Liz Truss ‘would be too busy’ as PM to think about Downing Street wallpaper

The Foreign Secretary joked she will not have time to think about changing the wallpaper in Downing Street if elected Prime Minister.

The controversial refurbishment of Boris Johnson’s official Downing Street flat has been a source of mockery and criticism for the Prime Minister (Dominic Lipinski/PA) (PA Wire)

Liz Truss has joked she will not have time to think about changing the wallpaper in Downing Street if she is elected prime minister.

The quip, a reference to Boris Johnson’s controversial refurbishment of his official Downing Street flat, came as the Foreign Secretary prepares to face off against rival Rishi Sunak in the last round of the Conservative leadership contest.

Ms Truss and the former chancellor will now face a vote of Tory Party members, after a series of ballots by Conservative MPs narrowed the contest down to the final two candidates.

Appearing on GB News, she was asked if she plans to remove the infamous gold wallpaper, reportedly part of the controversial overhaul which prompted questions about how the renovations were funded.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss celebrates with supporters after making it to the final of the Tory leadership contest along with Rishi Sunak (Stefan Rousseau/PA) (PA Wire)

Recent reports suggested that the revamp could have cost around £200,000, prompting jokes in some quarters over the fate of any plush wallpaper now that Mr Johnson is set to leave No 10.

Ms Truss appeared to get in on the act, telling the programme that, if elected Tory leader by party members, she will not have time to think about such things.

“I’m not going to have the time to be thinking about the wallpaper in No 10, because we’ve only got two years until the general election – we need to hit the ground running,” she said.

She told the same programme she is a fan of 1980s music, with I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston her go-to karaoke song.