Up shortly: Minister, CBI chief and Boris Johnson's sister on Question Time panel
BBCCopyright: BBC
Question Time gets under way on BBC One and the iPlayer shortly. This week Fiona Bruce and the team are in Cheltenham and will be digesting the tumultuous weeks of Liz Truss's short term as prime minister.
On the panel tonight are:
Tory MP and Climate Minister Graham Stuart
Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley Jess Phillips
Director General of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) Tony Danker
Boris Johnson's sister and broadcaster Rachel Johnson
David Cameron's former director of policy Baroness Cavendish
Tune in at 8pm.
Post update
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Watch: How Liz Truss's resignation unfolded
Video content
Video caption: Liz Truss resignation: How the day unfoldedLiz Truss resignation: How the day unfolded
The day began with politicians and journalists alike asking whether there was still a chance that Liz Truss could salvage her premiership.
Hours later came 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady's visit to Downing Street. Then a podium was wheeled out in front of No 10 and Truss emerged to address the waiting media.
Analysis
Truss bequeaths chaos on her party and the country
Chris Mason
Political editor
PA MediaCopyright: PA Media
2022 has been the year of three prime ministers - at least.
After an
astonishing decade in British politics, another unprecedented moment.
The era
of Liz Truss was far too short to deserve that word - a calamitously brief
premiership whose near entire programme for government was brutally rejected by
the markets and her party almost instantaneously.
She bequeaths chaos - on her
party and the country, and a desire to find her replacement by a week tomorrow.
A replacement cooked up among Conservative MPs and then, if two wannabes still
remain, chosen by the party membership at lightning pace.
The winner will
confront all of the same colossal problems Truss has faced - turmoil at home and abroad, a fractious party 12 years into office, and unless
it is Boris Johnson, no mandate from the electorate.
Unless it is Boris Johnson - now there's a thought.
He and those around him are carefully not saying
anything yet and in so doing letting the very idea of his possible return be
discussed.
Some MPs still love him and plenty of party members do, but others
would outraged if he came back.
Then there is Rishi Sunak, Penny Mordaunt and
others.
Relief and disappointment among Exeter residents
Jenny Kumah
South West England correspondent
MPs in the South West were
among the first to call for Liz Truss to resign.
Today in Exeter, there were a
range of views on the outgoing prime minister’s resignation. Some expressed relief,
others disappointment and some hope that a general election would be called.
Rinny Frye runs a local
business. She tells me she had high hopes for Truss as a female prime
minister but now feels disappointed.
Rinny votes Labour and would like a
general election. “We need more support for independent businesses," she says. "We
have a family and I need more help with living costs”.
BBCCopyright: BBC
Kevin Pritchard tells me “it’s not a surprise" that Truss resigned. "I think when the Conservative members voted, they chose the wrong person to be prime minister. She was too far right wing," he says.
Kevin says he has voted Conservative in the past - but's undecided who he'll vote for in the next general election.
BBCCopyright: BBC
Watch: Liz Truss's short and bumpy ride in 85 seconds
Liz Truss is now the shortest-serving prime minister in UK history.
She'll stay in the role until her successor is chosen, but here's a look back at the 45 tumultuous days from her appointment to her resignation speech.
Video content
Video caption: Liz Truss's short and bumpy ride in 90 secondsLiz Truss's short and bumpy ride in 90 seconds
'The whole situation is a bit of a pantomime'
BBCCopyright: BBC
After another chaotic day in Westminster, people around the UK have been reacting to the latest developments which saw Liz Truss resign as prime minster after growing numbers of Tory MPs called for her to go.
Jackie in The Wirral, Merseyside, says: "It’s a state of frustration and the whole situation is a bit of a pantomime."
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, she says that it’s affecting her dad’s mental health.
"He can’t get out, he’s
watching the TV and all he sees is resignation and infighting. It’s just a big
worry for me," she says.
“I do worry about where the
Conservatives are going. They seem more bothered fighting amongst their own
party and winning an election rather than actually looking at the state the country is in at the moment.
"They seem to have lost sight
of what is actually important for the country and that is really concerning."
Jackie adds: "People’s perception of British politics in this country is just
completely disillusioned.
"I personally worry that if we did have a general election, would the other politicians be any
different?"
