Liz Truss to become PM: North Wales MPs and MSs react

Today (September 5), the foreign secretary won 81,326 votes (57.4 per cent) of Tory members to the former chancellor, Rishi Sunak’s 60,399 (42.6 per cent), in the race to become PM and leader of the Conservative Party.

She will replace Boris Johnson, who is due to announce his resignation to the Queen tomorrow; shortly after which, Ms Truss will be appointed as the new Prime Minister.

Liz Saville Roberts, Plaid Cymru MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, said Ms Truss’ first order of business must be to “slash energy bills”.

In her victory speech, Ms Truss pledged to "deliver on the energy crisis" by dealing with costs and supplies, and is expected to freeze some energy bills.

An announcement on what they will do is due to be made on Thursday.

Mrs Saville Roberts said: “The new Prime Minister’s refusal to commit to concrete action on energy bills for weeks has made permanent damage to the UK government’s credibility ahead of a catastrophic crisis.

“Her cruel fantasy economics will secure her fate as the UK’s last Prime Minister.

“Let’s now skip the tedious pomp and ceremony – the first action of the new PM must be to slash energy bills by returning the energy price cap to pre-April levels and extend it to small businesses and charities.

“It is unacceptable that people are still in the dark about how they’ll pay their bills in a matter of weeks.

“While Westminster has been paralysed by a tedious Tory tit-for-tat, in Wales we’re doing things differently.

“While our new Prime Minister prepares to give handouts to the super-rich and rants against the redistribution of wealth, we in Plaid Cymru is getting on with delivering universal free school meals.

“From this week, the youngest children begin receiving free school meals, easing the cost-of-living crisis for families all over Wales.”

Siân Gwenllian, Plaid Cymru MS for Arfon, echoed Mrs Saville Roberts' sentiments.

She added: “There has never been a more obvious dichotomy between the politics of Wales and England.

“In the last year, Plaid Cymru have delivered universal free school meals, whilst the two vying to be the next Conservative leader have spent months trashing their own record and trying to out-Tory each other.

“Meanwhile I have been inundated with constituents and businesses who are genuinely fearful for their futures as bills soar and the cost-of-living crisis deepens.

“Truss must now act as a Prime Minister for the whole of the UK, not just the Tory base, and act quickly to slash energy bills.

“I won’t be holding my breath.”

Rhun ap Iorwerth, Plaid Cymru MS for Ynys Môn, urged Ms Truss to now call a general election due to her victory against Mr Sunak being by a "tiny fraction".

He said: “We have a new UK Prime Minister, whose party presides over a disastrous cost of living crisis and has so far offered no respite.

"She was chosen by a tiny fraction of the population, and with no mandate of her own, she should call an election immediately, of course. 

“I look forward to campaigning on a platform of making the interests of the people and communities of Ynys Môn and Wales the only priority, something we know PM Truss and the Conservative party has never done and will never do."

Ms Truss, MP for South West Norfolk since 2010, will become Britain’s third female Prime Minister, after Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May.

Meanwhile, various Conservative Members of Parliament and of the Senedd congratulated Ms Truss on defeating Mr Sunak in the final round of voting in the Conservative leadership election.

Virginia Crosbie, MP for Ynys Môn, said: “I am thrilled Liz Truss is our new leader and Prime Minister.

“She is pro-business, pro-nuclear, pro-levelling up, pro-the union and pro-freeports, so we are already the best of friends, because she can make the lives of people on Ynys Môn better.

“Much has already been achieved here on the island with jobs and investment coming our way through the Inland Border Facility, Community Renewal Fund, Shared Prosperity Fund, investment in RAF Valley and the Holyhead Hydrogen Hub, but more is needed to make a lasting legacy.

“Liz has a bold plan to cut taxes, improve investment and secure our energy supplies. Our Energy Isle of Anglesey can play a huge part in that.

“She will also address the worries we all have around the cost of living and energy prices.

“Liz had my support to be PM during the leadership campaign and that definitely continues. I am sure the whole party will now get behind her premiership.

“We must make the case for Conservative values and policies to head off the disaster that would be a Labour government.”

Robin Millar, Aberconwy MP, added: “I congratulate Liz Truss on her election as leader of the Conservative Party and her role as our new Prime Minister.

“I was pleased to back her cabinet experience and her commitment to the promises we made in 2019 for ‘levelling up’.

