UK’s Truss tries to shake off dismal start with party speech

By JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — British Prime Minister Liz Truss is due to defend her economic plans as she tries to convince her Conservative Party — and the country — that the pain unleashed by her tax-cutting agenda will be worth it. Truss is due to close a tumultuous Conservative conference with a speech to delegates in the central English city of Birmingham. Many are glum after a four-day gathering that saw policy U-turns from the government and open rebellion from lawmakers. Truss says she will stick with her plan to reshape Britain’s economy through tax cuts and deregulation and create “a new Britain for the new era.” But many Tories fear the party is doomed to lose the next national election.