at is i'm somebody who likes to speak my mind. i'm clear about what i think and i'm not going to trim my messages for the audience. and i think that quality can be useful in foreign policy when we face, at the moment, a situation with a very aggressive russia, when we face challenges for the free world in terms of our fundamental beliefs in things like freedoms and democracy. maybe now is not the time for a diplomat. old—fashioned ideas of diplomacy — schmoozing, telling people what they want to hear, perhaps, constructive ambiguity. have they all gone? i fully approve of the schmoozing part because you do have to get to know your colleagues, you have to be... modern diplomacy is now about whatsapp as much as ambassadors' parties. building trust, so even with some of the most and that's absolutely core to the job. tell me how it felt, because you weren't expecting to be foreign secretary. you stride up the amazing staircase and that extraordinary building. how did it feel? i was delighted, but you have to take a few seconds to process your new role. because i'd been trade secretary, i spent quite a lot of time travelling, meeting overseas governments. so, i know a lot of what the role involves. but of course, it's a major step, and it's a hugely impressive government department. we've got one of the best diplomatic networks in the world. the foreign office itself is fine, but the... our assets are really overseas. when robin cook got thejob, he sat in the chair and said how did a boy from the workers education association end up here? i wonder if there was a bit of you who thought, "how did a girl who went to protest against american nuclear weapons, how did she end up here in the foreign office?" the time it occurred to me was when i was at cop in glasgow. she would never have imagined that she was at cop as foreign secretary in glasgow. that's the time it really hit home. do you remember how to make your blue peter—style nuclear missile? it was carpet rolls. it was much bigger than that. it was about ten foot long. the problem was that my mother had covered it with flowered wallpaper so it perhaps didn't have the psychological effects of the real nuclear weapon. i imagine that she's pretty much a straight talker like liz truss is, so did she say, "now you're foreign secretary, you better get rid of these weapons?" i think she knows my views. we've had many conversations about this in the past. i respect the fact that she's got different views from me, and she respects that i have different views. and that's a great thing about living in a free society with broad—minded parents. that's a very good description. one thing i didn't know, which i've learned since, is you were a republican. you were against her majesty, the queen. although it's fair to say that when i was in my youth, i was a professional controversialist and i liked exploring ideas. you said we do not believe in people who were born to rule? as i say, i think i was in my teens at the time when i made that statement. i came from a left—wing background. my mother was in the campaign for nuclear disarmament. there were very few people at my school or who i met on a regular basis — in fact, i can count them on one hand — who i'd describe as right wing. but i think over time, i began to understand more about why britain is successful, and part of our success is the constitutional monarchy that supports a free democracy. over time... you had to explain that to her majesty? she has never asked me about that. you explained why you went on this journey. one of the things you told me last time we spoke is you didn't like being told what to do. that's still true! i'm intrigued where that stems from. certainly when i was at school, i was frustrated by the lip service that was paid to causes, and a lack of telling the truth about the reality. so, it wasn't acceptable to question that. there was a sort of soft bigotry of low expectations. the general attitude that... people think this way? exactly. you gave a big speech this week. your first since you started only 12 weeks ago, you used the phrase "fashionable circles". you said people talking fashionable circles about how we should be ashamed of our history and doubtful about her future. will you thinking back to those schoolteachers? yes, i had school teachers who would regularly have a go at margaret thatcher over the miners' strike. we had whole lessons on sexism and racism rather than talking about, as i say, the core skills that would've helped children get on. i'm not saying we didn't do english and maths, i'm just saying it was a disproportionate focus on some of those issues. and ifound it really, really frustrating. what's the equivalent now? if that's what offended you then, giving a speech now about people being ashamed of our history, what are you thinking of now? what i'm thinking about now is the movement to pull down statues, the attack on winston churchill's statue, the... the sort of focus on all of the negative elements of britain's history. now, i'm not saying britain's perfect, but there are very few countries with an unblemished past, and i think... we should focus on what is good about our country today. and yet, prince charles was, as you know, at the declaration of barbados's independence. what did he do? he talked about "the appalling atrocity of slavery." he called it the darkest days of our past. was he wrong to do that? no, he wasn't. the transatlantic slave trade was completely abhorrent. of course he wasn't wrong to do that. but my point is, we are in a world where we face increasingly aggressive authoritarian nations. we see on the border of ukraine russian forces lined up. we're seeing china flex its economic muscles, notjust across south east asia, but across the world. and, yes, of course we need to talk about our past, but i want us to spend more time talking about where we are now, the fact that we are a free country, that we are a democracy. we believe in individual liberty, we give opportunities to everybody in our society. it doesn't matter if you're black or lgbt or a woman, you have opportunities here in britain. what i'm saying is the excessive introspection does give succour to our adversaries. the question i want to ask is whether people having a debate about statues should stand in museums still, even throwing that statue of colston into the water. you're not seriously saying that undermines our fight against communism and against president putin, are you? i believe in free speech and the right to protest. people are perfectly entitled to do and say, provided it's within the law, what they want in britain, and that's the nature of our free society. what i'm saying to the foreign office, what i'm saying to the media is let's raise our sights a bit. let's