The leader of the Conservative group at Reading Borough Council has denied a general election is required after Liz Truss resigned as Prime Minister.

Council leader Jason Brock, Labour, said Tories were "deluded" if they thought they could swap leaders for a second time without a general election amid the cost of living crisis.

Reading East MP Matt Rodda, Labour, has called for a general election, but Conservative  MP for Reading West Alok Sharma, Conservative, was not immediately available for comment.

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Mr Rodda said: "The Conservatives have crashed the economy and caused political chaos.

"A new Conservative leader wuld not have a mandate from the public and we need a general election."

Truss is set to become the shortest serving Prime Minister in history, just 44 days, after she battled an open revolt from Conservatives demanding her departure.

Leader of the opposition Kier Starmer has called for an immediate election.

“The Prime Minister has done the right thing for the good of the country and the good of the Conservative Party,” said Cllr Mitchell.

“The situation was becoming unsustainable politically and economically, and her decision to stand down now gives the party a chance to unify around a new candidate for Prime Minister and it is in everyone’s interests that process takes place as quickly as possible.”

Asked whether a general election was needed, Cllr Mitchell said: “The Conservative Government will continue to deliver for the people of this country. It does not require a general election to do that at this stage.”

Truss held talks with the chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench Conservatives Sir Graham Brady and agreed to a fresh leadership election “to be completed within the next week”.

The chosen leader will be the third Conservative Prime Minister since the last general election was held in 2019.

Reading Chronicle:

Cllr Jason Brock said: “After 12 years of Conservative government and all the chaos that it has brought, people in Britain, people in Reading deserve a lot better than this.

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“I wish I could gloat about Liz Truss’ departure but the sad reality is that there are people across Reading and the country who are suffering as a result of the costo of living crisis and policies introduced by here Government that have made that situation far worse.

“People worrying about making mortgage payments, heating their homes and feeding their families. So if the Conservative’s think that they can solve all of this by changing Prime Minister they are sadly very deluded and it is high time that we have a general election in order to give people the choice of Government.

Matt Rodda was not immediately available for further comment.