LONDON (AFP) – One is Liz Truss, Britain’s former foreign secretary and now prime minister. The other is Liz Trussell, an ordinary Twitter user.
But having up snapped up the @Liztruss Twitter handle more than a decade ago, the “other Liz Truss” has suddenly found herself bombarded with messages intended for Downing Street’s newest resident, whose handle is @trussliz.
Sweden’s Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson was among those who managed to mistakenly congratulate Trussell, who has been revelling in the confusion, firing back with wisecracks and jokes.
“Congratulations to Liz Truss,” Andersson wrote, adding that “Sweden and Great Britain will continue our deep and extensive cooperation”.
“Looking forward to a visit soon!” Trussell replied. “Get the meatballs ready.”
Among others to get the two mixed up – after Truss won the contest to be the new Conservative Party leader and replace Boris Johnson as premier – were MP and Green Party leader Caroline Lucas.
Lucas berated Truss in her tweet for being a “right wing ideologue” and predicting her tenure in number 10 would be a “disaster for all of us”.
She later apologised, adding that Trussell would “probably make a better job” of leading the country.
“I’m in! Vegas for everybody,” responded Trussell, who has around 3,400 followers compared to Truss’ over 360,000.
Trussell, whose Twitter photo shows her in high spirits dressed in a pink party dress, has certainly been enjoying her moment in the limelight.
Observers likened it to the annual Christmas mix-up involving the British department store John Lewis and an American man who shares his name.
After Truss was accused on Twitter of snubbing her rival for the Tory leadership Rishi Sunak by not shaking his hand before her victory speech, Trussell explained she had been busy at a restaurant.
“Sorry, I was in Nandos,” she responded.
And her humorous responses have won her plenty of admirers, with one local politician proposing a petition in her support.
