UK: Liz Truss pledges immediate action on rising energy bills

British foreign secretary Liz Truss has pledged to take immediate action on the rising energy bills in the country if elected. Truss’s pledge comes as she is widely expected to be elected to succeed Boris Johnson.

In a piece for the Sunday Telegraph, Truss said she is aware of the challenges posed by the cost of living crisis and pledged to take “decisive action to ensure families and businesses can get through this winter and the next.”

Truss is expected to win the race to become the UK’s next prime minister and leader of the ruling Conservative Party, succeeding Johnson who resigned in July.

“If elected, I plan within the first week of my new administration to set out our immediate action on energy bills and energy supply,” wrote Truss. “A fiscal event would follow later this month from my Chancellor, with a broader package of action on the economy.”

Truss explained her approach, saying it would be two-fold: immediate action to tackle the cost of living crisis and a plan for economic growth. Truss also said she would appoint a Council of Economic Advisers.

According to the outlet, insiders in the finance industry said the cost of Truss’s plan would exceed £100 billion or $115 billion, with most added to government borrowing.

Truss declined to disclose further details when pressed by BBC, saying that she did not want to go into details before she would take office. Instead, Truss reiterated that she would take action in the first week of office.

The European Union is already anticipating Truss to become the United Kingdom’s next leader with diplomats expressing frustration, citing concerns of another legal Brexit dispute.

As the UK’s foreign minister, Truss pushed for the legislation that would unilaterally scrap part of the UK’s deal with the European Union and pledged to pass the bill if elected.

“In the current context, it’s baffling she thinks she can afford to make remarks like this,” said one Brussels-based diplomat, referring to Truss’s rhetoric towards France and the EU. “We’re focused 200 percent on the war in Ukraine, widespread inflation. We have no time to waste on this.”