Truss 'didn't care' if Boris Johnson won the Tory leadership bid in 2019, but 'wanted to be on the winning side'

No one ever doubted the will of embracing the ambitious Liz Truss in whatever political pose would seem to advance her career.

From abandoning her opposition to the monarchy, joining the Lib Dems and supporting Brexit , nothing was sacrosanct about her determination to climb the greasy pole.

Ms Truss's supporters made much of her "principled" loyalty to the Prime Minister during the campaign for the Tory leadership, likening it to what they call Rishi Sunak's betrayal by stepping down as chancellor.

But according to a veteran Tory MP who knows Ms Truss well, her decision to back Boris Johnso n as Theresa May's successor in 2019 had little to do with the principle.

Ms Truss said she 'didn't care' if Mr Johnson - or n anyone else - won, the MP told The Independent, that she just wanted to avoid being on the "wrong side" again, after being branded by her opposition to the Brexit in the EU Referendum.

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The MP, speaking on condition of anonymity, and who knows Ms Truss well, recalls a 'detailed conversation' with her when Ms May announced her resignation as Prime Minister in May 2019.

The two met to discuss the various candidates and, according to the MP, Ms Truss shared her thoughts.

The MP said: "Liz said, 'I was on the wrong side at Brexit. I'm not going to be on the wrong side in the leadership race. whoever wins, but I'm going to be on the winning side." /p>

The deputy added: "I remember the conversation very well. She was so adamant about it that she poked me in the chest for more emphasis."

< p>At the time, Ms. Truss was considering launching her own leadership bid but backed out, apparently because she thought her past support for Remain meant she was doomed.

A week after pulling out of the competition, she pledged her support to Mr Johnson, enthusiastically declaring: 'There is only one person for this job and that is why I support Boris. We share a deep optimism about the power of individual creativity and entrepreneurship to ensure progress and prosperity."

He was a proven winner and he had the punch," said- she added.

When he won, she was duly rewarded with the post of International Trade Secretary and then promoted to Foreign Secretary.

Mr. Sunak tried, unsuccessfully, to use Ms. Truss' political somersaults to gain an advantage over her in the current leadership contest.

During their first televised debate, he goaded her : "You were a Lib Dem and a Remainer: what do you regret most?"

Ms Truss spoke last week about how she regretted not supporting Brexit in 2016 , but also said she saw nothing wrong with changing her mind.

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A spokeswoman for Ms Truss told The Independent that the claim that she said she 'didn't care' who would succeed Mrs May was absurd.

The spokesperson said: "Liz had lunch with Boris in 2014 and then agreed that she would back him if he ever went for it.She backed him for leadership in 2016 and was his first cabinet b...