‘I just watch the news and shake my head’: Stunned Britons reveal their disbelief as Liz Truss resigns after just 44 days as PM – while her next-door neighbour says he is ‘overjoyed’ that she is stepping down
- Britons have mixed feelings over the dramatic exit of Prime Minister Liz Truss
- Some have slammed her for ‘crashing the economy’ and being ‘out of her depth’
- Others allege she was ‘not given enough time to prove herself’ in the role
- After just 44 days in office, Ms Truss is shortest-serving PM in modern history
Britons have revealed their feelings over the dramatic exit of Prime Minister Liz Truss with some slamming her for ‘crashing the economy’ and others arguing she was ‘not given enough time to prove herself.’
Ms Truss, after just 44 days in office, took to a lectern outside No10 to confirm her departure, sealing her fate as the shortest-serving premier in modern political history.
The PM admitted defeat following crisis talks with Tory Party chiefs in Downing Street and with MPs in open insurrection.
Ms Truss – who insisted she was a ‘fighter not a quitter’ barely 24 hours ago – said the Tory leadership contest will be completed over the next week.
Now, the country is reeling from her departure and preparing to face ‘difficult times’ in the coming days.
Two of Ms Truss’s closest neighbours were ‘overjoyed’ when she threw in the towel on Thursday.
‘Whoopee!’ her constituent and next-door neighbour Stuart Marsh, 60, told MailOnline shortly after the news broke.
Britons have mixed feelings over the dramatic exit of Prime Minister Liz Truss. Her neighbour Stuart Marsh (pictured) said ‘she was out of her depth when she got the job and it got worse every day’
Ann Vacanti (pictured), from Glasgow but now living in Miami, Florida, said Ms Truss would not have had to resign if she had been a man: ‘I think it is very unfair, and a bit sexist. If Liz had been a man she would have been forced to resign’
‘She was out of her depth when she got the job and it got worse every day,’ he said.
‘In my view she should never have been selected as an MP here, never mind Prime Minister. Now someone else will have to pick up the pieces.’
The retired ventilation engineer – who is a carer for his disabled wife Kelly, 43, – said Ms Truss was rarely to be seen in recent years in the modest £200,000 detached house in Downham Market at the of her South West Norfolk constituency.
‘The most we’ve seen of her recently is for a couple of hours,’ he said.
‘There have been lots of rows about parking in the past, because we have an unwritten rule here that you don’t park outside someone else’s house, but on occasion she or her husband would put their cars outside someone else’s house.’
Another neighbour, retired university lecturer Teresa Waller, 79, a Labour voter, was equally jubilant.
‘I’m overjoyed,’ she said. ‘We’ve seen very little of her as she’s risen up the Westminster greasy pole and I’d be surprised if she carries on as the local MP after this.
‘Mind you, they do say that if you stick a blue rosette on a donkey in this area, it would be voted in as a Tory MP.
‘I wasn’t surprised that she crashed and burned – she’s messed up every job she’s been in to my mind. But I was astonished that she managed it quite so quickly.
‘I don’t know who will be able to take it on – but we need a general election now, rather than the same little Tory clique of either party members or MPs voting for their mate.’
London cabbie Gerry O’Connor (pictured), waiting for a fare outside Harrods store in Knightsbridge, told MailOnline that Rishi Sunak should now get the top job at No 10: ‘If we are concerned about the economy then it has to be Rishi. I think he knows what he is doing’
Russian exile Bella Shumilava (pictured), who has lived in London for a decade, said: ‘I am so surprised she has resigned and I think this country will face difficult times now’
London cabbie Gerry O’Connor, waiting for a fare outside Harrods store in Knightsbridge, told MailOnline that Rishi Sunak should now get the top job at No 10.
‘If we are concerned about the economy then it has to be Rishi. I think he knows what he is doing,’ the cabbie said.
‘But if it’s on personality then [Penny] Mordaunt. They could make a good team, but we shall have to see.
‘We are in a right old mess, but it needs to be sorted now.
