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Former Prime Minister Liz Truss is once again at the center of a public debate, this time for her appearance at the launch of Joyce's Irish Whiskey, a brand founded by bare-knuckle fighter Dougie Joyce, who has a history of violent convictions, including a 19-month jail sentence for punching a 78-year-old man. The event, held last month at Scunthorpe United's stadium, saw Ms. Truss pictured alongside Mr. Joyce and featuring in a promotional video where she echoed his catchphrase, "Liz Truss loves you," after he declared, "Just remember, Dougie Joyce loves ya."
Mr. Joyce, 36, a prominent figure in the Traveller community who once aspired to be "the next Tyson Fury," received his 2023 sentence for grievous bodily harm, during which he repeatedly punched the pensioner in the face while wearing a "large gold pyramid-style ring" that caused "significant injury." Detective Constable Natalie Hollows at the time described him as "an aggressive and violent man who intended to intimidate and inflict pain on a vulnerable 78 year-old man." He later served an additional 13-month sentence for violent disorder following a separate family dispute.
While a source close to Ms. Truss confirmed she was not paid for her attendance, a spokesperson for the former prime minister defended her presence by stating she aimed "to support the people working to regenerate the town and Scunthorpe FC," adding, "I thought the Government believed in the rehabilitation of offenders."
However, Ms. Truss's involvement has raised eyebrows, with one source telling The Sun, which first reported the story, that she "either doesn’t understand the implications or doesn’t care. Either way, this is a serious lapse." Mr. Joyce, who previously declined a role on My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, publicly expressed gratitude for Ms. Truss's "tremendous support" on Instagram, stating her presence "added a distinguished touch to the occasion."
This latest engagement is part of a series of ventures for Ms. Truss since her brief tenure as Prime Minister in 2022. Having lost her parliamentary seat in the 2024 general election, she has remained active on the public and political stage.
In April 2024, Ms. Truss released her memoir, Ten Years to Save the West: Lessons from the only conservative in the room. The book, which became a Sunday Times bestseller, offers her perspective on her time in government and advocates for her conservative principles, often criticizing the "deep state" and what she perceives as a "tyranny of the technocracy."
She has also been a key figure in the "Popular Conservatism" movement, a new right-wing faction within the Conservative Party. This has involved frequent media appearances and speeches, both domestically and internationally, where she continues to champion her low-tax, growth-focused agenda.
Internationally, Ms. Truss has maintained a high profile. She has delivered speeches at various conferences, including the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in America, where in February 2023, she infamously asked Donald Trump's one-time chief White House strategist Steve Bannon whether "once you’ve sorted out America, you can come over to Britain and sort us out." She has also undertaken trips to Japan, Taiwan, and other nations, advocating for a more "muscular" Western foreign policy, particularly concerning China. These overseas engagements have often included lucrative speaking fees.
More recently, Ms. Truss announced plans to establish a "new free speech network," which she claims will be "uncensored and un-cancellable," stemming from her belief that certain institutions, including media outlets, are suppressing freedom of speech in the UK. This announcement was made at a cryptocurrency conference in Bradford.
While Ms. Truss's allies emphasize her commitment to regenerating towns and supporting rehabilitation, her varied post-premiership activities continue to fuel debate about the role and responsibilities of former leaders and the nature of their public engagements.
