The shock move by new finance chief Jeremy Hunt, parachuted into the job on Friday to replace sacked Kwasi Kwarteng, leaves Truss' position in a precarious state after a series of embarrassing U-turns.

He also distanced Labour from Corbyn, particularly on foreign policy, even describing the party as the “political wing of the British people” — a catchphrase from former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair, a hate figure for the Corbynites.