LONDON — Liz Truss wasn’t known for playing by the rules during her short-lived premiership.
The Conservative former prime minister has spent the week plugging her new book about her time in government.
Now the U.K. government has waded in, declaring Truss broke its rules by failing to get approval to include private conversations with the late Queen Elizabeth II in her memoir.
While Truss submitted her book to civil servants in the Cabinet Office for review, a final sign-off was not sought before publication.
Truss wrote that Queen Elizabeth II told her to “pace yourself” in a meeting with the monarch. She said the queen told her being PM is “incredibly aging” during their 20 minute conversation, which became the monarch’s last official engagement before her death days later.
But a Cabinet Office spokesperson said: “This book was submitted to the Cabinet Office for review.
“While we would not publicize the details of any discussions, we did not agree to the final wording. So the author is in breach of the Radcliffe Rules.”
The Radcliffe Rules prohibit the publication of content which is damaging or destructive to national security, the U.K.’s international relations or confidential government business.
Truss’ team did not respond to POLITICO’s request for an on-the-record comment.
But Sky News cited a “source close to” the former prime minister saying: “The Cabinet Office confirmed that Liz complied with all the rules regarding national security and relations with foreign governments, but she wanted to ensure that the truth was told about the mini-budget and the role of officials and the Bank of England.
“She believes this is in the public interest.”
Truss resigned after seven weeks in office following a mini-budget which precipitated market turmoil. In the book, she claims the U.K.’s Treasury, the Bank of England and its Office for Budget Responsibility engaged in a “sustained whispering campaign” against her tax-cutting policies.
