Liz Truss has resigned as Prime Minister after just 45 days in power.
The Paisley PM announced she would be standing down following a short leadership contest due to take place within a week.
The Conservative politician, who spent part of her youth in Paisley and was educated at West Primary School, had been facing calls to resign since her then-Chancellor’s mini-budget caused the pound to crash, drove up mortgage repayment costs and put pension funds at risk.
She was forced into U-turns on nearly every policy her government has proposed since she was elected as leader of the Tories on Tuesday, September 6.
Speaking outside Number 10 Downing Street around 1.30pm, she said that it was as a result of her inability to carry through her economic programme that she had to resign.
"I recognise that I cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected by the Conservative party," said the Prime Minister, who was outlasted by a lettuce which the tabloid newspaper, The Daily Star, installed weeks ago to see if it would go on longer than the PM before perishing.
She will go down as the shortest serving Prime Minister in history.
Labour has called for a General Election, as has the SNP, with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon saying it is a “democratic imperative” one is held.
That sentiment was echoed by Renfrewshire politicians.
Commenting on the resignation of the PM, West Scotland Labour MSP Neil Bibby said: “Liz Truss was not fit to be Prime Minister, but the change this country needs cannot and will not come from the same pool of Tories who elected her to that office.
"Liz Truss spoke about growing up in Paisley and yet in her very, very short time as Prime Minister did absolutely nothing for our town.
"We’ve had enough of the Tories, we’ve had enough of austerity and we’re crying out for change.
“We need a General Election immediately so that the people can take control of these events and elect a Labour government with a plan to end this cost of living crisis and restore hope in our communities.”
Paisley & Renfrewshire South SNP MP Mhairi Black fears that the resignation will lead to action on the cost-of-living crisis being neglected while the new PM is chosen.
She said: “Once again, the cost-of-living crisis will take a back seat for another tedious Conservative leadership contest. This will then usher in yet another Tory Prime Minister that nobody in Scotland voted for.
“People are worried about heating their homes and putting food on the table, people are concerned about their incomes, their pensions, their mortgages and their overall well-being.
“The prospects in front of Scotland as an independent nation become more appealing by the day. The chaos and uncertainty in Westminster is certainly not coming to an end anytime soon.”
Renfrewshire North and West SNP MSP Natalie Don said: “She came into office and actually made things worse than the previous worst Prime Minister in history – Boris Johnson – but has even managed to set standards even lower.
“It’s sheer hypocrisy that yet again we’re told that Scotland’s voters aren’t allowed to change their minds over the 2014 independence referendum yet here we have the Tories changing their leader yet again – and no voter having any say on this! This is not democracy – this is shambolic and Scotland deserves better.”
And Don's SNP colleague, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, Gavin Newlands, said: "Liz Truss leaves behind the shortest legacy in Prime Ministerial history, but one which will cost people thousands of pounds as a direct result of her arrogance and incompetence.
"I hope she has a quiet retirement because we simply cannot afford to have her within a country mile of power ever again."
West Scotland Labour MSP Paul O’Kane added: “Truss will go down as one of the worst Prime Ministers in our history, her time in office has done nothing but bring chaos to our economy and bring down the standards of our politics.”
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