‘Will Boris bounce back?’: what the papers say as Liz Truss quits and Tories search for new leader

The resignation of Liz Truss after 45 chaotic days as prime minister leads the front page of every major newspaper in the UK on Friday.

The Guardian’s front page says that “After 45 days of turmoil, prime minister bows to the inevitable”, and calls this moment “The bitter end”.

As the UK prepares for its third prime minister this year, the paper also carries reaction from opposition leader Keir Starmer, writing “Labour leader condemns ‘revolving door of chaos’ and demands general election”.

As for who might come through that revolving door next, the Telegraph says that “Boris Johnson is privately urging Conservative MPs to back him for a dramatic return to Downing Street”.

Under the headline “Boris Johnson tells Tories: I can save party from election wipeout” the paper reports that Johnson is “pressing Rishi Sunak to reach out and ‘get back together’ in a remarkable olive branch” to his former chancellor.

The Mail has a different take, splashing with “Boris v Rishi: fight for soul of the Tories”. The paper says that both men were “racing ahead in terms of nominations – setting up a potential clash between allies turned bitter rivals”.

The Sun highlights that the “Ex-PM needs 100 MPs to stand a chance”, after the 1922 Committee of backbenchers raised the threshold of nominations needed to get on the ballot to avoid another protracted contest.

The paper carries an editorial that says “Not a second longer can be wasted on these deranged civil wars”, and that “Rishi is hot favourite to replace Truss”.

Under the headline “He couldn’t could he … Will Boris bounce back to No10?” the Express asks whether the ex-PM can “get enough MPs to back his return”.

The Financial Times says the timing of the departure “throws plan to address £40bn fiscal hole into confusion.”

The paper reports that “Truss will go down in history as Britain’s shortest serving prime minister, her government having collapsed in the wake of its failed ‘mini’ budget”.

The Mirror is straight to the point, with a simple, full-page headline: “General election now”.

Scotland’s Daily Record carries the same headline, saying the “Government has no mandate” and the Tories “aren’t fit to lead this nation.”

With the headline “Gone in 44 days”, the i says that “Britain will have a new prime minister by next Friday – the third in seven weeks”.

The paper quotes Keir Starmer as saying that the country “cannot have another experiment at the top of the Tory party”.

Finally the Star has produced a “Historic souvenir edition”. Splashing with “Lettuce rejoice”, the tabloid carries a picture of a buoyant iceberg lettuce in a blond wig and the news that the “Plucky Daily Star veg outlasts Lettuce Liz as she wilts in political heat”.

Seven days ago the Daily Star set up a live stream of the lettuce to see if it would have a longer shelf-life than the prime minister. In the end it did.