'Shelf-life of a lettuce': The savage column that first compared Liz Truss to a lettuce

A column in the Economist first published on October 11th set the internet alight - because of its brutal take on the now ex-prime minister Liz Truss.

The column, which does not have a byline, dubbed the Truss "the iceberg lady", claiming she has "the shelf-life of a lettuce".

It said: "Liz Truss is already a historical figure. However long she now lasts in office, she is set to be remembered as the prime minister whose grip on power was the shortest in British political history. Ms Truss entered Downing Street on September 6th. She blew up her own government with a package of unfunded tax cuts and energy-price guarantees on September 23rd. Take away the ten days of mourning after the death of the queen, and she had seven days in control. That is the shelf-life of a lettuce."

It continued shredding her like the lettuce she is, criticising her for her "mini-budget" and for tanking the pound.

The column also called ex-chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng "hapless", so he didn't escape the writer's acerbic pen either.

"Ms. Truss’s premiership is damaged beyond repair," it concluded.

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The column circulated on social media and people thought the publication had hit the nail on the head:

In the aftermath, the analogy became more and more popular with a tabloid, The Daily Star running a live stream to see if a 60p lettuce could outlast Truss which it inevitably did.

Speaking to the nation on Thursday afternoon Truss said: "In a statement outside No 10 she said: “I recognise… given the situation I cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected by the Conservative Party.”

She also confirmed that there would be a one week leadership campaign to replace her as prime minister.

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