Liz Truss holds back-to-back farewell parties at Chequers

Liz Truss is holding a series of parties at Chequers, the prime minister’s countryside residence, this weekend to bid farewell to ministers and staff who supported her fleeting premiership.

Ms Truss survived just 45 days in No 10, consigning herself to the history books as Britain’s shortest-serving prime minister.

Announcing her decision at the Downing Street lectern on Thursday afternoon, the outgoing PM confirmed there would be another leadership election to be completed within the week.

Ms Truss held a party for ministers last night, and will host a second shindig tonight to thank her close aides, reports The Sunday Times.

The bill for any private event or party held at Chequers is footed by the PM.

Ms Truss’s farewell gatherings follow a series of events held by her predecessor Boris Johnson at the Buckinghamshire manor during his summer as caretaker prime minister.

Mr Johnson and his wife Carrie had intended to host their delayed wedding party at the prime minister’s grace-and-favour residence during his final days in office, but were forced to change the location after the plans were leaked.

Unlike Mr Johnson’s protracted and public farewell to office, Ms Truss has been keeping a relatively low profile.

It comes as she faces pushback over how she will use the privileges normally afforded to former prime ministers in light of her six-week tenure. There has been particular scrutiny over whether she will claim the £115,000 allowance offered to ex-leaders to assist former prime ministers still active in public life.

The allowance was arranged in the wake of the resignation of Margaret Thatcher in 1990, and announced by her successor, John Major, in March the following year. Former prime ministers have claimed back millions since the genesis of the scheme, for office and secretarial costs encountered as a result of “their special position in public life”.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer told ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Friday that Ms Truss should “turn down” the money. “I think that’s the right thing to do,” he said. “She’s done 44 days in office, she’s not really entitled to it, she should turn it down and not take it.”

The Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Ed Davey, also said she should turn down the allowance.