“I have spoken with her about North Wales. She understands that, in Aberconwy, we have plenty of talent and lots of potential - but we do not have the same opportunities as other parts of the UK.

“But speaking with residents and businesses over the summer months, I know the immediate concern is the cost of living, and energy bills in particular.

“I know Liz is clearly sighted on this and the other problems facing us – and she will take the tough steps we need to address them.

“She has indicated that means more investment and growth and not just ‘tax and spend’. So, I expect now a focus on delivery.

“And I am determined that the UK government will help us deliver the ‘Our Plan’ we have developed here for Aberconwy, to realise our potential and ensure we have access to the better public services we deserve.”

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

Janet Finch-Saunders, MS for Aberconwy, was similarly delighted at the news, having backed Ms Truss’ leadership campaign.

She said: “I have been proud to support Liz’s campaign to become the leader of the Conservative Party and the United Kingdom.

“She has a strong record of delivery, and significant achievements such as playing key roles in the signing of over 60 trade deals, brining Mrs Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe home from Iran, and taking action to prevent the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement being undermined.

“Her record provides solid ground upon which we can believe that she is well placed to deliver as Prime Minister and improve confidence in Westminster.

“Liz has already promised to deliver a cost-of-living plan in a week, which needs to provide much needed support for residents and businesses.

“I am sure that we can all agree that Liz Truss has been handed the toughest job in Britain.

“I am confident that she will keep to her promises and work tirelessly to tackle the challenges of our time.”

Gareth Davies, MS for Vale of Clwyd, added: “I’d like to congratulate Liz Truss on becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party and indeed the 56th Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.”

“The new Prime Minister will have my full support in uniting the party, delivering her plan for government, and putting the Conservatives on track to win the 2024 general election.”

Darren Millar, MS for Clwyd West, said: "I wish Liz Truss every success as she becomes the UK's Prime Minister. 

"There are some huge challenges ahead but I am confident that our new PM will get to grips with them and deliver the support that people and businesses across the country need. 

"I look forward to working with her as she seeks to fulfill her commitment to levelling up across all parts of the UK, including here in North Wales."

James Davies, MP for Vale of Clwyd, added: "I warmly congratulate Liz Truss on her election as leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party, and look forward to her appointment as Prime Minister tomorrow. 

"She has immediate concerns to address and policies to deliver – not least on the cost of living pressures facing all of us as wholesale gas prices continue to rocket across Europe. 

"I look forward to working with her and her new ministers in the best interests of the Vale of Clwyd and the United Kingdom."

David Jones, MP for Clwyd West, said: “I know Liz Truss well. She is a hard-working, highly intelligent colleague who has a rare ability to grasp problems quickly, analyse them and come up with effective solutions.

“These are essential qualities for any Prime Minister, particularly in times such as the present, when the whole of Europe is facing huge increases in the cost of energy as a result of Vladimir Putin’s aggression in Ukraine, together with a consequential rise in the general cost of living.

“Liz’s priority will be to mitigate the impact of the crisis.  I know from my constituency postbag that many people are seriously worried about keeping warm over the winter.

"I have no doubt she will be making an early announcement on that. 

“I wish Liz well in her important new role and look forward to supporting her over the coming years.”

Meanwhile, North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, Andy Dunbobbin, also urged Ms Truss to begin her tenure as Prime Minister by aiming to bring crime down and officers up.

Mr Dunbobbin said: “The Prime Minister enters office at a challenging time for our country and the police service and, despite coming from a different political outlook, I wish her well in her task.

"With a cost of living crisis affecting us all, there’s no time to waste in getting down to work and dealing with what is sure to be a tough winter.

"Policing and crime featured prominently in the leadership campaign and I look forward to more detail on the Prime Minister’s wish to see crime reduced and more officers on our streets.

"These are goals we can all support.

"But such optimism requires a similar level of investment and that is where the Prime Minister and new Home Secretary should start.  

“The public values the police and the outstanding work they do in keeping our communities safe and free from crime.

"But they need the same recognition and value from Government and I would urge the new administration to look again at police pay.

"I would also urge them to look further at the devolution of justice and policing to Wales, which is the logical next step in our journey as a mature democracy.

"The new Prime Minister will have to make difficult and pressing decisions that will affect us all over the coming months.

"But, whatever happens, I know that the officers of North Wales Police will continue do their duty and unfailingly serve the people of North Wales, and I thank them for their dedication and commitment.”