UK PM hopeful Truss on back foot as poll lead shrinks

British Conservative Liz Truss's leadership campaign faced its first serious peril yesterday as she was forced into a policy U-turn and came under fierce fire in Scotland, against the backdrop of a shrinking poll lead.

The foreign secretary was accused of insulting the government in Edinburgh after she alleged First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was an "attention seeker" for agitating for Scottish independence, and recommended to "ignore her".