Maryland (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Former PM Liz Truss told CPAC the UK is “failing” and called for a Trump-style movement, blaming unelected bureaucrats and the judiciary for Britain’s decline.
Ms Truss, speaking at a US right-wing conference, said Britain needs a populist movement similar to the newly elected president’s to address its failures.
What did Liz Truss say about Britain’s decline at CPAC 2025?
The former prime minister addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland alongside right-wing figures to discuss deeper alliances and shared political goals.
Ms Truss stated,
“We now have a major problem in Britain that judges are making decisions that should be made by politicians,”
blaming Tony Blair’s reforms for shifting power to an “unelected bureaucracy” with no judicial accountability.
She added,
“There’s no doubt in my mind that until those changes are reversed, we do not have a functioning country. The British state is now failing and is not working. The decisions are not being made by politicians.”
Referring to voters’ frustration, Ms Truss said public discontent is growing as successive governments, including Keir Starmer’s, fail to bring meaningful change. She insisted that decision-making remains in the hands of “the deep state, bureaucrats who were never elected, and the judiciary.”
She asserted,
“I hope to see a UK movement like Maga, with CPAC-style organisations driving the change we all seek—a British CPAC.”
What did CPAC leaders say about global alliances and Trump-like movements?
Matt Schlapp, the veteran CPAC organiser, who has taken the brand to nations like Argentina, Australia, and Hungary, responded, “It’s a deal!”
Miklós Szánthó, the CPAC Hungary leader, attended the “International Summit” and recalled how political strategist Steve Bannon had labelled Viktor Orbán as “Trump before Trump.”
He received applause from the audience when he said, “Hungary is the island of freedom in Europe’s liberal sea.”
Mr Szánthó added, “We might be even more thrilled about the return of Donald J Trump to the White House than you are … I am sure that this world will be a better place for true conservatives and true Hungarians with Donald J Trump in the White House.”
Bannon, who has long served as an adviser to Donald Trump, expressed gratitude to CPAC organisers for backing Trump following his election loss and the 6 January 2021 insurrection, a time when he argued both the Republican Party and Fox News had distanced themselves.
Who closed the CPAC session?
Mr Schlapp wrapped up the session with a resolution on globalism, which received full support from the attendees. It stated that countries, activists, and organisations at the CPAC international summit were united in their opposition to the globalist coalition seen in the EU, the São Paulo Forum, the UN, the WHO, the World Economic Forum, and other entities backed by left-wing elites.
He criticised the self-proclaimed global elites as anti-democratic for being wrong on key issues, while praising President Trump’s election as an opportunity to reclaim freedom and uphold constitutional values.
Why did Liz Truss send legal notice to Keir Starmer?
Liz Truss issued a six-page “cease and desist” letter in January 2025, claiming that Sir Keir damaged her reputation and contributed to her losing her South West Norfolk seat in the general election.
In her legal notice, she argued that the financial turmoil following her controversial October 2022 mini-budget should not be termed an “economic crash,” as it did not lead to a GDP decline or rise in unemployment.
Ms Truss served as Britain’s prime minister for just 49 days before losing her seat in the last general election. She has become an increasingly marginal figure in British politics. Despite this, she found support at CPAC, a conservative event that now aligns closely with Trump’s populist movement.
Liz Truss has faced backlash multiple times from the Labour leader due to her economic policies during her brief tenure in Number 10.
Meanwhile, Downing Street insisted that Sir Keir had no intention of altering his stance or language when commenting on Truss’s economic record.