Serving under Johnson again would be impossible - Tory MP
BBCCopyright: BBC
One Conservative MP who says it would be "impossible" to serve under Boris Johnson if he made a comeback as prime minister is John Baron, MP for Basildon and Billericay in Essex.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's PM programme he indicates he would withdraw himself from the Conservative whip under a new Johnson government.
But so far, there's been no official word on whether the ex-prime minister will run to replace Liz Truss.
When asked if some Tory MPs would choose to sit as independents under a Johnson premiership, Mr Baron says: "I would find it impossible to serve under Boris coming back and being prime minister... I think that is one person I would have problems with."
He adds: "We've now got to look forward and pick a new candidate, somebody who has credibility, experience and can unite the party."
Johnson ally: Former PM deserves a holiday
ReutersCopyright: Reuters
While some of his supporters call for the return of Boris Johnson to Number 10, the former PM is enjoying a holiday in the Caribbean.
He's returning to the UK this weekend, Reuters reports, but so far there's been no official word whether he'll actually run to replace Liz Truss.
Asked why his former boss is "with his wife and kids on a beach somewhere in the Dominican Republic" - when Parliament is sitting - Tory MP Paul Bristow tells BBC Radio 4's PM Programme:
Quote Message: I think Boris Johnson has always had a reputation for being a good constituency MP - he always employs a good team - and I think only the most mean-spirited person would say he doesn't deserve a holiday after what he went through."
I think Boris Johnson has always had a reputation for being a good constituency MP - he always employs a good team - and I think only the most mean-spirited person would say he doesn't deserve a holiday after what he went through."
Challenged over the fact Johnson took a holiday in August - in his last days as PM - Bristow repeats that only the "meanest spirited person" would have an issue with him taking a break after "running the country", "almost dying of Covid" and "being ousted as PM".
Bristow, who earlier became one of the Conservatives to publicly call for Johnson's return, did however admit that he didn't know whether Johnson wanted to return to Downing Street.
Narrowing the field as fast as possible
Jonathan Blake
Political correspondent
The leadership contest is clearly geared towards narrowing the field
as quickly as possible.
With a threshold of 100 nominations, a maximum of three
candidates can stand.
It also looks like the rules have been drawn up in the
hope of MPs picking a winner without needing a final vote among party
members.
Even if two remain to go head to head among members,
there’ll be an “indicative vote“ among MPs, so the Tory grassroots will be in
no doubt about the parliamentary party’s preferred leader in waiting.
Quick recap of another chaotic day in British politics
Thomas Mackintosh
Live reporter
It's been another extraordinary day in Westminster. Here's a quick recap of what's happened and where we are now.
Truss loses grip on power: Pressure on Liz Truss grew this morning as the number of MPs calling for her to go doubled. Just before midday Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the influential 1922 Committee, went to Downing Street at Truss's request. They were joined by her deputy, Therese Coffey, and Tory Party chairman Jake Berry.
PM resigns: Just after 13:30 Truss spoke outside Number 10, announcing the resignation and triggering a new leadership contest. Truss says she will stay in post until her successor is announced. Her time as prime minister has so far lasted 45 days - less time than the leadership contest to choose her took.
Video content
Video caption: Watch Liz Truss step down as PMWatch Liz Truss step down as PM
Calls for a general election: Labour's Sir Keir Starmer, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Wales's First Minister Mark Drakeford all demanded a general election - though at this stage an early general election looks unlikely.
Race to succeed Truss begins: Allies of former leader Boris Johnson have pushed for him to make a comeback. Rishi Sunak, who lost out to Truss last month, also has supporters - although neither have confirmed an intention to run. Justice secretary Brandon Lewis has also been encouraged to stand. Other names being touted, although not yet confirmed, include Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, International Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch and ex-Home Secretary Suella Braverman.
.Copyright: .
Who doesn't want to be PM? Jeremy Hunt has been quick to rule himself out as he focuses on calming the financial markets while Michael Gove, Tom Tugendhat and James Cleverly say they will also sit out this contest.
What happens next?: Moments ago Tory Party chairman Jake Berry and 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady confirmed any candidate will need the backing of at least 100 Tory MPs. Nominations will close on Monday afternoon. If there is more than one candidate then the contest will be opened up to the Tory Party membership for an online vote. It is all expected to be concluded by next Friday at the latest.
