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Liz Truss has hit out on social media after a banner that includes a lettuce was unfurled behind her as a part of a stunt by a marketing campaign group, saying the prank was “not humorous”.
She dubbed the group behind the prank, Led by Donkeys, “far left”, accusing them of trying to “suppress free speech”.
The previous prime minister, who lasted simply 49 days in workplace, stormed off stage at an occasion in Suffolk on Tuesday after the banner, emblazoned with the vegetable and carrying the phrases “I crashed the financial system”, was unveiled.
The stunt was a reference to the problem set by the Day by day Star newspaper in October 2022 to see if Ms Truss’s premiership might outlast the shelf lifetime of a head of iceberg lettuce.
The salad leaves lasted longer than the Tory prime minister’s authorities, which collapsed within the wake of a largely unfunded mini-Finances which brought about mortgages throughout the UK to skyrocket.
Responding on social media on Wednesday afternoon, Ms Truss mentioned: “What occurred final night time was not humorous. Far-left activists disrupted the occasion, which then needed to be stopped for safety causes.
“That is carried out to intimidate individuals and suppress free speech. I received’t stand for it. Would we see the identical response if the activists have been far proper?”
A video of the prank this week exhibits Ms Truss saying: “I help Trump and I need him to win … However the, it’s what I used to be saying about incumbents, I believe the common American isn’t doing effectively.”
Unaware of the banner behind her, the previous prime minister continued: “I believe it was Invoice Clinton’s adviser who mentioned ‘It’s the financial system silly’, so I believe that he’ll in all probability win.”
Ms Truss seemed to be visibly irritated by the prank, saying “That’s not humorous”, earlier than accumulating her belongings and leaving the stage.
Conservative commentator Tim Montgomerie, who was beforehand an adviser to Boris Johnson, warned: “Liz Truss can be effectively suggested to be taught to snort at herself”.
Political marketing campaign group Led by Donkeys claimed credit score for the stunt, posting a video to social media with the caption: “Liz Truss is on a pro-Trump talking tour. So we dropped a strategically positioned remote-controlled lettuce banner.”
The identical group performed an identical stunt earlier this yr, disrupting a speech by Reform UK chief Nigel Farage utilizing a remote-controlled banner with an image of the Russian president which learn, “I coronary heart Putin”.
