Nottinghamshire's political and business leaders have revealed their thoughts on Liz Truss as the United Kingdom's new Prime Minister. While the country's new Conservative leader and successor to Boris Johnson has stated her number on priority will be tackling the soaring costs of living, some in Nottinghamshire remain less than convinced.
For just over a month Conservative Party candidates have battled it out in an attempt to succeed Mr Johnson, who never quite managed to leave a long-lasting and sizeable mark on Nottinghamshire, and it is Mrs Truss who came out the victor. Ultimately she pipped former chancellor Rishi Sunak to the finish line, with Tory Party members having decided she will be the best bet on pushing the country out of record-breaking difficulties in the economy.
From soaring costs at the pumps to inflation reaching a record-high 10% people across the UK had been left in desperation for five long weeks while a new leader was chosen. This is the case for many in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, where deprivation remains a prevalent problem for thousands.
READ MORE: 5 things new PM Liz Truss could do when she gets into office
Within the first week Mrs Truss is expected to reveal her plans for the most pressing issues, particularly the soon-to-be catastrophic energy price cap hike. Some of Nottingham's political leaders are sceptical, however.
David Mellen, the Labour leader of Nottingham City Council and Dales ward councillor, condemned her historic descriptions of working Brits, who she said were some of the worst "idlers" in the world. He said: "There is no indication that anything will get any better.
"This has been a Conservative Government which has ignored local government and the important part they play in the local economy.
"The first thing she said today was she was going to cut taxes, but there are many people in Nottingham who are not on taxes. She is not at all aligned for the needs of the people of Nottingham.
"She could do well with getting out of the Westminster bubble and listening to real people and hearing what they have to say. Her Government needs to equip the council to do things we need to do."
Similarly Nadia Whittome, the Labour MP for Nottingham East, echoed councillor Mellen's thoughts. She adds: "After 12 years of Tory rule we have stagnant wages, a housing crisis, decimated public services and now the worst cost of living crisis in Western Europe. Yet another government for the rich is the last thing we need."
Conservatives outside of the Labour stronghold in the city however have high hopes for their new leader. Bassetlaw's Tory MP Brendan Clarke-Smith, who was a teacher in Aspley and grew up on a council estate in Clifton, says: "I’m delighted Liz Truss has been elected as the new Conservative leader. I think she is the right person to unite the party and to deliver on the issues people have told us are the most important to them.
"My constituents want to see more money back in the pockets of hard working people and that’s why growing the economy is so vital to tackling the cost of living. I am confident that Liz Truss is the best person to lead us in delivering on this."
Gedling Conservative councillor Sam Smith, who represents Trent Valley and is also the chief whip of the Conservative Group in Gedling Borough Council,, congratulated Mrs Truss alongside Mike Adams, who represents the same ward.
Councillor Smith says: "Congratulations Liz Truss on being elected Leader of the Conservatives and our next Prime Minister. Time to get on with the job and deliver, deliver, deliver for Nottinghamshire and the UK."
But significant doubt does remain in the north. Ashfield Independent Leader of Ashfield District Council, councillor Jason Zadrozny, added: "Let’s not pretend that Liz Truss presents a fresh start for the Conservatives. Her first job will be to pretend that she had nothing to do with the previous Government. This is despite her being in Boris’s gang.
"The same people who presided over untold corruption, failure and misery. She has been part of a Government that has been in power for 12 years.
"Liz Truss has a lot to do to prove she is not Boris Johnson with a wig and a bit of lip stick. People in Ashfield want her to start to deal with the cost of living crisis, freeze energy caps and start to get to grips with the cost of living crisis.”
And for business leaders in the county they have emphasised action is now needed "sooner rather than later". Many have before argued certainty is needed, particularly on huge infrastructure projects such as HS2 and, more recently, a devolution deal for Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
David Findlay, Nottingham's director for commercial property company, JLL said: "Businesses in the East Midlands will be hoping Liz Truss’ confirmation as Prime Minister signals a return to the priorities set out by this Government in 2019.
"Ensuring the £1.14bn devolution deal signed last week is delivered upon will be top of the wish list for many as a means of levelling up the region, but it’s not the only ask they’ll have.
"Companies in the East Midlands also need the confidence to invest to grow in the coming years. Only by seeing a significant spending uptick in infrastructure, transport links, education and Net Zero schemes in the region will firms feel able to recruit and commit to the East Midlands as a base for business in the long run. A new government means a fresh start, but action is needed sooner rather than later.”
The chief executive of Ruddington-headquartered global software business Ideagen, Ben Dorks, adds: “The immediate focus for the new Prime Minister has to be the cost-of-living crisis, which is impacting every inch of society. Longer term I’d like to see policies that enable British businesses to remain competitive globally, leading to jobs and growth, plus a commitment to initiatives that promote greater social mobility and aspiration for young people, especially those from lower income communities.”
East Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles also says: “We would hope to see an immediate announcement that energy bills will be frozen at an affordable level for both households and businesses. Exclusively tackling residential energy bills would only solve half of the problem as businesses are being forced to raise their prices in response to the increasing costs they face in energy, fuel, people and raw materials.
“There is currently no energy price cap for businesses and this must be urgently addressed if our economy is to prosper, while in the long term we hope Ms Truss's administration in collaboration will work with businesses to create a long-term solution to the various challenges we face.
“Going forward, we hope to see a genuine commitment to levelling up by investing in regions like the East Midlands, which has been left behind the rest of the UK when it comes to public investment for far too long. There is fantastic untapped potential in our region and we would be only too happy to welcome the Prime Minister to show her what we can offer our country.”
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