'She couldn't go on' - voters in Altrincham
Rowan Bridge
North of England Reporter
BBCCopyright: BBC
In a wet Altrincham town centre my straw poll shows near
unanimity about one thing, Liz Truss had to go.
Phrases such as "doomed" and "she couldn’t go on’" are used by people I stop.
Only one person felt she should
have been given more time. But beyond that there’s little agreement on
anything.
Boris Johnson remains a marmite politician – the idea of a return of
the former PM is either "a non-starter, his problems of integrity haven’t gone
away" or he's "the only person who could unite the party".
As to calls for a
general election, in a few minutes I'm told both the "farrago of a small
selection of people choosing the prime minister has gone on too long" and "we
have to leave it for the full five years".
The views from Altrincham are
as fractured as the politics at Westminster are tonight.
BBC NewsCopyright: BBC News
"It's a bit of a mess" - one voter's opinionImage caption: "It's a bit of a mess" - one voter's opinion
How our new prime minister will be elected
Ione Wells
Political correspondent
We now know a bit more about how the new Tory leader -- and prime minister -- will be elected.
Tory MPs have until 2pm on Monday to nominate candidates. They'll need at least 100 nominations from fellow Tory MPs to be in the running.
That means really only three candidates can make the cut.
MPs will get a vote and - if there are more than two still in the mix - Tory members will then get an online vote on the final two.
If only one reaches that threshold then in theory a new leader could just be decided by Monday.
But if not, then that result of a members vote would be wrapped up by 28 October.
PM could be named as early as Monday - Berry and Brady
Graham Brady and Jake Berry are asked whether a new PM would be named should only one candidate manage to meet the 100-strong threshold.
They both say, yes, that is clearly the case.
"If there is only candidate, there will be no confirmatory vote of Conservative Party members," Berry says when pressed.
And with that, they thank the press and head off.
'We have acted quickly and will continue to do so'
BBCCopyright: BBC
A bit more from Tory Party chairman Jake Berry.
He said: "We have acted quickly, we will continue to act quickly to ensure this country has the stability it requires.
"It is up to the members of parliament whether we have one or two candidates.
"If there are two candidates acting in the national interest our members can make their views known."
High threshold shouldn't be an issue for 'serious candidates' - Brady
BBCCopyright: BBC
Taking questions from the press, Sir Graham Brady says a "high threshold" of 100 nominations has been agreed to make the process of replacing Liz Truss as quick as possible.
"It should be achievable by any serious candidate, who has a realistic prospect of going through," he says.
The number means three people could potentially go forward on Monday - when nominations close, Brady adds.
There will be a private hustings after nominations close
Jake Berry doesn't go into details about the online system, but he says it will be secure, adding that all efforts will be made to include those who don't have access to vote online.
Sir Graham Brady adds there will be a hustings on Monday once nominations close and this will be behind closed doors.
Everything will be concluded by 28 October - Tory chairman
BBCCopyright: BBC
Tory Party chairman Jake Berry is now speaking, he says if there are two candidates then there will be an expedited online vote for Tory Party members.
Everything will be concluded by 28 October, he says adding that Conservative Party HQ will work to make one broadcast event available.
Brady: Candidates for leader will need 100 MP backers
Sir Graham Brady has announced that nominations for the new Tory
leadership contest "are now open".
They'll close at 2pm on Monday, he adds.
Speaking outside
Parliament, he says candidates will be expected to have "at least
100" MPs backing them to progress to the next stage.
Sir Graham Brady to give statement on leadership contest
We are expecting Sir Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 Committee, to make a statement outside of Parliament shortly.
The senior Tory MP will set out the rules and the thresholds needed for candidates to take part in the Conservative Party leadership contest announced today, following Liz Truss's resignation.
Live Reporting
Edited by Andrew Humphrey
All times stated are UK
Up shortly: Minister, CBI chief and Boris Johnson's sister on Question Time panel
Question Time gets under way on BBC One and the iPlayer shortly. This week Fiona Bruce and the team are in Cheltenham and will be digesting the tumultuous weeks of Liz Truss's short term as prime minister.
On the panel tonight are:
Tune in at 8pm.
Post update
Watch: How Liz Truss's resignation unfolded
Video content
The day began with politicians and journalists alike asking whether there was still a chance that Liz Truss could salvage her premiership.
