President’s Speaker Series to Host 56th British Prime Minister Liz Truss to Discuss New Book on How to Save the West
Liz Truss, the 56th prime minister of the United Kingdom and long-standing advocate for limited government, low taxes, and individual freedom both in the UK and across the world, will explore her book, Ten Years to Save the West, in the latest installment of the President’s Speaker Series. The event will take place on Thursday, April 25, 2024, at 12:30 PM at the Caruso School of Law Auditorium. Truss will share her insights on why socialism remains popular, the clear and present danger of the ever-expanding “administrative state,” why the West should not ignore the threat of an aggressive China, and why both Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher should remain the guiding lights for conservatives on both sides of the Atlantic. President Jim Gash (JD '93) will moderate the discussion.
Truss was appointed secretary of state for international trade and president of the Board of Trade following the Brexit vote in 2016. There, she established the UK’s first independent tariff regime in more than 40 years as the country once again took its own seat at the World Trade Organisation. Truss signed dozens of key trade deals with important partners such as Japan, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand; kicked off negotiations with the US; and submitted the UK’s application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership.
In September 2021 Truss was appointed foreign secretary where she acted as a galvanizing force for Global Britain, building relationships with allies around the world. She secured the release of British national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe from an Iranian jail after nearly six years in captivity. Meanwhile, with a responsibility for post-Brexit relations with the European Union, Liz also introduced the legislation to fix the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Truss further pursued a bolder foreign policy, branding Putin’s regime "an international pariah" when summoning Russia’s Ambassador to the Foreign Office. Therein, she swiftly became a leading figure within the international alliance for supporting Ukraine and its people in their hour of need. This included ensuring that the UK was the first country in Europe to send weapons to the Ukrainian armed forces. Following Boris Johnson’s resignation, Truss won an overwhelming mandate from Conservative Party members and MPs to succeed him as prime minister. She entered Downing Street with a bold and radical plan to grow the economy and rescue the country from economic stagnation.
After leading the nation in mourning the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Truss set about implementing her Plan for Growth, including a raft of tax cuts to kick-start economic prosperity, deregulation, and reforms to boost productivity. However, she faced huge resistance from those who wished to maintain the status quo. She then reached the conclusion that she could not deliver the mandate on which she had been elected and therefore stepped down.
Truss continues to serve as a member of Parliament, drawing on her experience in government to contribute to national and international politics. Her book, Ten Years to Save the West, will be released in April 2024.
The first 100 registrants will receive a free copy of Ten Years to Save the West. A lunch reception will follow the event. The event is free to attend, however, registration is required.