Devon councillors react to PM's resignation
It seems many believe she's right to go
Leading councillors in Devon have largely welcomed the decision by Liz Truss to step down as prime minister but are divided on whether a general election should be called soon.
Ms Truss announced her resignation on Thursday (20 October) after just 44 days in the job, triggering a fresh contest for leadership which will give the UK its third prime minister in two months.
Leader of Plymouth city council and Conservative member for Southway, Richard Bingley, suggested Ms Truss had done the right thing and it was now time to move on.
“I’m glad that the Conservative Party has found the common sense to draw this unsustainable situation to an early close,” said Cllr Bingley.
“Historically, voters rightly associate our party with the ability to call the big decisions right, and we’ve again done that on this occasion.
“Here in Plymouth, we’ve not really been unsettled by national events, because we have a really clear and unified strategy to deliver more higher-value local jobs, better schools, decent green homes and access to improved care and health services. We have a local cabinet with massive outside ‘real-world’ experience and an award-winning staff network.”
Cllr Bingley added the Tory administration in Plymouth was effective at collaborating across party lines.
“We’ve also massively re-embraced cross-party working, since I became leader back in March 2022, and really gripped the essential process of re-budgeting because our fuel and building costs have soared by at least 10 per cent.
“Thanks to cross-party working and a genuine, competent, ‘team approach’, our council is in the position of delivering a Freeport, Investment Zone and new health hubs.”
And he suggested it was business as usual for Plymouth.
“The prime minister has changed, but we remain ambitious, outward-looking and focused on delivery for our residents, businesses and investors.”
Leader of Plymouth Labour and councillor for Ham Ward, Tudor Evans, insisted voters in Plymouth were not happy.
“Plymouth Labour has teams of campaigners our knocking on doors across the city every day,” said Cllr Evans.
“People in Plymouth are telling us in no uncertain terms that they don’t want yet another unelected Conservative prime minister. They want a general election, they want Keir Starmer to get on with getting this country back on track.
“The Conservatives have done too much damage, they need to go.
“The tumult nationally is matched by the turmoil locally with our Tory councillors once again fighting like rats in a sack. Only this week they’ve sacked their former leader and deputy and their recent lord mayor now plans to run as an independent. They’re in a mess nationally and locally.”
But Cllr Bingley insisted there was no need for an early general election.
“My own view is that there is no reason at all to have a general election until late 2024 or January 2025, when the five-year period is up.”
He insisted the Tories had a mandate from the 2019 election and should build on their manifesto promises.
“We’ve actually made a good start by delivering Brexit, 10,000 more police, thousands of more nurses and an immigration system that is both open but structured and working in our national interest.
“When Tony Blair quit mid-term and Harold Wilson stepped down in 1976, Labour did not hold a general election. It’s therefore the height of historical hypocrisy for Sir Keir Starmer to call for a general election today.”
In South Hams, council leader and Conservative member for Salcombe and Thurlestone, Judy Pearce, said it was essential to bring some order back to central government: “A replacement must now be found swiftly and be the right one,” she said.
“Proper effective government must be restored as quickly as possible.”
South Hams’ opposition leader and Lib Dem councillor for Stokenham, Julian Brazil, said: “I am relieved that they have done the right thing.
“Ideally they should have a general election but, realistically, I just hope they can find a candidate who will generate the confidence from Tories to stabilise the country. This has been a terrible scenario for the country.”
Cllr Brazil also suggested voters would be likely to remember the situation in next year’s local elections.
“People will punish the Tories,” he said. “I will feel sorry for councillors who lose their seat because of the national picture.”
Liz Truss’s resignation follows huge economic uncertainty and her abandoning tax cuts which created chaos in financial markets and led to the sacking of close personal friend and ally Kwasi Kwarteng as chancellor.