Where is Liz Truss? Downham Market awaits return of 'poorly treated' former PM

There was no answer at the modest three-bed property on the leafy outskirts of the town she bought for £180,000 in 2010, the year she was first elected as the MP for South West Norfolk.

With Ms Truss said to be enjoying a break after a stressful 49 days made her the shortest-serving PM ever, her constituents will soon be expecting to see more of their local representative in Westminster on her patch.

Outgoing Prime Minister Liz Truss making a speech outside 10 Downing Street, London before travelling to Buckingham Palace for an audience with King Charles III to formally resign as PM. Picture date: Tuesday October 25, 2022. (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

"You hardly see her," said one neighbour. "She'll turn up for the odd day but she's never here for long, just a day, maybe a night."

The man added in the 12 years they had lived nearby, neither Ms Truss or her husband Hugh O'Leary had ever spoken to him.

"That was my big bugbear with them," he added. "They just breezed past us with their noses in the air."

Yusuf Soyturk, manager at Direct Pizza on the High Street in Downham Market (Image: Chris Bishop)

Ms Truss has frequently extolled the delights of pizza on social media. But Yusuf Soyturk, manager at Direct Pizza on the High Street, said she was not a regular.

"We've been here for four years and we've never seen her, she hasn't been in." he said. "But everyone knows her in town."

She may have been critical of the amount of cheese we import not so long ago. But Ms Truss has been known to frequent the Norfolk Cheese Company also on the High Street.

"I've spoken to her when she's been in the shop and she's lovely," said one staff member. "I sold her some things for a hamper, it was quite a long time ago."

The Norfolk Cheese Co & Deli in Downham Market (Image: Chris Bishop)

Taxi driver Terry Arthur, who was out shopping with his snorky dog Buttons, said he had never had Ms Truss in his cab.

"I think she's been poorly treated by the establishment," he said. "The Conservatives voted her in but the globalist society we live in today didn't like what she was doing.

"I mean, you even had the president of the United States criticising her tax measures - what's it got to do with him?"

One commentator said the government's financial statement, originally due on October 31, was so scary it could go out trick or treating on Halloween dressed as itself.

Downham Market mayor Charlie Pyatt, who said he steers clear of politics (Image: Chris Bishop)

Children dressed as ghosts and ghouls were taking part in a fancy dress competition judged my mayor Charlie Pyatt on the town square on Friday morning.

"I don't do politics," said Mr Pyatt, a town councillor in Downham for 35 years before donning the chain six months ago.

"I don't really know much about her, we don't get involved in politics on the town council."

Nearby shop worker Darren Ford was dressed as a skeletal jester.

"I've lived here seven years and I haven't seen her," he said. "I don't really do politics that much."

Darren Ford dressed as a scary jester in Downham Market (Image: Chris Bishop)

On the market which gave the town its name, trader Sue Marchant said: "I think she needs to go but I did feel sorry for her because we're in troubled times at the moment and there is no time to sort things.

"Everything's been very knee jerk. I don't know what she's going to do next. Perhaps she needs to go back to her grass roots.

"People get involved in politics because they love their communities."

Market trader Sue Marchant at Downham Market (Image: Chris Bishop)

A 'well-deserved break'

Staunch Liz Truss ally Therese Coffey has said her former boss is “enjoying a well-deserved break” after becoming the UK’s shortest-serving premier.

The cabinet minister said she had been in touch with her “good friend” Ms Truss and looked forward to her returning to the backbenches after a “short break” with her family.

Dr Coffey, who was Ms Truss’s deputy prime minister and health secretary, and was reappointed to the cabinet as environment secretary when Rishi Sunak took the reins in No 10, was asked how the ex-PM is faring following her departure just 49 days into the top job.

Work and pensions secretary Therese Coffey. (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

The Suffolk Coastal MP told Sky News: “I have of course been in touch with Liz. She’s a good friend.

“She’s with her family. I think she’s enjoying a well-deserved break.”

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Dr Coffey said Ms Truss is spending “good quality time with her family” after what has “clearly” been a “high tempo time” for them.

“I look forward to Liz returning – and as she said, she’d be serving the people of her constituency, South West Norfolk, from the backbenches."