NICOLA Sturgeon has said she is willing to take Liz Truss “as I find her” and appealed to the new Prime Minister to put their political differences aside.
Scotland’s First Minister said there was currently no date in the diary for a face-to-face meeting with Truss – but said she was welcome to Bute House “anytime she likes” for discussion.
During her leadership campaign, Truss sparked a huge backlash when she called the First Minister an “attention seeker” who should be “ignored”.
Speaking on ITV’s Lorraine programme, Sturgeon said: “There are big, really important issues for us to discuss. We have deep political differences. I think we can take that as read.
“But we’ve got a responsibility and duty to the people we serve to work together to find ways of getting through the cost-of-living crisis.
“I stand ready to work constructively with Liz Truss, notwithstanding the differences we have.”
Sturgeon has said she was willing to take the Prime Minister “as I find her”.
She said: “We’re both in big positions of responsibility at the most serious time of crisis that most of us, certainly either of us, can remember, so we’ve got to try to work together.”
The First Minister added: “We need to put that aside to make sure we are doing everything we can within our different spheres of responsibility to help people at a time of real crisis and real need.”
The new Prime Minister has said a raft of measures to help with the cost crisis and soaring energy bills will be announced in the Commons on Thursday.
Sturgeon said she is “encouraged” by “some of the speculation” over the measures, which includes a possible energy bills freeze.
She also joked after host Lorraine Kelly said the first meeting between the Sturgeon and Truss would be an “interesting one and maybe a “tad icy”.
“Maybe I will invite you to it, Lorraine, you can hold the jackets,” the First Minister replied.
