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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Dave Burke

Former Tory chairman makes bizarre sex joke as Liz Truss makes return in speech

A former Tory chairman has declared that interventions from former Prime Ministers should be "like sex in a long and happy relationship - infrequent but always anticipated with glee".

Sir Jake Berry made the remark after Liz Truss made her return to the world stage In a dramatic speech just 11 days after sharing her views on the economy.

In the early hours of this morning, Ms Truss called for a tougher stance on China in a challenge to her successor, Rishi Sunak.

The disastrous former PM - who managed just 49 chaotic days which saw her tank the economy - has been criticised for making waves so soon after leaving office.

Sir Jake, who was removed as party chairman by Mr Sunak - who then appointed Nadhim Zahawi in an ill-fated move - told TalkTV that Ms Truss needs to work out what her political role is now.

Former PM Liz Truss made her return to the world stage with a speech in Tokyo (Eugene Hoshiko/AP/REX/Shutterstock)

He said: "I think Liz needs to work out what the role of ex-Prime Minister is and how often she should be making these interventions."

Backbencher Sir Jake continued: "I think she's right on China... but it's only 11 days since her intervention on the economy.

"I think I'm suggesting that interventions by Prime Ministers should be like sex in a long and happy relationship - infrequent but always anticipated with glee."

Earlier this month, after a brief period of reflection, Ms Truss claimed the "establishment" was to blame for her downfall as she penned a 4,000 word essay on how the economic carnage wasn't her fault.

She complained she was never given a "realistic chance" to implement her wild, uncosted tax-cutting rampage because a "powerful economic establishment" got in the way.

Ex-party chairman Sir Jake Berry said interventions should be like sex in a happy relationship (Getty Images)

This morning she followed it up with a "hawkish" speech in Tokyo in which she lambasted the Chinese government over Taiwan.

Mirror readers will remember that during her leadership race, her team produced 'Liz for Leader' merchandise that was made in China, despite having previously talked up British manufacturing.

The former Foreign Secretary, who served under Boris Johnson before her own ill-fated spell in Number 10, urged democratic nations to stand up to China and learn the lessons of not taking earlier and tougher action against Russia.

Speaking in Japan in her first public speech since her resignation, Ms Truss called on the international community to agree a co-ordinated package of defence, economic and political measures to support Taiwan.

It comes as Sunak faces pressures from some in his own party to take a firmer line on China.

Ms Truss was addressing a conference in Tokyo, organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (Ipac), an international campaign group seeking to co-ordinate the response of democratic nations to Beijing.

She also said Taiwan's international status needs to "reflect its global value" and suggested its people should be able to "speak for themselves" in international organisations such as the World Health Organisation.

Ms Truss said that in hindsight heralding a "golden era" of UK-China relations and rolling out the red carpet "sent the wrong message".

She added that the rise of "totalitarian China" is not inevitable, but the "free world has a significant role to play".

She spoke of the level of global GDP represented by the G7, saying: "We need to use that leverage to ensure the G7, plus its allies, act as an economic Nato... and there are ways this can be done.

"We can move to an economic Article 5, where the 'one for all, all for one' principle is wielded in defence of our values."

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