Mansfield residents demand general election after resignation of Liz Truss

Ms Truss, who became the fourth UK Prime Minister in six-and-a-half years last month, has resigned as Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader after just 44 days in office.

In a statement given outside Downing Street, Ms Truss announced she will step down once a new leader is appointed.

It comes after 24 hours of turmoil inside Westminster, with calls for a general election.

Ms Truss said: “I recognise, though, given the situation, I cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected by the Conservative Party.

"I have therefore spoken to His Majesty, the King to notify him I am resigning as leader of the Conservative Party.”

Readers have reacted to the resignation, with many repeating calls for a general election.

Diane Blackett, posting on your Chad’s Facebook page – fb.com/mansfieldchad – said: “So no PM again. What a joke of a country we have become. The only mess out of this I can see is a general election.”

Tim Watson said: “Complete chaos. And now we have to sit through another parade of clowns.

“I think it’s time for a general election as they are clearly unable to find a competent leader between them.”

Phillip Donovan said: “I wonder how much she's been paid to do that, to save the Tory party embarrassment.

“Now they can bring someone in to change all the policies and blame her.”

There were further calls for an immediate general election.

Edwin Lowe said: “General election now. Otherwise, how can we say we live in anything near a democracy?”

Other readers felt humour was more appropriate following the Prime Minister’s resignation.

Mark Turton said: “I’ve had flu for longer.”

Wayne Harrison said: “I didn’t have time to change the wallpaper.”

Political instability

In a response to the Ms Truss’s Scott Knowles, East Midlands Chamber chief executive, said: “One of the roles of Government is to create an environment where businesses can thrive in order to create jobs, stimulate economic investment and generate wealth.

“This endless saga of political instability is anything but that and, once again, businesses are left to pick up the pieces.

“For months, they have had to endure a relentless cycle of uncertainty that has created a zero-confidence environment, hampering their ability to plan ahead and invest.

“They can at least take some consolation from the fact they won’t have to sit through another lengthy leadership election.

“But once a new Prime Minister is in place within the next week, they will expect the chosen individual to work with firms to find solutions to the increasing pile of challenges they face as the crisis in the cost of doing business deepens.”

Mike Staton, director of Mansfield-based Staton Mortgages, said: “It's hard to imagine it, but it’s pretty safe to say Ms Truss is leaving the country in a worse position than she found it.

“If ever there was going to be a definition of the grass isn’t always greener, Ms Truss has owned it.

She has made one correct decision in her role of Prime Minister, and she made that today by handing in her resignation.

“However, the fine print needs needs to be checked, so there is no possibility she can perform another U-turn on this decision.

"How she ever got voted in shows how much of a farce the current system is. Under no circumstances should another Prime Minister be allowed to have this sort of power without being voted in by the public.”

And Lewis Shaw, founder of Mansfield-based Shaw Financial Services, said: “We need a general election. We cannot have more of this circus. Every day we look more like a banana republic led by donkeys.

“Everyone I talk to agrees: let's have an election get it over and done with once and for all, and inject some democracy back into the UK.

“The game is up for the Tories now; if they can make it as painless a transition as possible because that's the only honourable thing they can do now, I'm sure we'd all be grateful.”