look at what's going on around the world. let's fight for these values we believe in. let's talk about those. there's a fight of ideas, as you say, between democracies, free countries and the rest of the world, mostly china and russia. how much do you fear that on your watch, that in a relatively short period of time — there may be realfights, actual fights, starting with the warnings we've heard all week about the build—up of forces on ukraine's borderfrom russia? do you really feel, and you recently met the russian foreign minister? i'm a great believer in deterrents, and what i want to do is work with our friends and allies to avoid that. and the way we avoid that is from a position of strength. so, that's reducing economic dependence on those regimes, including gas from russia. it's about reducing technological dependence. we've removed huwei now from our 5g network. but it's also about making sure we have the security deterrents in place. that's why i visited our troops on the estonian border where nato forces are supporting our baltic friends. was there a conscious decision to make yourself look like margaret thatcher in that tank? her image in germany in the 1980s, yours in a tank with people in russia calling you the new iron lady? was it a conscious decision to channel her assertiveness? it was a conscious decision to go to estonia to show our support for the baltic states when they are under serious pressure from russia. and at a time when we're seeing escalating russian forces. but you... i would point out it was —10 degrees, so it was a different scenario. lots of politicians do visit tanks. it was not in your mind as you sat in that tank? it's possibly the most famous photo of margaret thatcher. i'm a former agriculture secretary so i'm very fond of farmers. and on top of a triumph motorbike, as mrs thatcher. are these all coincidences? i think they are, yes. really? yes. you are top of the choice to replace the prime minister. let's see. interesting too, it's phrased network of liberty, and name of your daughter? it is. i do like the concept of liberty. i think that's my number one, is the freedom for people to have agency and control over their own lives and be able to decide their own destiny. that's very important for me personally, but it's also important, i think, to achieve a successful life and successful societies. i think successful societies are based on giving people power over their own lives. and many people in the conservative party would agree and say that's what brexit did, and then theyjust have to remind themselves that you described brexit as a leap in the dark. you called on people to go out and vote. if you care about being an outwardly focused country.. go out and vote remain. were you wrong? or have you simply seen the error of your ways over time or simply living with the decision? in retrospect, i would have voted for brexit because i think it has given us huge freedom of flexibility as a country we didn't have before. in particular, on foreign policy, we now have the ability to co—ordinate our development policy, or trade policy, our defence policy and our diplomacy together. and we can and are having a huge impact. so, yes, i have changed my mind. should people trust a convert? you've changed your mind not once, but twice, on things that people would regard as fundamental values, and there are some people who don't trust people who change their mind. maybe she's wrong now. the way i see it is that i have, from being a child in a left—wing family, i have thought about things from first principles. i base my beliefs on the idea that successful societies give people freedom. there's a great margaret thatcher quote. when people are free to choose, they choose freedom. and over time, i have thought more about how you best create a free society, what are the institutions that achieve that, and there was a debate about whether or not...mrs thatcher famously supported during the european union, and thought that would be a good way of helping achieve her aims and towards the end of her tenure she became more sceptical. so, i think over time, you have to look at what are the policies, what are the institutional structures you think will achieve those goals. let's turn to what's not been the easiest week for the government. did you have a departmental christmas party last year? no. can you help us with a definition of what a party is? no, i can't. you would like me to help you, cheese is a party, wine is a party? no, i can't help you. you're being very hesitant. seriously, as a straight talker... crosstalk the cabinet secretary is, i'm sure, i investigating all these questions that you just asked me. so, we will see the results of that in due course. but last christmas, i was spending my time getting trade deals over the line. we had a lot of deals to get done by the 31st of december, you didn't feel all your work was needed? no, we were busy working. getting on with the job. a plain speaker might say we can see there was a party, let's just say it, move on, accept apologies and get on with thejob? i don't know what went on. i really don't know, nick. on another serious matter, we're moving into new restrictions again. less than they were. as a liberty lover, does it worry you? have you needed some convincing this is the right thing to do? i don't like restrictions on people's lives, but i do recognise that we are facing a very serious issue. there is this new variant. we don't quite know exactly how the future is going to unfold, so it is right to exercise caution and to bring in these measures, which as you say, not as onorous as some of the measures we've had in the past. so, it seems to me a reasonable balance. i'm more focused on immediate foreign policy issues, which there are quite a few — the iranian negotiations started again today. we have the issues with russia and ukraine, the balkans as well, is an issue of great concern. so, quite a lot on my plate. there is an awful lot on your plate. what do you say to those who say in the modern era, not making a comment about you, this might have been true for years if not decades — it's actually number ten, it's actually the prime minister, it is really about relationships between global leaders, not between foreign minister or foreign secretary? i disagree with that. of course, the prime minister as a former foreign secretary is very involved in foreign policy, and we talk a lot about our various foreign policy priorities, but ultimately, there is a lot of work to be done in making things happen. he's a busy man just now. we are talking on thursday morning, when we've just heard that he is a father for a second time with carrie, his wife. he's got a lot going on. covid, party rows, babies. huge congratulations to boris