Mr O’Connor, who has worked as a cab driver for 30 years, added that he believes Ms Truss ad not been given enough time to prove herself in the role.
‘I do feel sorry for Truss,’ he explained.
‘She didn’t really get a chance. The knives were out for her from the start.’
Courier Fabio Chiellini, 59, said he was ‘surprised Liz Truss went so quickly.’
‘I’m really surprised,’ he stated. ‘The trouble now is there is no one to step into her shoes.
‘It’s all going wrong for the Tories, and I don’t think people will have much sympathy for them. They’ve created all the problems we face.’
Jack, who did not provide his surname, said: ‘I think it’s pretty shocking, obviously. I don’t think there are words to describe how bad it is.
‘The Tory Party is in total disarray and I think Keir Starmer is Prime Minister in waiting, pretty much.’
Lester Barnes added: ‘I think it was going to happen anyway. I think it was the right thing to resign. I think actually we should have a General Election. I think now’s the time to make a change and we need a change.’
‘I think good riddance to her,’ a woman interviewed near London Bridge said. ‘I think we need some stability and whether it is a General Election or whether it is indeed something that they’ve already planned in the background – I don’t know.
‘But let’s hope we actually get some stability and stop being a laughing stock.’
Store manager Janet Anderson, 44, said she is so disillusioned with politics that she doesn’t care who becomes Prime Minister.
She suggested recently ousted Boris Johnson could ‘make a comeback’ while also implying he did a better job in the role than Ms Truss despite his slew of scandals.
‘I just watch the news and shake my head,’ Ms Anderson said.
‘This is just like with Boris. Once the resignations start it’s all over. She had her chance, but all she did is crash the economy.
‘I suppose Boris will now make a comeback. He couldn’t stop lying, but at least he seemed to know what he was doing.’
Russian exile Bella Shumilava, who has lived in London for a decade, said: ‘I am so surprised she has resigned and I think this country will face difficult times now.
‘I really don’t know who would want to take over. It does seem a thankless job and I have some sympathy for her.’
Ann Vacanti, from Glasgow but now living in Miami, Florida, said Ms Truss would not have had to resign if she had been a man.
‘I think it is very unfair, and a bit sexist. If Liz had been a man she would have been forced to resign,’ Ms Vacanti.
‘I really think this could be the end of a Tory Government. They have had so many chances and not got it right.’
Courier Fabio Chiellini, 59, (pictured) said he was ‘surprised Liz Truss went so quickly’
Ms Truss’s ‘parachuted’ arrival into her constituency in 2009 was almost as controversial as her career in No10, when local Tories’ indignation at her sudden arrival on their selection list saw them branded the ‘Turnip Taliban.’
Although she had been chosen to stand in the safe Conservative seat at the next General Election, members of the local association were unhappy that they had not been informed about her previous affair with a married MP.
Just hours after her moment of triumph on being selected from a short list of five candidates came the bombshell, when the Mail on Sunday published details of her 18-month affair during 2004-05 with Tory MP Mark Field, one of party leader David Cameron’s front benchers at the time.
Urgent meetings of local party chiefs, which could have led to her de-selection, were called for and the SW Norfolk association was in turmoil.
Local Conservative association leaders openly defied leader David Cameron during an executive committee meeting, when they refused to re-endorse her as their candidate.
Instead, they chose to call for a special general meeting of the membership which would decide whether Ms Truss should stay or be kicked out.
An estimated 170 members attended the turbulent closed-doors meeting, chaired by Conservative frontbencher Lord Taylor of Holbeach. And 90 minutes later it was all over, with the motion to deselect Ms Truss defeated by 132 votes to 37.
Ms Truss made little comment other than to express her delight at a ‘very positive result’, before walking briskly through the Market Place and towards the local Conservative offices.
Newsnight presenter Jeremy Paxman suggested it was ‘the most momentous thing to have happened in Swaffham since a cardboard box blew down the high street.’
