Britain's next prime minister has "nowhere left to hide", the MP for St Albans has said.
Daisy Cooper MP accused Liz Truss - who was announced as the new leader of the Conservative Party shortly after midday today (Monday, September 5) - of hiding from tough scrutiny over the cost of household bills.
In a statement, Daisy said: "Too many households and businesses in St Albans are teetering on the brink and desperately waiting for the next prime minister to announce how she intends to tackle the cost-of-living emergency.
"Quite frankly it's appalling that my constituents and the country have had to wait for months whilst the interminable Tory leadership contest dragged on and on, without either candidate setting out a plan to help the public.
"Weeks ago, Liberal Democrats set out a plan to freeze household energy prices now and pay for it with a tougher windfall tax on the massive profits energy companies are making.
"We're also calling on the PM to throw a lifeline to small businesses through a pandemic-style support package to stop our high streets from becoming ghost towns.
"So many pubs, restaurants and shops right here in St Albans just managed to survive the pandemic, but now they look set to collapse under the weight of bills."
Daisy added: "Liz Truss has been hiding from tough scrutiny but now she has nowhere left to hide.
"If she doesn't adopt the Liberal Democrat plan to freeze energy prices and scrap the October energy price hike, then the consequences don't bear thinking about - what's certain is that the public won't forgive her."
Conservative Party members elected Liz Truss as their new leader following Boris Johnson's resignation announcement on July 7.
Ms Truss garnered 81,326 votes to Rishi Sunak's 60,399.
Clare De Silva is set to stand as the Conservative Party candidate for St Albans in the next general election - due to take place by 2024 at the latest.
Clare said: "Liz Truss’ vision for economic growth and the traditional Conservative values of freedom, opportunity and responsibility have won over members across the board.
"Liz was one of the first MPs I met after being selected to stand in St Albans back in June and I am looking forward to working with her.
"Her low-tax approach and her commitment to tackling the cost of living will resonate with many constituents and businesses across St Albans.
"I also warmly welcome her staunch support for early years and family services, a policy area very close to my heart.
"Over the last few months, many constituents have told me on the doorstep of their concerns about over-development around St Albans and I am delighted that Liz has committed to reassessing housing targets.
"I will work closely with the new PM and her team to ensure that people in St Albans have a much greater say in what kind of developments are built and where they are located."
Bim Afolami is the Conservative MP for Hitchin and Harpenden and backed Rishi Sunak in the party's leadership election.
He said: "Congratulations to Liz Truss on being elected as the new leader of the Conservative Party and our next prime minister.
"We now need to come together as a party to tackle the issues facing the country."
But Samuel Vosper, a Labour councillor on Sandridge Parish Council, raised concerns that Liz Truss will be unable to successfully tackle the issues facing St Albans' residents.
Samuel said: "Conservative members have made a second-rate politician with third-rate ideas the next PM."
He added that the book Britannia Unchained, which Liz Truss co-authored, vows to "slash workers' rights".
The book takes aim at British workers who "retire early" and "work the fewest hours", and advocates for the UK to model itself on "tiger" economies like Hong Kong, Singapore or South Korea.
"She wants to slash the small rights which workers have won, and will make life in this country much more difficult," Samuel said.
Labour suffered a wipeout in the May 2022 St Albans City and District Council local elections.
Samuel said: "When Labour offers a positive vision for the future of the city and Harpenden, that is when we do well.
"That positive vision is what we will offer next May."
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