On 29 September 2014, the environment secretary, Liz Truss, delivered a memorable and widely satirised address at Conservative Party conference.

The speech, intended as a robust defence of British food producers, became famous for its emphatic focus on imports of cheese and fruit. In her 15-minute slot on the conference main stage, Truss forcefully criticised the UK’s balance of trade in agricultural goods.

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In a memorable passage towards the end of her speech, Truss invoked Harold Macmillan’s famous 1975 declaration.

She told delegates: “We are producing more varieties of cheese than the French. And we are selling tea to China – Yorkshire tea

“When it comes to British food and drink, we have never had it so good.”

Truss then pivoted to Britain’s overreliance on food imports.

She declared: “As well as exporting our fantastic food abroad, I want to see more British food here in Britain.

“At the moment we import two-thirds of our apples. We import nine-tenths of all of our pears. We import two-thirds of our cheese.”

After a deliberate and prolonged pause, Truss fixed the audience with a stern expression.

The environment secretary proclaimed: “That. Is. A. Dis. Grace!”

Truss’ 2014 conference speech is also remembered for its tonal inconsistencies. Her exuberant reference to an upcoming visit to Beijing, which she anticipated would herald new pork markets, became a particular target of mockery.

For this reason, the address is sometimes referred to as Truss’ pork markets speech.

https://x.com/PoliticsJOE_UK/status/1547505698094850051

Meanwhile, Truss’ intense and sometimes uneven delivery repeatedly wrong-footed her audience. Bemused-sounding applause arrived only after conspicuous pauses.

The address was seized upon by satirical panel show Have I Got News For You. Beyond that, however, it attracted limited contemporary attention. Truss was still a relatively obscure figure outside Westminster at the time of this address. Her appointment as environment secretary in July 2014 marked her first cabinet appointment.

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Truss continued as environment secretary for the duration of David Cameron’s premiership. In July 2016, she was appointed to the post of justice secretary under Theresa May.

Truss subsequently served as chief secretary of the Treasury (June 2017 – July 2019), international trade secretary (July 2019 – September 2021), and foreign secretary (September 2021 – September 2022).

Truss assumed office as prime minister on 6 September 2022. Her tenure lasted just 49 days, making it the shortest in British history.

Truss’ rapid ascent up the greasy pole – and her even swifter collapse – helped transform an otherwise obscure conference address into an enduring piece of political folklore.