Liz Truss has promised an energy support package, tax cuts and more cash for the NHS in her maiden speech as Prime Minister.
Ms Truss, who became the UK’s third female Prime Minister after meeting the Queen at her Scottish estate this afternoon, warned that the road ahead would "not be easy" but said she was the woman to "transform Britain into an aspiration nation".
The new Prime Minister also had praise for her predecessor Boris Johnson, saying history would remember his as a "hugely consequential Prime Minister".
However, Ms Truss failed to mention the importance of Mr Johnson's flagship levelling up agenda which won the Tories so many northern seats in 2019.
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The omission has led many to speculate that the growth of regions outside London and the South East could be about to drop down the list of Government priorities.
On the steps of Downing Street this afternoon, Ms Truss said: “As Prime Minister, I will pursue three early priorities.
“Firstly, I will get Britain working again. I have a bold plan to grow the economy through tax cuts and reform.
“I will cut taxes to reward hard work and boost business-led growth and investment.
“I will drive reform in my mission to get the United Kingdom working, building and growing.
“We will get spades in the ground to make sure people are not facing unaffordable energy bills and we will also make sure that we are building hospitals, schools, roads and broadband”.
She added: “I’m confident that together we can ride out the storm, we can rebuild our economy and we can become the modern brilliant Britain that I know we can be."
Ms Truss is widely expected to freeze energy bills at around the £2,500 mark – some £500 higher than current levels but more than £1,000 below next month’s cap.
Details have not yet been finalised, but the plan is expected to be funded through general taxation or increased borrowing rather than paid for in future energy bills.
Responding to the speech, Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said: “I’ve been shocked that across the whole summer Liz Truss and the Conservatives have utterly failed to come up with any ideas to help our country through the cost of living crisis. Their failure has pushed businesses to the brink and caused extreme anxiety for families and pensioners.
“It is time for Liz Truss to do the right thing and cancel the winter energy price rise, then call a general election. The only way to end the cost of living crisis is to get the Conservatives out of power once and for all.”
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