For Liz Truss, there was one final ignominy after her premiership came crashing down in six catastrophic weeks: she was outlasted by a lettuce.
Ms Truss has been in a race with the rotting vegetable since The Economist remarked on October 11 that her shelf life was proving shorter than that of a lettuce.
In a comedy stunt, the Daily Star made the metaphor into reality by setting up a live stream of a head of lettuce, decorated with a wig, next to a photo of Ms Truss.
“Will Liz Truss outlast this lettuce?,” was the strapline for seven days as Ms Truss's authority spectacularly collapsed.
After Ms Truss announced her resignation, her photo was placed face down, “God Save The King” rang out and the strapline read: “This lettuce outlasted Liz Truss”.
A plate of tofu was added to the table this week after former home secretary Suella Braverman launched a bizarre attack on the “tofu-eating wokerati” she said were behind climate protests.
The stunt provided some comic relief for Britons as they watched their government fall to pieces for the second time in the space of four months.
“The lettuce beat Liz for longevity,” said opposition Labour MP Stella Creasy, one of several politicians to join in the joke.
“Britain deserves so much better. We must have a general election now and give the public a say in how to fix this mess,” she said.
Former Conservative MP Alistair Burt also responded to the joke in good humour, saying: “I think we are very lucky to live in a country where the people live-stream a lettuce rather than march on Parliament.”
Liz Truss resigns — in pictures
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Liz Truss announces her resignation as UK Prime Minister outside 10 Downing Street in London. 'The National' looks at her brief time in power. PA -

Chairman of the 1922 Committee Sir Graham Brady speaks to the media in London following Liz Truss's announcement of her resignation. Reuters -

Liz Truss and her husband Hugh O'Leary walk back inside 10 Downing Street following her resignation statement. AFP -

Liz Truss during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons in London, addressing Parliament for the first time since abandoning her disastrous tax-slashing economic policies. AFP -

Liz Truss speaks to Grant Shapps at Downing Street as he is appointed Home Secretary, after the resignation of Suella Braverman. Photo: Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street -

A mural by artist Ciaran Gallagher in Belfast is updated to reflect Liz Truss's current political troubles. PA -

Britain's new Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt announcing tax and spending measures at the House of Commons in London, with Liz Truss sitting on the bench behind him. AFP -

Liz Truss gives a speech after sacking Kwasi Kwarteng as chancellor of the exchequer. Reuters -

A protest by climate change group Extinction Rebellion in central London. Ms Truss has said the group is part of an 'anti-growth coalition' with trade unions and the main opposition Labour Party. AFP -

Ms Truss has come under increasing pressure during her short time as prime minister. AFP -

An Extinction Rebellion protest outside Downing Street on the day Mr Kwarteng was removed from the government. AP -

Ms Truss with members of the England women's football team and the European Championship trophy in Teddington, south-west London. Getty -

Ms Truss arrives for a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in the Czech Republic. AP -

Ms Truss and her husband Hugh O'Leary wave after her keynote speech at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham. AP -

Liz Truss gives a speech at the Conservative Party Conference. EPA -

Ms Truss meets with Mr Kwarteng, chancellor of the exchequer at the time. Photo: Andrew Parsons / CCHQ -

Ms Truss and Mr Kwarteng visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham. AFP -

Ms Truss meets US President Joe Biden for talks at the UN headquarters in New York. PA -

Ms Truss delivers a speech at the 77th session of the General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York. AP -

The British prime minister holds a bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in New York. Reuters -

Ms Truss meets French President Emmanuel Macron at the UN headquarters in New York. Reuters -

Ms Truss speaks to the media during her visit to the Empire State building in New York. AP -

Britain's new leader speaks during the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth at Westminster Abbey, London. PA -

Ms Truss and her husband Hugh O'Leary observe a minute's silence at Number 10 Downing Street following the death of the queen. Reuters -

Britain's Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer and Ms Truss leave after a service for the reception of Queen Elizabeth's coffin at Westminster Hall in the Palace of Westminster. AFP -

Ms Truss joins the Speaker Lindsay Hoyle and selected MPs to take the oath and swear allegiance to King Charles III in the House of Commons chamber. PA -

King Charles during his first audience with Ms Truss at Buckingham Palace, London, following the death of Queen Elizabeth. Getty Images -

Ms Truss gives a reading during a service of prayer and reflection, following the passing of Queen Elizabeth, at St Paul's Cathedral in London. Getty Images -

The British prime minister makes a statement outside 10 Downing Street in London following the queen's death. Bloomberg -

Ms Truss speaking during her first weekly Prime Minister's Questions session at the House of Commons in London. AFP -

Front pages of a selection of British national newspapers, each leading with a story about Ms Truss becoming Britain's new prime minister. AFP -

People walk past an image in central London of Ms Truss on the side of a protest bus calling for a citizens' assembly. Reuters -

Ms Truss holds her first Cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street. Reuters -

Ms Truss speaks at Downing Street on the day she took over as prime minister from Boris Johnson. EPA -

Ms Truss poses with her husband Hugh O'Leary at Downing Street before entering as prime minister for the first time. EPA -

Ms Truss is welcomed by staff in Downing Street as she enters the famous prime ministerial offices for the first time. Andrew Parsons / No 10 Downing Street -

New Health Secretary Therese Coffey and Number 10 staff shelter from a downpour as they wait for Ms Truss to arrive in Downing Street. PA -

Liz Truss makes a speech outside 10 Downing Street, London, after meeting Queen Elizabeth II and accepting her invitation to become prime minister and form a new government. PA -

Queen Elizabeth II greets the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party, Ms Truss, at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. The queen invited Ms Truss to become prime minister and form a new government. Getty Images
The Economist's article was titled “The Iceberg Lady”, a parody of the “Iron Lady” moniker applied to Ms Truss's favourite predecessor, Margaret Thatcher.
Ms Truss's departure, expected in the next week once a new Tory leader is chosen, will make her the shortest serving prime minister in British history.
Appointed on September 6, she oversaw the mourning period for Queen Elizabeth II but never recovered from a disastrous mini-budget that alienated voters, MPs and investors.
The previous shortest-serving Prime Minister, George Canning, died in office in 1827 after 119 days in power.
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
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At a glance - Zayed Sustainability Prize 2020
Launched: 2008
Categories: Health, energy, water, food, global high schools
Prize: Dh2.2 million (Dh360,000 for global high schools category)
Winners’ announcement: Monday, January 13
Impact in numbers
335 million people positively impacted by projects
430,000 jobs created
10 million people given access to clean and affordable drinking water
50 million homes powered by renewable energy
6.5 billion litres of water saved
26 million school children given solar lighting
UAE%20Warriors%2045%20Results
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
The%20specs
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Asia Cup Qualifier
Venue: Kuala Lumpur
Result: Winners play at Asia Cup in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in September
Fixtures:
Wed Aug 29: Malaysia v Hong Kong, Nepal v Oman, UAE v Singapore
Thu Aug 30: UAE v Nepal, Hong Kong v Singapore, Malaysia v Oman
Sat Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong, Oman v Singapore, Malaysia v Nepal
Sun Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman, Malaysia v UAE, Nepal v Singapore
Tue Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore, UAE v Oman, Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu Sep 6: Final
Asia Cup
Venue: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Schedule: Sep 15-28
Teams: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, plus the winner of the Qualifier
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
THE SPECS
Aston Martin Rapide AMR
Engine: 6.0-litre V12
Transmission: Touchtronic III eight-speed automatic
Power: 595bhp
Torque: 630Nm
Price: Dh999,563
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer


