Liz Truss arrived at the Birmingham conference center early Tuesday evening – in a peachy blazer, surrounded by advisers and security guards, escorted by cameras, into which she smiled bravely. This moment would actually be a highlight of the ruling party’s convention. But beyond the small cluster bathed in headlights, few noticed that the party leader had arrived. The hall was already eerily empty at this point.

Access to all STERN PLUS content and articles from the print magazine

ad-free

Already registered?