People call on Liz Truss to delete ‘RIP Jimmy Savile’ tweet still up after 11 years

People are calling on Liz Truss to delete an old tweet mourning the death of Jimmy Savile.

Amid the news that the 47-year-old defeated Rishi Sunak in the vote to succeed Boris Johnson as the leader of the Conservative Party, the message did the rounds online.

Savile died in October 2011 at the age of 84, having never been brought to justice for the hundreds of sexual assault claims against him.

A number of people have criticised the UK's new Prime Minister for not removing the tribute following his death, which reads: "Used to see Jimmy Savile at the Flying Pizza on Street Lane, Roundhay. Always in good spirits. RIP."

While retweeting the post, one wrote: "This excellent judge of character is about to pick the cabinet."

Another said: "If I was prime minister I would think about deleting my 'I’m sad the notorious paedophile has died' tweet."

"Liz Truss saying RIP at the demise of Jimmy Savile. I'm actually speechless," added a third.

While a fourth wrote: "And on today's edition of 'Things that aged like a bucket of prawns in the sun'..."

"Imagine becoming #PM of the #UK & not deleting a few #tweets that really didn’t age well first," commented a fifth.

10 Downing Street had no comment to add at this time.

Yesterday, 5 September, Truss was announced as the winner of the Tory leadership race by chairman of the 1922 Committee Sir Graham Brady.

Speaking after the result, Truss, who is the third female prime minister in the country's history, said she was proud of the contest and thanked the 'outgoing leader and my friend, Boris Johnson'.

She added: "We all will deliver for our country and I will make sure that we use all the fantastic talents of the Conservative Party, our brilliant Members of Parliament and peers, our fantastic councillors, our MSs, our MSPs, all of our councillors and activists and members right across our country.

"Because my friends, I know that we will deliver, we will deliver and we will deliver. And we will deliver a great victory for the Conservative Party in 2024."

But despite her popularity among a select number of Tory members, many are apprehensive about how she is going to deal with the growing cost-of-living crisis.

A government source suggested Truss may introduce a freeze on energy bills as one of her first duties as PM, although this is yet to be confirmed.

Featured Image Credit: Uwe Deffner/Alamy Stock Photo/Allstar Picture Library/Alamy Stock Photo

Topics: Politics, UK News, Twitter

Daisy Phillipson

Daisy graduated from Kingston University with a degree in Magazine Journalism, writing a thesis on the move from print to digital publishing. Continuing this theme, she has written for a range of online publications including Digital Spy and Little White Lies, with a particular passion for TV and film. Contact her on [email protected]

@DaisyWebb77