now on bbc news it's time for political thinking with nick robinson. the woman who became our foreign secretary just 12 weeks ago is the daughter of an anti—nuclear campaigner who took her on sitings of american missiles in britain. and as liz truss told me the last time she appeared on political thinking, she also used to chant on the streets of scotland. this week, she gave an important speech in which she criticised those in what she called fashionable circles for being ashamed of our past and too doubtful about the future. it's sort of plain speaking that makes her a favourite amongst tory activists and was dubbed the new mrs t. liz truss, welcome back to political thinking. great to be here. do you remember what you said to me about diplomacy last time we sat in the studio? i've completely forgotten, nick. "i'm not very diplomatic." how does it feel being the country's top diplomat? i think it depends on the way you interpret the word "diplomacy". i think what i was getting at is on somebody who likes i think what i was getting 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. 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 diplomat. old—fashioned ideas of diplomacy — schmoozing, telling people what they want to hear, perhaps, constructive ambiguity — they have 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. those are part of building a relationship and trust, so even with some of the most difficult interlocutors, you're able to communicate. and that's absolutely core to the job. we will come to power later. tell me how it felt, because you weren't expecting to be foreign secretary. use went 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 robbie cook got the job, he sat in the chair and said how did a boy like me and 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 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? no, 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 free—minded parents. that's a very good description. one thing i didn't know, which i've learned since, is not only were you an anti—nuclear campaigner, you were a republican. you are against her majesty, the queen. i think it's fair to say that when i was in my youth i was a professional controversialist and i liked exploring ideas. stir things up. 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 were described 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 the free democracy. over time... you have 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. who in your youth was telling you what to do? 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... right people think this way? exactly. you gave a big speech this week. you use the phrase "fashionable circles". you said, "people talked fashionable circles about how we should be ashamed of our history and doubtful about her future." were you thinking back to those schoolteachers? yes, i had school teachers who would regularly have a go at margaret thatcher over the miner strikes. 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, the declaration and yet, prince charles was, as you know, at the declaration of barbados 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. crosstalk the transatlantic slave trade was completely l 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. increasingly aggressive authoritarian regimes. we see on the border of ukraine russian forces lined up. we're seeing china flex its economic muscles, not just 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 introspective and does give sucker to our adversary. and does give sucker to our adversaries. i understand the point. 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 saying that undermines our fight against communism and against president putin, are you? i believe in free speech on 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 people of britain, 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 real fights, actualfights, starting with the warnings we've heard all week's about the build—up of forces on ukraine's border from russia? do you really fear — and you recently met the russian forest minister — a hot war? i'm a great believer in deterrence, 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 huawei from our 5g network. but it's also about making sure we have the security deterrence and place. 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, 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. you said it was not in your mind as you sat in that tank? it is possibly the most famous photo of margaret thatcher. i'm a former agriculture secretary so i'm very fond of farmers. i think ithinki i think i also find you a photograph on top of a triumph for a wonderful triumphant motorbike. i think i also found a photograph of mrs thatcher on top of a triumph motorbike. are these all coincidences? i think they are, yes. really. yes. polls have you are top of their choice to replace the prime minister. let's see. interested, too, in this phrase — network of liberty. that's the name of your daughter, isn't it? it is. 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. and i think successful societies are based on giving people power over their own lives. yeah, and many people in the conservative party would agree with that, 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 outward facing inward 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 of the british people and say let's make the best of it? 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. and in particular, on foreign policy, we now have the ability to co—ordinate our development policy or trade policy or 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. they think god, well, she was wrong then and maybe she is wrong then and maybe she is wrong now. the way i see it is that i have, from being a child in a very — in a sort of left—wing family, i have thought about things from principles. so, i base my beliefs on the idea that successful societies give people freedom. and when people... 