Liz Truss has this afternoon announced that she will be stepping down as Prime Minister after a chaotic six weeks in the top job.
The resignation makes her the UK’s shortest-serving Prime Minister to have ever held residence at no.10 Downing Street, having spent just 44 days in office.
Speaking outside her official residence in a live televised speech, Ms Truss said that she could no longer continue on the mandate that she had been elected to carry out and therefore would be stepping down.
Blaming turbulent economic conditions for the trouble her government has run into, she said in her resignation speech: “I came into office at a time of great economic and international instability.
“Families and businesses we worried about how to pay their bills. Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine threatens the security of our whole continent. And our country has been held back for too long by low economic growth.
“I was elected by the Conservative party with a mandate to change this. We delivered on energy bills and on cutting national insurance, and we set out a vision for a low tax, high growth economy that would take advantage of the freedoms of Brexit.
“I recognise though, given the situation, I cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected by the conservative party. I have therefore spoken to His Majesty the King to notify him that I am resigning as leader of the Conservative party.”
Her resignation follows the sudden resignation of Home Secretary Suella Braverman last night, and a disorderly fracking vote in the House of Commons last night that allegedly saw some Conservative MPs manhandled into the voting chamber.
Earlier today, Sir Graham Brady, Chairman of the 1922 Committee, was seen visiting the PM earlier today, reports The Manc.
Following the PM’s resignation, a new leadership contest will now take place within the Conservative party next week, with Liz Truss staying in post as the Prime Minister until then.
The news follows a turbulent six weeks that saw Truss oversee an unfunded and calamitous ‘mini budget’, which wreaked havoc on the UK economy and ultimately led the PM to sack her Chancellor.
More to follow…
