'We need a British Trump': Ex-UK PM Liz Truss says at summit in India

New Delhi: Former British prime minister Elizabeth Truss on Saturday pitched for bringing the "best of reforms", fixing some arrangement in the "powerful bureaucracy" in the United Kingdom and creating a movement akin to the one in the US that led to "big changes" there.

"Frankly, I think we need a British Trump. The question is who that individual might be," she said and cited US President-elect Donald Trump's "MAGA" (Make America Great Again) movement.

During an interaction session at the HT Leadership Summit 2024 here, Truss also said India has a "huge role" to play in the "future of geopolitics" as the world's largest democracy.

Truss, who served as the British prime minister for just 49 days in 2022, was asked about the ties between India and the UK amid changing geopolitical situations.

"I think where we are now is a very positive relationship. I really hope that we get the trade deal over the line. The UK and India have so much to benefit from each other in areas like technology, defence, agriculture. I think there are huge opportunities," she said.

But also, India is now the world's largest country by population and the world's largest democracy. It has a "huge leadership role to play in the future. And I think it is incredibly exciting", she added.

On the India-UK free-trade agreement, Truss said it is "absolutely a relationship of equals", adding that both parties will have to make concessions in order to get a trade deal done.

She also emphasised that India's role in the Quad is "very important with respect to the United States, the UK and Japan, "particularly, as we see, a rising threat of China taking place".

During the conversation, the former British prime minister took a critical view of the European economy and said "our continent is sinking".

Citing the GDP per capita in the UK, she lamented that it is below the corresponding figure in the US.

Truss also said some arrangement in the British bureaucracy "needs to be fixed" and that she would like to see the "best of reforms".

"So what I am interested in, how can we create that movement, a bit like the 'MAGA' movement or the tea-party movement in the US that led to the big changes we are seeing. Frankly, I think we need a British Trump. The question is who that individual might be," she said.

Asked by the host whether she would want to play that role, the former prime minister gave a response with a dry sense of humour.

"I have already put my fingers in the fire and had them severely burnt, but that is the type of approach that we now need to get the change in Britain," she said.

So what the people of the UK want is the "same kind of revolution that Trump is delivering in America", which is actually taking on the left-wing establishment, giving more power to people, giving more opportunities to businesses, making it easier to run a successful enterprise, Truss added.

"But we have a very powerful bureaucracy that wants to keep us attached to Europe," she argued.

It does not want the UK to sign trade deals with the US or India and wants to continue this status quo. That is a "battle" that is still going on in the UK, Truss said.

She said she wants to see the UK "completely dump EU regulations" and sign trade deals with countries like India and the US.

During the conversation, Truss praised the return of Trump to the White House several times, as also India's growing role on the world stage.

She also said she feels that under President Trump, "we are seeing a revival of US strengths".

Truss said in the UK, she was on record praising the fact that Trump had won the US presidential election.

Trump is all set to be sworn in at an inauguration ceremony scheduled to be held in January after his resounding victory in the US presidential election in November. This will be his second term in the White House.

"The Trump revolution that we are seeing in the US, that is coming to Europe. You can see the dissatisfaction in France, Germany with economic stagnation. That dissatisfaction is coming to Europe, so you are going to see major changes in Europe as well as in Britain in the next five to 10 years," Truss said when asked about the road ahead for her continent.

The host also asked how she looked at the third successive term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Truss termed it a "massive achievement".

"I think Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third term.... It is an incredible achievement to get elected in the current environment. Every other single incumbent government across the world has got booted out of office," she said.

Australia, the UK, it is going to happen in Canada, it happened in the US to the Democrats, so "it is a massive achievement to remain in office and it is a testament to the economic reforms taking place in India, and people are feeling that the country is going in the right direction", she added.

"I think India has a huge role to play in the future of geopolitics as the world's largest democracy. I would like to hear more from India on global debates and I think with the Trump presidency, there is an opportunity to reshape how international relations work," the former British prime minister said.

Truss was also asked about the shift in power globally during the conversation.

"There has definitely been a global shift in power. Regrettably, I think there has been a shift in power towards authoritarian regimes. We have never seen Iran so emboldened, Russia in recent years, so emboldened, or indeed, China," she said.

"I would distinguish though between India and China. India is a democracy, India wants to see the rule of law protected and free speech," Truss added.