deepen Tories’ divisions.

Commons leader Penny Mordaunt said it “makes sense” to increase benefits in line with rising inflation rather than cut real terms – despite Ms Truss saying no decision had been made yet.

Ms Truss is instead considering a raise in line with the much lower earnings figure, but said she would not fire Ms Mordaunt for making her point public.

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Truss: Not everyone will be ahead, but everyone will benefit

Liz Truss will tell activists in Birmingham today that she hopes to create a “new Britain for a new era”.

In her speech to conservatives, she will say, “When there is change, there is disruption. Not everyone will be for it.

“But everyone will benefit from the result: a growing economy and a brighter future. We have a clear plan for that.”

In addition to measures to boost growth, the prime minister will insist that she maintain an iron grip on national finances, with a leaner state offering value for taxpayers’ money.

REUTERS