Scotland’s First Minister has said a general election is a “democratic imperative” after Liz Truss announced her resignation with another prime minister to be in place within a week. The Prime Minister announced on Thursday she would be standing down after less than two months in office, with a successor to be appointed in a week-long contest.
Following the Downing Street statement from Ms Truss, Nicola Sturgeon said it would be “ordinary people” who would be hit worst by the “utter shambles” at Westminster.
Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross, who told the BBC last week he believed the Prime Minister could win the next general election, urged the party to move quickly to appoint a new leader. He said: “I wish Liz Truss and her family well. She has made a tough choice but it is the right decision.”
On Twitter, Ms Sturgeon said: “There are no words to describe this utter shambles adequately. It’s beyond hyperbole – & parody. Reality tho is that ordinary people are paying the price.
“The interests of the Tory party should concern no-one right now. A general election is now a democratic imperative.”
The Prime Minister left office without officially meeting with any of her devolved counterparts. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: “It is right that Liz Truss has resigned. But, in truth, this entire Tory Government has to go.
“The next Tory leader will have no mandate to be Prime Minister – we need a general election now.”
Mr Ross added: “We must now move forward quickly and the new Leader and Prime Minister will have to restore stability for the good of the country."
Scottish Greens co-leader, and Scottish Government minister, Patrick Harvie, said the Prime Minister’s tenure was “a disaster and a farce”, saying it made the case for Scottish independence.
“It’s not just Liz Truss that is totally unfit for office. After inflicting Boris Johnson on the country, and then handing the country over to the dark money think tanks, it is clear that the whole of the Conservative Party represents a clear and present danger to Scotland and the whole UK,” he said.
“The Tories talk about the importance of stability, but, since the 2014 referendum, Scotland has endured four Tory Prime Ministers that we didn’t vote for and couldn’t remove. Whoever replaces Liz Truss will be the fifth.
“We can’t go on with wave after wave of Tory chaos. With independence, Scotland can take a different path and end this Tory circus for good. We can build a fairer, greener and better future as an independent country in Europe.”
