Liz Truss boasted about phoning Australia and got taken down (under) – our 11 favourite reactions

Oonagh Keating. Updated August 2nd, 2019

The new Trade Minister, Liz Truss, has been having a bad week on social media as a clip of a rather odd speech she gave has been coming in for considerable scorn. See if you can understand why.

While this clip of new Trade Secretary Liz Truss has been picked apart many a time, my absolute favourite element is the repeated, awkward moments in which the drones in the audience apparently forget they're supposed to be applauding this shit.pic.twitter.com/ZXh3koFKyY

— Graham Lithgow (@grahamlithgow) August 1, 2019

At least the comedy community needn’t worry about her stealing their jobs. Just to make things worse for herself, she tweeted this triumphant announcement about *checks notes* doing the bare minimum her position requires.

First call with Australian Trade Minister @Birmo and it's clear we are on same page. Both totally committed to getting a free trade deal done ASAP. Will be visiting Australia soon to get the ball rolling.#ReadyToTrade #TradeDownUnder #FreeTradeUK 🇬🇧 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/nhI2SmurXs

— Liz Truss (@trussliz) July 31, 2019

If she expected the plaudits to come rolling in, she was sadly mistaken.

I wouldnt trust this woman to order me a pizza. https://t.co/wLud5eh69L

— Brian Moore (@brianmoore666) August 1, 2019

'Quick, take a photo. Make it look like I have a clue what the fuck I'm doing. https://t.co/1em2QLuHF3

— Evans (@Mativenko80) July 31, 2019

Can your next trade deal be with someone who’ll swap a massive flag for a fucking computer please, your office setup is making me think we might be up shit creek here.

— James Felton (@JimMFelton) August 1, 2019

As if anybody who has ever worked at a desk has a desk that looks like that. https://t.co/yBLfvmTiOA

— Polly Polak (@PolakPolly) August 1, 2019

You couldn't find a country further away?
Brexit idiocy. https://t.co/sWB8VLg5fv

— Marcello Ruffini #FBPE (@MarcelloRuffini) August 1, 2019

That’s great. But as many of us have been inconveniently pointing out for the last three years, Australia accounts for under 2% of UK trade…. https://t.co/VkXBDTJ0XV

— Simon Fraser (@SimonFraser00) July 31, 2019

Hooray. Let's abandon the deal with our close neighbors and make one with #australia, almost the furthest away point. Perhaps we can get some strong unicorns to drag it to the Atlantic to make things easier (apologise for the weather in advance though.. ) #trade #nodeal https://t.co/69NDnoyhaK

— Simon Bye 🔶 (@UB5simon) July 31, 2019

Are you seriously going to post this sort of banal nonsense from every country you visit. Liam Fox did exactly the same and delivered squat.

Doesn’t matter how many times you tweet such stuff, no one believes you… or if they do I have some magic beans to sell them!

— Jon Hannah 🔸 #FBPE #Peoplesvote (@JCHannah77) July 31, 2019

"It's a long distance from Wellington, New Zealand minister."

"It sure is." [Puts phone down.]#liztruss pic.twitter.com/JACMsOOy4j

— Andy Gillandi (@AndrewSmelt) August 1, 2019

10.

Actually given you are a government which is apparently commited to reaching your carbon neutral targets I would rather you focused on those markets closer to home. Like that rather large one just across the channel…you know, the one that starts with E and ends with E.

— Half Woman Half Mince Pie (@strandedatsea) July 31, 2019

11.

Don't rush back.

— stabilo (@stabiloFFC) August 1, 2019

Labour MP, Jonathan Reynolds thought he sensed the start of a pattern.

Tune in tomorrow when Liz sends a fax to New Zealand https://t.co/rf49qlsS6f

— Jonathan Reynolds (@jreynoldsMP) August 1, 2019

It might be the only way Dominic Raab can learn the names of other countries.