Hours later came 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady's visit to Downing Street. Then a podium was wheeled out in front of No 10 and Truss emerged to address the waiting media.
Truss bequeaths chaos on her party and the country
Chris Mason
Political editor
2022 has been the year of three prime ministers - at least.
After an astonishing decade in British politics, another unprecedented moment.
The era of Liz Truss was far too short to deserve that word - a calamitously brief premiership whose near entire programme for government was brutally rejected by the markets and her party almost instantaneously.
She bequeaths chaos - on her party and the country, and a desire to find her replacement by a week tomorrow.
A replacement cooked up among Conservative MPs and then, if two wannabes still remain, chosen by the party membership at lightning pace.
The winner will confront all of the same colossal problems Truss has faced - turmoil at home and abroad, a fractious party 12 years into office, and unless it is Boris Johnson, no mandate from the electorate.
Unless it is Boris Johnson - now there's a thought.
He and those around him are carefully not saying anything yet and in so doing letting the very idea of his possible return be discussed.
Some MPs still love him and plenty of party members do, but others would outraged if he came back.
Then there is Rishi Sunak, Penny Mordaunt and others.
Relief and disappointment among Exeter residents
Jenny Kumah
South West England correspondent
MPs in the South West were among the first to call for Liz Truss to resign.
Today in Exeter, there were a range of views on the outgoing prime minister’s resignation. Some expressed relief, others disappointment and some hope that a general election would be called.
Rinny Frye runs a local business. She tells me she had high hopes for Truss as a female prime minister but now feels disappointed.
Rinny votes Labour and would like a general election. “We need more support for independent businesses," she says. "We have a family and I need more help with living costs”.
Kevin Pritchard tells me “it’s not a surprise" that Truss resigned. "I think when the Conservative members voted, they chose the wrong person to be prime minister. She was too far right wing," he says.
Kevin says he has voted Conservative in the past - but's undecided who he'll vote for in the next general election.
Watch: Liz Truss's short and bumpy ride in 85 seconds
Liz Truss is now the shortest-serving prime minister in UK history.
She'll stay in the role until her successor is chosen, but here's a look back at the 45 tumultuous days from her appointment to her resignation speech.
Video content
'The whole situation is a bit of a pantomime'
After another chaotic day in Westminster, people around the UK have been reacting to the latest developments which saw Liz Truss resign as prime minster after growing numbers of Tory MPs called for her to go.
Jackie in The Wirral, Merseyside, says: "It’s a state of frustration and the whole situation is a bit of a pantomime."
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, she says that it’s affecting her dad’s mental health.
"He can’t get out, he’s watching the TV and all he sees is resignation and infighting. It’s just a big worry for me," she says.
“I do worry about where the Conservatives are going. They seem more bothered fighting amongst their own party and winning an election rather than actually looking at the state the country is in at the moment.
"They seem to have lost sight of what is actually important for the country and that is really concerning."
Jackie adds: "People’s perception of British politics in this country is just completely disillusioned.
"I personally worry that if we did have a general election, would the other politicians be any different?"
Serving under Johnson again would be impossible - Tory MP
One Conservative MP who says it would be "impossible" to serve under Boris Johnson if he made a comeback as prime minister is John Baron, MP for Basildon and Billericay in Essex.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's PM programme he indicates he would withdraw himself from the Conservative whip under a new Johnson government.
But so far, there's been no official word on whether the ex-prime minister will run to replace Liz Truss.
When asked if some Tory MPs would choose to sit as independents under a Johnson premiership, Mr Baron says: "I would find it impossible to serve under Boris coming back and being prime minister... I think that is one person I would have problems with."
He adds: "We've now got to look forward and pick a new candidate, somebody who has credibility, experience and can unite the party."
Johnson ally: Former PM deserves a holiday
While some of his supporters call for the return of Boris Johnson to Number 10, the former PM is enjoying a holiday in the Caribbean.
He's returning to the UK this weekend, Reuters reports, but so far there's been no official word whether he'll actually run to replace Liz Truss.
Asked why his former boss is "with his wife and kids on a beach somewhere in the Dominican Republic" - when Parliament is sitting - Tory MP Paul Bristow tells BBC Radio 4's PM Programme:
Challenged over the fact Johnson took a holiday in August - in his last days as PM - Bristow repeats that only the "meanest spirited person" would have an issue with him taking a break after "running the country", "almost dying of Covid" and "being ousted as PM".
