Britain's new PM faces an 80s playlist: recession, unrest and runaway prices

A general view of products available in the Runcorn and District Foodbank in Old Town, in Runcorn, Britain August 12, 2022. REUTERS/Craig Brough

RUNCORN, England (Reuters) - Britain's prime minister in waiting Liz Truss models herself on Margaret Thatcher, judging by her photo ops echoing famous images of the country's first female premier.

If Truss becomes leader of the ruling party on Monday as is widely expected, she'll need all the grit and guile of the Iron Lady as she walks into a scene straight out of the 1980s: a looming recession, industrial unrest and urban decay.