and carrie this morning. very exciting news. it is good news. has he got too much on, though? i don't think he does, and i think he's very capable of dealing with all the different issues that are happening, but this has been an extraordinary time in politics. we've had brexit, which he successfully delivered, covid, where the uk was really on the front of the vaccine development. but a serious question, as a fellow parent, it's a heck of a lot the prime minister has to juggle. two young babies in the flat in downing street. the covid crisis, a political crisis, i think you would agree. we've got working parents across britain. who day in, day out, go and do jobs, sometimes work twojobs. they're capable of it, and the prime minister is. i welcome the fact that fathers are involved in bringing up their children. is it important to you or irrelevant that you are the first working mother to be foreign secretary? that was actually the first time that's occurred to me, nick! i've been too busy getting on with the job as well as making sure my children are doing the right thing, to be focused on that. but i am pleased that's the case. you talk quite passionately at times about what's needed to allow women to work, to rise to the very top. something you care about? absolutely, and there is more. there's more we need to do on making sure childcare is affordable in making sure workplaces are supportive of families. i asked the question for this reason and i hesitate as a man, crosstalk. how difficult is it to do a job... to do a job that complex whilst being a mother of teenage girls? my children were quite young when i was first elected. so, they don't know any different apart from doing anything like canvassing, attending events. i think they're a bit more clued up on foreign policy than they'd like to be. but i enjoy it. i enjoy having a family and working in politics, and i think they are... they should be combinable and they are combinable. your mum got you to make a trident missile out of carpet roll, have you got your daughters to create a banner or a model or...? my elder daughter is currently studying the cold war, so we have quite a lot of discussions about what the situation is like now and what it was like in the 60s, 70s and 80s. do you ever debate whether the mum or grandma was right? well, my daughter is very loyal, so she probably tells me i'm right and my mother she's right when i'm not there. do you think she'll reject your views in a way that you rejected your mother's? i don't reject all my mother's views. she does have some very good views on education, so i don't reject her view. but i want my children to think for themselves. i am happy that they are... that they are interested, engaged, they want to talk about these ideas. and i am very, very relaxed about them taking alternative views for me. if they want to call in, i'll leave my number at the end of the programme. liz truss, thanks forjoining us. what a difference three years can make. not only has liz truss gone to a leading candidate to replace boris johnson, but she's gone from a woman happy to joke about her past, happy to tell anecdotes and wanted to present herself as the serious foreign secretary, and who knows? perhaps a serious candidate to replace borisjohnson at number ten. that's it from this edition of political thinking. thanks for watching. hello, hello, everyone. i hope you're doing all right. now, for many of us, it's a much milder day across the uk. we are importing milder air from the south, but coupled with that, quite a lot of cloud around. it's not going to be a gorgeous, kind of sunny, mild day. we do also have some rain around. let's have a look at the big picture. first off, then, this is the main feature of our weather today. really, we have an area of low pressure here and this weather front will bring cloud and some rain and the low pressure bringing some stormy conditions to northern parts later. but it's also the vehicle which is helping draw up this much milder air from the south. and i think many of us will feel that as we head through the day. that is the weather front perched across northern ireland into the north of england, then moving northwards into scotland as we head through the day. further south, areas that saw quite a lot of rain in places yesterday should be drier, a bit of brightness as well. some mist and fog lingering for a time across parts of wales and southern parts, i think. but we could see some hill fog elsewhere, top temperatures, a bit of a contrast, 13 or 14 celsius for many of us whilst further north, the very far north of scotland and the northern ireland, about 7—8 celsius. let's return to the pressure chart. and there's that area of low pressure that i was talking about earlier on. now, this is likely to bring some very unsettled conditions across western parts of scotland and the north of scotland as we head through tonight. gale—force winds gusts up to 80, potentially higher, miles per hour, as we head through tonight behind this and blustery showers, some of these potentially turning wintry. and then we have this feature moving into southern and southwestern parts. lows tonight, however, 11 or 12 celsius, not a cold one, everyone, but it will be cooler further north. now, as we head through the day tomorrow this weather front is likely to stall. it'll just sort of lose interest and not really want to go anywhere. and as a result, it could bring quite a bit of rainfall across parts of wales into the north of england and some central parts as well. this is also a bit of a boundary — areas to the north of this drier, brighter, northern ireland seeing quite a bit of sunshine, hopefully, but it will be colder. these showers continuing across parts of scotland, whereas further south, cloudier, murky with some rain, but also milder, 12 or 13 celsius our highs. now, this area of high pressure tries to build as we head through this week, a few weather front skirting northern parts. but under the high pressure, quite a bit of cloud cover, quite misty and murky at times. we'll keep you posted. stay safe. see you soon. this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. uk prime minister borisjohson faces fresh questions about christmas gatherings at downing street a year ago — after a photo emerges of him taking part in a quiz. they can't deliver the leadership that this country needs. we have got a very important vote coming up next weekend he can't even discharge the basic functions. the worst possible lead at the worst possible time. they can now make their mind up when they see him on a virtual screen, or a zoom call thanking his team who are in the building because they have to be to respond to a national emergency.

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