Foreign Correspondence, Vol 59
Foreign Correspondence, Vol 59
Liz Truss has resigned. Here’s how she lost control
Hello, and happy Friday! After another bonkers week here in Britain, it has become clear to me that this correspondence doesn’t exactly correspond to a strict biweekly schedule. So from now on, I’m going to send this newsletter on the Fridays where I have enough time-sensitive stories to share with you. This, dear readers, is one such Friday.
Don’t worry—I have zero intention of making this a weekly newsletter, nor do I wish to clog up your inboxes more than I already do. This change just allows me to be a bit more flexible without feeling like I need to explain why a correspondence is coming to you a week earlier or later than originally planned. I hope that makes sense! Goodness knows nothing else seems to these days (more on that below).
But first, in podcast news: I joined the New Statesman’s latest podcast series, Nationalism Reimagined, to discuss the case for a left-wing civic nationalism. You can tune into the conversation here.
What I’ve written
“I’m a fighter, not a quitter,” Liz Truss told the country on Wednesday. But by Thursday, she was gone. I wrote about the days leading up to Truss’s political downfall, why she ultimately resigned, and where the country goes from here:
Dozens of leaders have passed through the doors of 10 Downing Street over the course of British history. But perhaps none have done so more often, or more rapidly, in recent years than Britain’s Conservatives. David Cameron made way for Theresa May who made way for Boris Johnson who reluctantly made way for Liz Truss—each one’s period of survival seemingly shorter than the last. In the end, Liz Truss’s time as Prime Minister lasted just six weeks, a period shorter than the leadership contest that elected her in the first place. Truss is set to become the shortest-serving Prime Minister to date. Keep reading here
In non-British political news, I interviewed Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya about how the fights for freedom and democracy in Ukraine and Belarus are intertwined:
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Belarus has largely fallen off the world’s collective radar … As Tsikhanouskaya sees it, the world cannot afford to forget Belarus—especially now. “We need Belarus not to be overlooked because Belarus is not only a part of this crisis,” Tsikhanouskaya tells TIME, referencing Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. “Belarus can be part of the solution.”
Finally, I wrote about what a recent United Nations vote tells us about Russia’s international isolation and why Ukraine’s Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya believes such votes (symbolic as they are) still matter.
For Ukraine, in particular, the U.N. represents one of the only international forums whose deliberations are broadcast online for the world to see. “That’s why some countries hate it,” says Kyslytsya. “Because they have to take a position in front of the entire world.” Keep reading here
What I’ve read
This insightful essay about how Truss’s downfall shows that British democracy is still working (The Atlantic)
Paradoxically, Truss’s downfall shows that British democracy is still working. Polarization is so toxic in the U.S. that Trump never dipped below about 35 percent approval, no matter what he did. Truss, who was incompetent but far less dangerous, saw her approval ratings flirt with single digits before she was forced out. Her political party and political base turned on her.
This revealing piece about how a majority of Americans believe democracy is at risk—but only a fraction think it’s an election priority (The New York Times)
The poll’s findings reinforce the idea that for many Americans, this year’s midterm elections will be largely defined by rising inflation and other economic woes — leaving threats to the country’s democratic institutions lurking in the back of voters’ minds.
This great interview with Ramy Youssef, whose eponymous show Ramy is at the top of my TV bucket list (The New Yorker)
Alongside the indecent provocations in his work, Youssef examines what it means to be a practicing Muslim who is in a state of frequent negotiation with his own version of God. It’s a type of religious identity that’s rarely depicted in film or television, which is why “Ramy” has felt so insistently fresh.
What I’m thinking about
My print debut! From the latest issue of TIME:
Until next time,
Yasmeen