HANNAH MCKAY/Reuters
On Thursday, just 37 days after being appointed British finance minister, Kwasi Kwarteng was asked if, in a month’s time, he would still be in his job and Liz Truss would still be prime minister.
“Absolutely, 100 percent,” Kwarteng answered. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Less than a day later, he was gone. Truss’ Friday removal of Kwarteng—her closest ideological ally—from the second most powerful role in government so soon after choosing him to run the British economy is easily the worst humiliation among a cavalcade of catastrophes to hit Truss’ administration since it took over from the disgraced Boris Johnson slightly over a month ago.