Liz Truss reaches out to MPs after Tory splits exposed

Liz Truss will hold a series of meetings with Tory MPs this week, as she tries to quell backbench unrest over her fledgling premiership.

Unease over the government's direction burst into the open at last week's party conference, which was blighted by internal division.

Cabinet ministers have been calling for backbenchers to unite behind the PM.

In a bid to repair relations, she has given a government post to a backer of her ex-leadership rival Rishi Sunak.

Greg Hands has been appointed trade minister, replacing Conor Burns who was sacked last week after a misconduct complaint.

And the chancellor has given the date when he further outlines his economic plan as 31 October.

Ms Truss entered No 10 last month after defeating Mr Sunak in a bruising leadership contest, and already faces potential rebellions on multiple fronts.

Last week she was forced to abandon her plans to scrap the top rate of income tax, after a number of her MPs criticised the move as unfair.

She also faces the task of assuring them of her economic credibility, after her tax-cutting mini-budget sparked turmoil in the financial markets.

There is also unease in the party over the idea she could decide to raise working-age benefits in line with earnings rather than inflation, a real-terms cut that would save the government around £5bn.

Former chancellor Sajid Javid has become the latest Tory MP to demand an increase in line with inflation, saying people were going through "incredibly challenging times".

The PM's spokesman said a decision had not yet been made, adding: "We want to get the latest information as regards things like inflation."

Asked if Ms Truss was "open-minded" in listening to Conservative MPs on the topic, the spokesman answered: "Yes".

Speaking in Derbyshire, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer told reporters he would work with Tories who "want to do the right thing" and fight any real-terms cut to benefit payments.

When a leader lets it be known they are in listening mode or words to that effect, it usually means there is already a 170 decibel political firework display well under way.

There is and it's volcanic.

The breakdown in discipline during the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham last week was extraordinary because of its breadth: nervous activists, jittery backbenchers and disloyal cabinet ministers.

So where do we find ourselves as MPs prepare to return to Westminster?

In the words of one senior figure: "This is a party that is unstoppable when it has the will to win. But the opposite is true too, when it decides it has a death wish."

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With Parliament due to return on Tuesday, the prime minister will inaugurate a series of policy lunches with MPs from each region of the country this week.

She is also due to meet Tory MPs when she addresses the backbench 1922 committee this week.

The meetings come ahead of a busy few weeks for the government, as it unveils a series of measures designed to boost economic growth.

The changes to planning, immigration and childcare rules, among other areas, could prove an early test of Ms Truss's parliamentary support.

In a bid to further reassure restive financial markets, the government has brought forward the date for its plan for balancing the public finances to 31 October.

The blueprint was originally scheduled for 23 November, but Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng had been under pressure to give more details of his plan to bring down debt, following the bad market reaction to the mini-budget.

After arriving in Downing Street, Ms Truss removed Sunak supporters including Dominic Raab, Grant Shapps and George Eustice from their cabinet positions.

She later appointed some supporters of her defeated rival to positions in her junior team.

Conor Burns was dismissed from his ministerial post on Friday after a complaint of serious misconduct. He denies any wrongdoing and says he looks forward to clearing his name.

Mr Burns, who was also suspended as a Tory MP, was seen by eyewitnesses touching a young man's thigh at a hotel bar during the party's conference, the BBC has been told.