Kwasi Kwarteng ‘thinks Liz Truss will be gone in a few weeks’ after she sacks him as chancellor
‘His view is that the wagons are still going to circle’
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Kwasi Kwarteng reportedly thinks that Liz Truss has only weeks left as prime minister after she sacked him as chancellor and reversed key parts of their mini-Budget.
Mr Kwarteng believes that Ms Truss only bought herself “a few weeks” left in the job by forcing him out, according to a source quoted in The Times.
The chancellor learnt he was being sacked after reading about in The Times, the paper reported.
He had flown back early from the talks at the International Monetary Fund in America to be told by Ms Truss that he would have to step aside.
“Kwasi thinks it only buys her a few more weeks,” a source told the paper.
“His view is that the wagons are still going to circle.”
One Whitehall source added: “Senior civil servants are now openly talking about her going. They think she’s had it.”
Ms Truss reportedly found it hard to sack her ideological ally Mr Kwarteng but felt it had to be done.
She called the new chancellor Jeremy Hunt at 9:30am on Friday to offer him the job. Mr Hunt, who was on holiday with his family in Belgium, took the Eurostar back to London and arrived back in the UK after 1pm, the paper reported.
The draft forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility were reportedly the catalyst for Ms Truss’s drastic shake-up.
The predictions are said to be “dire” and forecast a £60billion short fall in public finances by 2026-27.
In a bid to save her premiership, Ms Truss gave an eight-minute press conference on Friday, in which she took just four questions.
One former minister told The Independent: “She made Theresa May look like Barack Obama. She can’t communicate. She’s just not up to it.”
Another minister said: “She looked like she had been dragged there like a reluctant child being forced to explain itself. There was no contrition.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments