THE leaders of Cheshire West and Chester Council's Labour and Conservative groups have given their reaction to Liz Truss’ victory.

A lengthy campaign came to a conclusion earlier today with the Foreign Secretary seeing off her rival, former Chancellor Rishi Sunak, to be named new leader of the Conservative Party.

It means she will now become the country’s next Prime Minister, replacing Boris Johnson.

The announcement came shortly after 12.30pm today at the QEII Conference Centre in central London on the same day Parliament returns. Ms Truss won 81,326 votes compared to Mr Sunak’s share of 60,399 votes.

Cllr Margaret Parker, Leader of the Cheshire West and Chester Council Conservative Group, congratulated Ms Truss on her victory.

She said: “Ms Truss will now become our Prime Minister and when she takes that office she will be only the third woman to do so following in the footsteps of Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May - we are immensely proud of that fact.”

She added: “Our new Prime Minister takes over at a time when we all face an energy crisis of unprecedented severity, considerable economic challenge, pressures on our public services and a dreadful war on European soil in Ukraine.

"It is in all our interests that she and her new team succeed and I wish her well in that endeavour. Good luck Liz Truss and our country in the months ahead."

But Cllr Louise Gittins, Labour councillor and leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, branded the leadership election ‘a continuation of 12 years of Tory chaos’.

She said: “Their choices have led to a cost of living crisis which is harming families and businesses.

"Liz Truss has avoided talking about this for weeks, despite everyone looking for some leadership. For the sake of our country, I hope she tackles the cost of living crisis which her party has created."