Liz Truss has been announced as the new Prime Minister of the UK, beating former Chancellor Rishi Sunak. The election was announced after Boris Johnson announced his resignation just under two months ago.
Ms Truss, the current foreign secretary, will be handed the keys to Number 10 Downing Street on Tuesday after Boris Johnson officially tenders his resignation in a meeting with the Queen at Balmoral. Ms Truss has been tipped as the new PM for many weeks now, but it was officially confirmed this afternoon after she gained just over 57 per cent of the vote among Conservative Party members.
Politicians across Greater Manchester have been quick to react to the news with Tory supporters calling for unity among party members after what has often been a divisive contest, and Labour supporters pointing to the many significant challenges Ms Truss faces. Most notably spiralling energy prices, the cost-of-living crisis, the continuing crises facing the NHS, and the war in Ukraine.
READ MORE: Everything Liz Truss has said about energy bills help and cost of living
Mark Logan, who was elected to Bolton North East in 2019 on a slim majority, quoted Ms Truss's acceptance speech alongside a picture with the new PM. He said: "Deliver, Deliver, Deliver. For Bolton, For Bolton, For Bolton. Congratulations to the new Leader, @trussliz. We’re ready to hit the ground running and I will make sure that our new Prime Minister is no stranger to Bolton (she’s already been once this year!)"
Chris Clarkson, who was voted in for Heywood and Middleton in 2019 too, said: "Congratulations @trussliz, the next Prime Minister and leader of the @Conservatives. It's time to unite and get on with addressing the important issues our country faces."
James Daly, MP for Bury North, said: "A huge congratulations to @trussliz on her election as leader of the Conservative party."
Mary Robinson, MP for Cheadle, said: "I would like to congratulate @trussliz, the new Leader of the @Conservatives and the next Prime Minister! It's time to unite and address the important issues our country faces."
Angela Rayner, deputy leader of the Labour Party and MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, was one of many MPs to retweet the Labour video with a recording of Ms Truss criticising British workers as unproductive. Also during her acceptance speech she said: "This is all painfully awkward and stale."
Bolton South East MP, Yasmin Qureshi, called for an immediate election, saying 'God help us all'. "So 81,000 people have selected our next Prime Minister to be Liz Truss (god help us all). We need a general election and we need one now," she said.
Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, was much harsher in his criticism of not just Ms Truss, but the Conservative government's record since 2010. He said: "Remember, this is NOT a new government. It will be the same faces rearranged. Deckchairs moved as Great Britain sinks. It’s time for real change."
Afzal Khan, Labour MP for Gorton, who was particularly critical of Boris Johnson during the partygate scandal as he lost family members during the Covid-19 pandemic, retweeted the Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, who said: "All Liz Truss can offer is more deceit, division and distraction. The time is up for the Tories. We need a General Election - only Labour can replace them."
Manchester Central Labour MP, Lucy Powell, said: "New leader, same problems. Wrong ideas, wrong direction. A different face doesn’t change that."
MP for Stalybridge and Hyde, Jonathan Reynolds, pointed out that Ms Truss was voted in on only 47 per cent of eligible Tory member voters and it was the closest leadership ballot the party has had. He Tweeted in response to it being the closest poll: "Quite a twist on the prevailing narrative going into today. Interesting on many levels."
Barbara Keeley, MP for Worsley and Eccles South, shared a Labour Party video of Ms Truss criticising British workers as unproductive saying: "Here is what Liz Truss, the third Conservative Prime Minister in three years, really thinks about working people."
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer tweeted: “I’d like to congratulate our next prime minister Liz Truss as she prepares for office. But after 12 years of the Tories all we have to show for it is low wages, high prices, and a Tory cost-of-living crisis. Only Labour can deliver the fresh start our country needs.”
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