Chris Mason: Anguish at conference that should be Truss’s victory lapon October 2, 2022 at 11:12 pm

People here want Liz Truss to succeed.

Of course they do – they are Conservatives.

Plus, most of the activists, if not the MPs, voted for her to be party leader and their fate and hers are inextricably linked.

But, without question, there is deep worry here.

As one senior figure put it to me, first impressions are lasting and they matter and they have – if the opinion polls are to be believed – been terrible for the new prime minister.

Another senior voice told me they thought Liz Truss was finished as prime minister and wouldn’t survive this.

Far more think moving against her would be absurd and would leave the party a laughing stock so soon after she got the job.

But plenty believeher reputation might not survive this, even if her premiership does.

In other words, what has happened in the last 10 days will leave an indelible mark on her – it is unrecoverably bad.

And remember, the first party conference for a new leader is meant to be a celebratory affair, even in difficult times for the country – a victory lap for the winner.

Instead, we have a second former cabinet minister telling the BBC that the plans whichdefine her premiership are misguided.

Yes, both Grant Shapps and Michael Gove were supporters of Rishi Sunak for the leadership and not Liz Truss, but what they are articulating in public illustrates a deeper well of private anguish here.

This anguish comes from a bundle of ideas lots of Conservatives think are simply unsellable when packaged together: Big tax cuts for the best paid at a time of soaring interest rates, and the prospect of benefits and public sector cuts that are disproportionately important to the less well off.

There is also anguish from people here who were nervous spectators of Labour’s conference last week, seeing as they did a party more united than it has been for years, hurtling to occupy political ground some Tories fret Ms Truss has too easily given up.

So what can we expect in the coming days?

Monday is the chancellor’s big day and Tuesday and Wednesday will be dominated by the prime minister.

We can expect bucket-loads of explanation and bucket-loads of attempted reassurance from Kwasi Kwarteng and Ms Truss, but a determination, too, for now at least, to stick to their plans.

A growing number in their own party have other ideas, though.

The plan for a tax cut for the best paid doesn’t look like a goer: The opposition to it appears too determined and too noisy, and whenever a vote comes, it doesn’t look like it’ll be sufficiently popular to pass.