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 creat a free society, what are the institutions that achieve that, and there was a debate about whether or not mrs thatcher famously supported joining the european union, and thought that would be a good way of helping achieve her aims buttowards 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. to put it mildly! did you have a departmental christmas party last year? no. can you help us with a definition of what a party is? there seems some confusion. no, ican�*t, nick. 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 taciturn for straight talker. seriously, as a straight talker, what's the way out of this? crosstalk. the cabinet secretary is, i'm sure, investigating all these questions that you just asked, nick, 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, so that was my focus. he did not feel that all of your work necessarily needed a party to let down your hair? no, we were busy working. getting on with the job. wouldn't a planes because that it was obvious there was a party, let'sjust it was obvious there was a party, let's just say there was a party, move on, accept apologies if they are needed and get on the job. is that not the right thing to do? 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. one year ago. as a liberty lover, does it worry you? have you needed some convincing that this is the right thing to do? look, 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, nick, are 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. you know, 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. there is an awful lot on your plate. what do you say to those who say in the modern era — and they're not making a comment about you, this might have been truth for years if not decades — it's actually number 10, it's actually the prime minister, it is really about relationships between global leaders, not between foreign minister secretaries? 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. he is busy! 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. very good news. it is good news. has he got too much on, though? i don't think he does have too much on, 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 tojuggle now. two young babies in a flat in downing street. the covid crisis — a political crisis, ithink you would agree — this is a political crisis he faces. we've got working parents across britain who day in, day out, go and dojobs, sometimes work twojobs. is —— so they're capable of it, the prime minister of it and 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 bef 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's more. there's more reading to do on making sure childcare is affordable, more we need to do. in making sure workplaces are supportive of families. i asked the question for this reason and i hesitate as a man, a, and a man whose children have left home... crosstalk. maybe then don't ask a question. how difficult is it to do a job — to do a job that complex jon while 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 conservative mike party events. i think they're a bit more clued up on foreign policy — perhaps more 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 missile out of carpet roll. have you got your daughters to create a banner or a model ora...? 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 she probably tells my mother she's right when i'm not there, i imagine. do you think she'll reject your views in the way that you rejected your mother's? i don't reject all my mother's views. she does have some very good view down my views on education so i don't reject all of her views. but i want my children to think for themselves. i am happy that they are — that they are interested, they want to talk about these ideas and i am very, very relaxed about them taking different views for me. if they want to call in, 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 from being a junior minister to a leading candidate to replace borisjohnson, 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 addition of political thinking. thanks for watching. hello there. it was noticeably mild today right across the country, but particularly so for england and wales. now, we look to the north—west through this evening and overnight. this deep area of low pressure — small system but very vigorous, passing to the north—west of the uk — will bring a spell of gales to northern ireland and in towards scotland as well. stormy conditions for the hebrides and the northern clear the hebrides and the northern of scotland and nor ireland clear of scotland and northern ireland and blustery shells here, wintry on the hills, england and wales they cloudy with outbreaks of rain across into wales and it will be mild with double—figure values. that's the set up for monday, staying largely cloudy for much of england and wales and further outbreaks of rental mails into the default wales into the midlands, limited brightness. breezy here with sunshine, scattered showers, some wintry on the hills and caller than what it will be further south. as we move through the week high pressure begins to build and settles down and winds lighter but skies could turn grey and gloomy and because the problems with mist and fog by the end of the week. ——we could see problems. welcome to bbc news. our top stories: the search goes on, for survivors of the tornadoes which tore through six us states. more than 90 people are known to have been killed. my mother still doesn't know the house is gone and we're not going to tell her. reporter: why not? it'lljust break her heart. borisjohnson calls for an acceleraton of the covid booster programme, after warning the uk about a "tidal wave" of omicron infections. g7 foreign ministers condemn russia's build up of troops on the ukrainian border, as they end their conference in liverpool. on the last lap, of the last grand prix of the season, the dutchman max verstappen clinches his first formula one world championship, as he pips lewis hamilton. and, a bit of intel for you.

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