Politics

Matt Hancock looks shellshocked as George Osborne outlines the havoc wrought by Brexit

George Osborne told a few home truths on the Andrew Neil Show as Number 10 became gripped by crisis.

The former chancellor said Britain has become “downgraded as an economic entity” over the last six years because its “institutions are weaker, the politics is a mess and the economic performance is markedly worse”.

Former health secretary Matt Hancock, who worked as a minister under Boris Johnson, looked shellshocked as Osborne took aim at the decision to leave the European Union.

He also gave Truss until Christmas in her role as prime minister.

Asked if she can survive, he said: “Probably not. She is pino – Prime Minister in name only at the moment.”

He acknowledged “things are unpredictable”, and said it is “possible to imagine a situation” where she “completely resets”, albeit that is a “long shot”.

Watch the clip in full below:

Related: Tory revolt! ‘100 letters of no confidence’ filed against Liz Truss

Jack Peat

Jack is a business and economics journalist and the founder of The London Economic (TLE). He has contributed articles to VICE, Huffington Post and Independent and is a published author. Jack read History at the University of Wales, Bangor and has a Masters in Journalism from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Published by