FACT CHECK: Did Liz Truss’ Father Publish A Disparaging Tweet About Her?
An image shared on Facebook purportedly shows a tweet from John Truss, father of British Conservative Parliament Member Liz Truss, in which he criticized her candidacy for prime minister.
Verdict: False
The tweet is digitally fabricated. There are no credible news reports to suggest Liz Truss’ father made such a comment.
Fact Check:
Current British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on June 29 that he will be resigning his post following a wave of scandals and a mass resignation from his cabinet, according to The Associated Press. Liz Truss, the current Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs is running to replace him, CNN reported.
Now, a Facebook image appears to show a screen grab of a tweet from her father, Professor John Truss, sharply criticizing her. The alleged tweet appears to be in response to a video from Liz Truss’ verified account, commenting on the economy and promising to deliver on her campaign promises.
“Her mother and I would be surprised if she could deliver anything – she was unable to tie her shoelaces until she was 12,” reads the alleged tweet from John Truss. “Please turn against fascism poo-poo bear.” The alleged post appears to have been retweeted over 9,900 times and liked over 22,000 times.
The tweet is digitally fabricated. Check Your Fact found no credible news reports to suggest John Truss ever made such comments in reference to his daughter’s campaign. In addition, an advanced Twitter search for the elder Truss’ supposed comments generates no results nor does an account with the same handle exist on the website. (RELATED: Does This Image Show U.K. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss Holding Phone Upside Down?)
While there is no evidence that John Truss made such a comment about his daughter, there are reports that the two do not agree on politics. Liz Truss has said in the past that she grew up in a “left-wing household,” according to indy100.
Check Your Fact has reached out to Liz Truss’ office for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.
