South Yorkshire MPs' mixed response to PM's resignation

Ms Truss (pictured) lasted just 45 days leading the country before announcing her resignation yesterday.

Her reign as PM is now officially the shortest in UK history records — surpassing George Canning who lasted 119 days before his death in 1827. 

Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee group of Tory MPs, said a leadership contest will take place and a result could be made by Friday next week.

In her resignation speech, Ms Truss said she had come into office at a time of “great economic and international instability” but admitted she could “not deliver the mandate on which she was elected by the Conservative Party”.

Her resignation comes shortly after Rother Valley MP Alexander Stafford was reportedly “manhandled” and “jostled” into Parliament to vote against a ban on fracking by Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg and Health Secretary Thérèse Coffey.

Steven Swinford, political editor at The Times, has said previous PM Boris Johnson will stand as a candidate in the upcoming Tory leadership contest.

A petition to bring back Mr Johnson has reached 15,000 signatures, according to the Conservative Post.

The newspaper said Mr Johnson “still holds a mandate” as he was voted in by 14 million people and he was “undemocratically ousted by a small cabal of MPs”.

Mr Stafford alongside Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher were both prominent backers of Mr Johnson during the partygate scandal and did not push for his resignation.

Labour politicians are now calling for a general election.

Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, said the British people “deserve so much better than a revolving door of chaos”.

Rotherham MP Sarah Champion reacted to Ms Truss’ resignation by claiming the Conservative party was “shaming the nation” – and called for a general election.

“The Conservative Party’s desperate attempt to cling to power is shaming our nation,” she said.

“They are incapable of governing.

“We need a general election and we need it now.”

Doncaster North MP Ed Miliband said the government was “unfit to lead” and is calling for a general election.

When Ms Truss was elected, Mr Stafford said she was a “candidate for change” who would “deliver for Rother Valley”.

Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher also backed Ms Truss as PM, saying he “believed in her economic policy” and she was ready to “take on the woke brigade to dominate Britain’s national conversation”.

Mr Fletcher said he had “mixed feelings” about Ms Truss’s resignation but added she “did not have a clear mandate to lead”.

He said: “I am saddened but relieved that Liz Truss has accepted she should resign.

“It was clear to me that she did not have firm control of Parliament and she did not enjoy the confidence necessary to enable her to carry out her duties as Prime Minister.

“I am pleased that we are now able to draw a line and move on.

“I have deliberately kept away from the shenanigans and focussed on delivering for my constituents.”

Mr Stafford has not yet commented on Liz Truss’ resignation.