“It’s like the Tories subscribed for a free month trial and have just remembered to cancel it” - Glasgow MSP and MP politicians react to Liz Truss resignation as Prime Minister

Liz Truss announced she would step down as Prime Minister within the week, after just two months in the role as head of the country. We asked MPs and MSPs across Glasgow for their thoughts.

Truss became PM on September 8 of this year, after Boris Johnson was forced out of office as scandal after scandal came out following the Covid-19 pandemic. The new PM became increasingly unpopular with the Conservative party, with calls for her resignation reaching a peak last night (19 October).

The Prime Minister made the announcement this afternoon, October 20. Speaking outside 10 Downing Street, she said she had come to realise that she “cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected by the Conservative Party.”

It makes her the shortest Prime Minister to serve in the history of the office, lasting only 45 days, after she steps down next week.

Here’s what politicians in Glasgow had to say on the matter:

Nicola Sturgeon, SNP leader and MSP, Glasgow Southside

The First Minister wrote on Twitter: “There are no words to describe this utter shambles adequately. It’s beyond hyperbole - & parody. Reality tho is that ordinary people are paying the price. The interests of the Tory party should concern no-one right now. A General Election is now a democratic imperative.”

She also replied to a tweet stating that the Prime Minister never had a formal meeting or phone call with the First Minister, she tweeted: “If she doesn’t mind, I’ll now just wait for whoever will become the 5th PM (so far) during my time as FM.”

Anas Sarwar, Scottish Labour leader and MSP, Glasgow region

The Scottish Labour leader released a statement following the PM’s resignation, saying:“It is right that Liz Truss has resigned.

“But, in truth, this entire Tory government has to go.

“The next Tory leader will have no mandate to be Prime Minister – we need a general election now.”

Patrick Harvie, Scottish Greens Co-leader and MSP, Glasgow Region

Patrick released a statement moments after Truss’ resignation, stating:“Liz Truss’s time in Downing Street has been a disaster and a farce that goes way beyond anything the Thick of It could have dreamt up.

“The only positive is that she didn’t stay long enough to really deserve the word tenure.

“Truss’s legacy will be the cruel and unnecessary harm she has inflicted, and that will continue to be endured by households and families long after she has become a pub quiz answer.”

He went on to say:“We can’t go on with wave after wave of Tory chaos. With independence, Scotland can take a different path and end this Tory circus for good.

“We can build a fairer, greener and better future as an independent country in Europe.”

Annie Wells, Conservative MSP, Glasgow region

Annie told GlasgowWorld:“Liz Truss has made a difficult choice, but in my view it is the right decision for her to resign as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

“Recent events have demonstrated she could not continue in post.

“it is now vital that the Conservative & Unionist Party move forward quickly with the election of a new Leader and Prime Minister to restore stability for the good of the country.

“This country faces big challenges in the months and years ahead, and it is vital that the Conservative and Unionist Party unites around a new leader to deliver for the people of the United Kingdom”.

Pam Duncan-Glancy, Labour MSP, Glasgow Region

The Labour MSP wrote on Twitter:”The revolving door at Number 10 continues. This cannot go on.

“The Tories are treating us with utter contempt. No Prime Minister. No one left to go next. No plan. No mandate. General election now, and let’s get shot of this horror show.”

Humza Yousaf, SNP MSP, Glasgow Pollok

Humza Yousaf MSP wrote on Twitter:”There are no words that can do justice to the level of chaos engulfing the UK. We need off the sinking ship that is the UK, Scotland needs its independence now more than ever.”

Paul Sweeney, Labour & Co-op MSP, Glasgow region

Paul Sweeney MSP told GlasgowWorld:“After just 45 days in charge, Liz Truss has been unceremoniously ejected from power. It’s abundantly clear that the public won’t stand for another Prime Minister being coronated by Tory MPs and Tory party members. We need a General Election, and we need one now.”

The Labour MSP wrote on Twitter: “So it looks like the lettuce has lasted longer after all...”. The tweet was in reference to a challenge by the Daily Star to see which will last longer - Liz Truss in her role as Prime Minister or a 60p lettuce, which the news site is live streaming and which has gone viral online.

Kaukab Stewart, SNP MSP, Glasgow Kelvin

Kaukab Stewart MSP wrote on Twitter: “The #Omnishambles continues.. the only way out of this chaos is for Scotland to be independent #whynotscotland”

James Dornan, SNP MSP, Glasgow Cathcart

Dornan wrote on Twitter: “Can I check if Westminster is still the Mother of Parliaments? A Ma Baker has apparently put a bid in.”

Alison Thewliss, SNP MP, Glasgow Central

Thewliss wrote a column in the Daily Record titled “Will Liz Truss still be Prime Minister by the time you have finished this column?”, in it she said:”Between me writing this column and you reading it, there may be a different Prime Minister in post. It sounds a bit dramatic but the dizzying pace of UK politics in the past few weeks makes it impossible to predict what will come next....

“Scotland need not be a bystander, subject to the ongoing chaos of Westminster. Independence is essential for Scotland to flourish.!

Carol Monaghan, SNP MP, Glasgow North West

Monaghan stated simply on Twitter:”Strong and stable my a***. Absolute total car crash.”

Stewart McDonald, SNP MP, Glasgow South

The SNP MP wrote on Twitter:”Liz Truss resigns. A new PM will be appointed by Tory MPs within the week. Their first action must surely be to dissolve parliament and call a general election.”

Mhairi Black, SNP MP, Paisley & Renfrewshire South

Mhairi Black wrote on Twitter: “It’s like the Tories subscribed for a free month trial and have just remembered to cancel it.”

Bill Kidd, SNP MSP, Glasgow Anniesland

Bill Kidd told GlasgowWorld:“This continuing omnishambles just shows the way the Tory Party has of looking out for themselves, first, last and always. The legacy Liz Truss’s 45 days in office has left is either incompetency in the extreme, or corruption while promoting only her cronies.

“We need an immediate General Election to allow my constituents and the Scottish People the clear choice of staying with this undefendable third rate pantomime or reaching out to the brand new horizon offered by Independence”.

Sandesh Gulhane, Bob Doris, Pauline McNeill, Ivan McKee, John Mason, Patrick Grady, David Linden, Chris Stephens, and Anne McLaughlin have all been contacted for commented - and have yet to publically post anything personal.