Bristow, who earlier became one of the Conservatives to publicly call for Johnson's return, did however admit that he didn't know whether Johnson wanted to return to Downing Street.
Narrowing the field as fast as possible
Jonathan Blake
Political correspondent
The leadership contest is clearly geared towards narrowing the field as quickly as possible.
With a threshold of 100 nominations, a maximum of three candidates can stand.
It also looks like the rules have been drawn up in the hope of MPs picking a winner without needing a final vote among party members.
Even if two remain to go head to head among members, there’ll be an “indicative vote“ among MPs, so the Tory grassroots will be in no doubt about the parliamentary party’s preferred leader in waiting.
Quick recap of another chaotic day in British politics
Thomas Mackintosh
Live reporter
It's been another extraordinary day in Westminster. Here's a quick recap of what's happened and where we are now.
Video content
'She couldn't go on' - voters in Altrincham
Rowan Bridge
North of England Reporter
In a wet Altrincham town centre my straw poll shows near unanimity about one thing, Liz Truss had to go.
Phrases such as "doomed" and "she couldn’t go on’" are used by people I stop.
Only one person felt she should have been given more time. But beyond that there’s little agreement on anything.
Boris Johnson remains a marmite politician – the idea of a return of the former PM is either "a non-starter, his problems of integrity haven’t gone away" or he's "the only person who could unite the party".
As to calls for a general election, in a few minutes I'm told both the "farrago of a small selection of people choosing the prime minister has gone on too long" and "we have to leave it for the full five years".
The views from Altrincham are as fractured as the politics at Westminster are tonight.
How our new prime minister will be elected
Ione Wells
Political correspondent
We now know a bit more about how the new Tory leader -- and prime minister -- will be elected.
Tory MPs have until 2pm on Monday to nominate candidates. They'll need at least 100 nominations from fellow Tory MPs to be in the running.
That means really only three candidates can make the cut.
MPs will get a vote and - if there are more than two still in the mix - Tory members will then get an online vote on the final two.
If only one reaches that threshold then in theory a new leader could just be decided by Monday.
But if not, then that result of a members vote would be wrapped up by 28 October.
PM could be named as early as Monday - Berry and Brady
Graham Brady and Jake Berry are asked whether a new PM would be named should only one candidate manage to meet the 100-strong threshold.
They both say, yes, that is clearly the case.
"If there is only candidate, there will be no confirmatory vote of Conservative Party members," Berry says when pressed.
And with that, they thank the press and head off.
'We have acted quickly and will continue to do so'
A bit more from Tory Party chairman Jake Berry.
He said: "We have acted quickly, we will continue to act quickly to ensure this country has the stability it requires.
"It is up to the members of parliament whether we have one or two candidates.
"If there are two candidates acting in the national interest our members can make their views known."
High threshold shouldn't be an issue for 'serious candidates' - Brady
Taking questions from the press, Sir Graham Brady says a "high threshold" of 100 nominations has been agreed to make the process of replacing Liz Truss as quick as possible.
"It should be achievable by any serious candidate, who has a realistic prospect of going through," he says.
The number means three people could potentially go forward on Monday - when nominations close, Brady adds.
There will be a private hustings after nominations close
Jake Berry doesn't go into details about the online system, but he says it will be secure, adding that all efforts will be made to include those who don't have access to vote online.
Sir Graham Brady adds there will be a hustings on Monday once nominations close and this will be behind closed doors.
Everything will be concluded by 28 October - Tory chairman
Tory Party chairman Jake Berry is now speaking, he says if there are two candidates then there will be an expedited online vote for Tory Party members.
Everything will be concluded by 28 October, he says adding that Conservative Party HQ will work to make one broadcast event available.
Brady: Candidates for leader will need 100 MP backers
Sir Graham Brady has announced that nominations for the new Tory leadership contest "are now open".
They'll close at 2pm on Monday, he adds.
Speaking outside Parliament, he says candidates will be expected to have "at least 100" MPs backing them to progress to the next stage.
Sir Graham Brady to give statement on leadership contest
We are expecting Sir Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 Committee, to make a statement outside of Parliament shortly.
The senior Tory MP will set out the rules and the thresholds needed for candidates to take part in the Conservative Party leadership contest announced today, following Liz Truss's resignation.