The Liz Truss Vs. Lettuce Stunt, Explained
When British Prime Minister Liz Truss resigned on October 20, 2022, putting an end to her brief time at the steering wheel of British politics, she left behind a unique legacy. The New York Times reports that her six-week tenure is the shortest ever for a British prime minister. She was also the last prime minister to be sworn in by Queen Elizabeth II before her passing. Lastly, her time as prime minister was even outlasted by a head of lettuce.
According to The New York Times, the British tabloid The Daily Sun arranged the head-to-head (of lettuce) faceoff based on a line in an Economist article concerning Truss' economic plan. The New York Times reports that Truss' plan to cut taxes sent British markets into a downward spiral and tanked the value of the British pound. In the Oct. 11-dated Economist article, Truss was referred to as 'the iceberg lady,' and it was said that her true tenure as prime minister lasted about seven days or the average shelf life of a head of lettuce. This inspired the staff over at the Daily Sun to have some produce-fueled fun at Truss' expense.
Lettuce outlasts Liz Truss
On October 14, The Daily Sun started a livestream on YouTube posing the question, "Will Liz Truss outlast this lettuce?" The video showed a head of iceberg lettuce (reportedly purchased from a Tesco grocery store for 60 pence) and a portrait of Truss sitting on a table, per The New York Times. The table and lettuce would later be adorned with decoration as the countdown continued and tensions heightened.
The lettuce was officially declared the winner when Liz Truss resigned as prime minister (via The New York Times). The stream is still ongoing as fans of the lettuce declare it as the new prime minister via chat. It was also announced that the lettuce would supposedly address the nation at 6:00 PM Greenwich Mean Time. Hopefully, the lettuce will discuss its tips for staying fresh and future plans which hopefully won't include being used in a wedge salad recipe. The Telegraph reports that the stunt by The Daily Sun became a much-discussed matter on international news and social media as Truss' leadership was being challenged.