Hampshire people react to Liz Truss being named as new Prime Minister

The former Foreign Secretary will replace the outgoing Boris Johnson after pipping Rishi Sunak to the post after a Conservative leadership contest.

She won with 81, 326 votes. 

The announcement came today at the QEII Conference Centre in central London on the same day Parliament returns.

Meon Valley MP Flick Drummond said: "I congratulate Liz on winning the leadership election and on becoming the third woman Prime Minister of this country.

"She has my full support in addressing the considerable challenges the country faces with the cost of living, energy security and the war in Ukraine.

"There are difficult times ahead for us all. However, Liz is a talented and experienced leader who has made it clear she will act quickly to address energy price rises, which I know everyone in Hampshire is very concerned about.

READ MORE: Liz Truss named next Prime Minister of UK beating Rishi Sunak to replace Boris Johnson

"The key now is to assemble a good team around her and to hit the ground running. We need to protect the economy and jobs in the months ahead."

Romsey MP Caroline Nokes said: "I very much hope the new Prime Minister turns her attention immediately to the cost of living crisis how it is impacting families and individuals but also the wider impact on businesses, community organisations and the public sector all of whom fall outside the energy price cap. I have no doubt this will be her number one priority and I'm looking forward to her making public her plans." 

Winchester MP Steve Brine said: “Congratulations to Liz who has won a clear majority among party members. I think everyone, for the sake of our country whatever their partisan views, must wish her well and hope she succeeds in what are undoubtedly tough times.”

Danny Chambers, Lib Dem MP candidate for Winchester, said: "Instead of tackling this cost of living crisis, the Conservative MPs and government have instead spent the summer focusing on a long, drawn out leadership contest while Boris Johnson went on two foreign holidays. 

"During this contest Liz Truss repeatedly stated her support of Boris Johnson while offering up no ideas to tackle the big issues of the day. 

"People are none the wiser on whether government will help cover the extreme rises in energy costs, or whether they will take any action to prevent water companies dumping sewage, or whether they’ll provide serious help to tackle the record NHS waiting times.

"It's becoming increasingly clear that the Conservatives are seriously out of touch and out of ideas, and that people in Hampshire deserve a serious government for serious times. 

“Liberal Democrats have been proposing solutions to tackle the energy crisis to support families and businesses. I strongly urge our local MPs here in Hampshire to put party politics aside and pressure Liz Truss to implement the Lib Dem proposals before it is too late.”

Ross McNally, Hampshire Chamber’s chief executive and executive chairman, said: “We congratulate Liz Truss on her campaign to become PM, wish her well and call on her to begin tackling the huge challenges we face straight away. That means getting a firm grip on spiralling inflation and making an immediate intervention to help households and businesses with the unsustainable cost pressures around energy bills. At the same time, she must lead a comprehensive change in how we invest in energy supply and security over the long term. The future has to be both sustainable and based on home supply rather than too much dependence on the variables of global markets. More widely, she must look to develop the national and international partnerships that will create and maintain a world beating economy that drives inward investment, global trade, innovation, enterprise and skills. Many of the issues we face today haven’t arisen uniquely from the impacts of Covid and the war but are longstanding from yet unrealised ambition and flexibility over decades. She needs to articulate a clear vision and plan for how Brexit can deliver for the economy and how businesses here can benefit from trade deals around the world. The new PM must also ensure there is ready access to suitable business finance so our members and firms across the country can stay afloat, return to meeting their growth ambitions and move rapidly towards a clean growth future. Any announcements on tax cuts for business should be all about encouraging the scope for investment.” 

Defeated Tory leadership contender Rishi Sunak said: “It’s right we now unite behind the new PM, Liz Truss, as she steers the country through difficult times.”

Helen and Steve Thackery, on holiday from East Yorkshire. Helen, a civil servant, said: "I'm glad it's her out of the two in the running. She'll probably make the better job as she has a business background.

"I think people were quick to judge Boris as they didn't look at the big picture. He did get us through Brexit and Covid and other countries weren't looked after by things like furlough."

Muhammad Amir, O2 worker from Winchester, aged 40 said: "Basically I was looking for a lesser evil, but I don't think there was an option for that. 

"Based on her pledges and promises she seems no better but we'll see. Until I see a reflection on them following through on their empty promises will I believe what they say."

Rachel East, 51, from Winchester: "I don't really follow what's going on, the news is too depressing.

"But if she's going to put the cost of everything up I definitely need to look into her.

"I think this country is bankrupt and they keep using covid as an excuse.

"She might be better, I'd like to think so I'm all for girl power and strong women. Men see strong women as a threat."

Tomorrow, Boris Johnson is expected to officially leave his office and tender his resignation to the Queen, alongside the new PM.

Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the Queen,94, will receive Mr Johnson on Tuesday, September 6 at her private Highlands home in Balmoral for the first time.

Usually, the formal occasion is held at Buckingham Palace but in a break in tradition, both the incoming and outgoing leaders will take the trip to Her Majesty's summer home.

When meeting the monarch, Liz Truss will be invited to form a government and they will assume their duties shortly afterwards.