After just 44 days in No10 – the shortest term in modern political history – the PM took to a lectern outside the famous black door to confirm her departure
Ms Truss was watched by husband Hugh as she delivered her emotional announcement in Downing Street today
Afterwards the PM and her husband walled disconsolately back into the building, where they took up residence little over a month ago
Other constituents in Downham Market had mixed views on Ms Truss’s resignation.
Shirley Lane, 85, said: ‘I expected it for a while – we couldn’t have so much chaos going on like that.
‘She’s not been a very good MP to be honest, so not surprising she wasn’t much of a PM.’
The retired doctor’s dispenser added: ‘I was never a follower of hers, and I don’t suppose we’ll see her standing for this seat again. There should be a general election now.’
Single mother-of-two Jemma Golding, 37, a self-employed jeweller, said: ‘It’s kind of surprising because it’s been so quick. I don’t follow politics closely, but I’d like to see someone taking over who has a bit of leadership.
‘The main issue I’d like to see addressed is some help for people with children and those on low incomes.’
Primary school teacher and mother-of-four Carla Curtis, 37, ‘I can’t believe how chaotic the last few weeks have been, I’ve never seen anything like it.
‘I didn’t even know Liz Truss was our local MP, her profile isn’t very high around here.
‘It’s time for a general election now and give someone else a chance. The main issues in my mind are the NHS and schools, neither of which have been treated well in my opinion, especially during the pandemic.’
But wireman Matthew Stack, 40, didn’t want a general election and felt the nation needed a period of ‘stability and calm’.
As for Liz Truss, he said: ‘Our local MP has risen way above her station and she’s a career opportunist who went for it.
‘She should never have elected as Prime Minister in the first place. I don’t think she’ll remain as our local MP after this.’
He added: ‘The main issue now facing the country is the need for stability, for business, for people’s personal finances and the country as a whole.
‘I just want politics to settle down for a while so we can enjoy the World Cup, then Christmas and get back to normal!’
David Smart, 67, an NHS fire officer, felt Ms Truss should have been given ‘more of a chance.’
Visiting a local Tesco store with his wife Rosemary, 64, he said: ‘The trouble is there’s been a bit of a witch-hunt, both from her colleagues, the opposition and the media, with every little mistake she’s made.’
He said that calling a general election now would be ‘like changing the deck chairs on the Titanic
‘I’m not one of her supporters, but I do feel she should have been given more of a chance and a bit more time to sort things out. What we need now isn’t a general election but some kind of coalition government which can present a united front.’
Rosemary just laughed when asked her opinion of Ms Truss, but added: ‘Well everyone seems to like her but I think she’s gone down a little bit to be honest with you.’
Tour guide Keith Major said: ‘The UK is in an absolute terrible shape, and we know who is to blame.
‘If the Tories attempt to bring back Boris it would just be laughable. There is no way he should come back as Prime Minister.
‘We just want someone with a bit of common sense to run the country. Having a Prime Minister for 44 days is beyond a joke’
Danish tourist Frede Soebjerg summed up the state of British politics with one word: ‘ridiculous.’
‘It is just ridiculous. How can you have a leader of your country last just 44 days?’ he asked. ‘We are having elections in Denmark next month, but they will not be as crazy as yours.
‘The word ridiculous is how people will see the UK’
Teacher Andrew Dixon said he was horrified to think Boris Johnson would be back in No10: ‘I want to see Kier Starmer. He should be the next Prime Minister.
‘Whoever the Conservatives pick as their new leader will not make a difference as in two years time they will be out.
‘It did not matter if Liz Truss fell on her sword now or in two years. She was finished and so are the Conservatives.’
Cab driver Sarah Kelly said she would have no objections if Boris was back in No10.
‘At least your knew where you were with Boris,’ she said
‘He might like a bit of a party, but we all did.’
Big Issue seller Tommy O’Neil said: They are all a big joke and I’d dump the lot of them.’
Businessman Sam Ives said: ‘ I can’t say I was surprised the PM resigned. You could see this coming a Mike of.’
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