Kwarteng stepping down shows Tories are abandoning sinking ship
Former UK Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s announcement that he is stepping down as an MP will spark an exodus of Tory politicians fleeing the party ahead of the next General Election, say the Scottish Greens.
They would rather go on their own terms than face the indignity of a pending wipe out at the polls, Maggie Chapman MSP said.
Ms Chapman, the Scottish Greens economy spokesperson, added: “Kwasi Kwarteng stepping down is long overdue. He did an immense amount of damage in a very short time, and we’re all still paying for his failings. It shows how worried the Tories are when even he is abandoning the sinking ship.
“While we can be grateful that this spells the end of his disastrous involvement in politics, it is also a damning indictment of the system that he was ever allowed to inflict so much chaos without restraint.
“He was the worst Chancellor in UK history, and it would have been good to see the electorate booting him out of Westminster. But the problems run far greater than him. It was the party that put him in such a senior position and the MPs who cheered him on. It's not just Kwasi Kwarteng we need to be rid of, it is the policies and worldview he represents.
“It’s telling that he would rather leave on his own terms rather than facing the indignity of the impending wipe out. His will undoubtedly be only the first in a run of fearful Tory MPs who will quit in the weeks and months ahead as they face political oblivion. The sooner the Prime Minister calls a General Election to speed up their departure, the better.”
Mr Kwarteng was a key ally of failed Prime Minister Liz Truss, serving as her Chancellor for just 38 days before he was sacked amid the financial chaos caused by his tax-cutting mini-budget.