UK’s Truss defends economic plan that sent pound tumbling

By JILL LAWLESS and DANICA KIRKA
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Liz Truss has defended her economic plan that roiled financial markets, saying she’s willing to make “difficult decisions” to get the economy growing. Truss gave her first public comments Thursday since her government last week announced billions in unfunded tax cuts that drove the pound currency to record lows. She says Britain is facing a “very, very difficult” economic situation. But she says the problems are global and spurred by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The turmoil has seen the opposition Labour Party open up a widening lead in opinion polls. A YouGov survey released Thursday gave Labour a 33-point lead over the Conservatives, up from an 8-point lead a week ago.