Liz Truss has been doing the rounds in Leeds this week as part of her campaign to be leader of the Conservative Party and the next prime minister.
The Foreign Secretary, is now just one vote away from replacing Boris Johnson as Prime Minister along with her Tory colleague Rishi Sunak, the MP for Richmond. Their fate will now be decided by the vote of Tory party members, with the result expected to be announced on September 5.
The foreign secretary is from Oxford, but has a close connection to Leeds; she went to Roundhay School. Before attending the school in Leeds, Liz Truss attended primary school in Paisley near Glasgow in Scotland. There, she said she played Margaret Thatcher, a politician she cites as one of her main influences.
Read more: Liz Truss slammed for remark about where she grew up in Leeds
Recently the mum-of-two came under fire following a Tory leadership debate over remarks she made about growing up and going to the school. She said she saw "children who failed and were let down by low expectations" and she became a Conservative after being let down herself while in education.
On Thursday, Liz was seen visiting a number of spots in Leeds as part of her campaign. She visited a broadband interchange company before later speaking in a church hall in Morley.
The politician was seen posing for pictures with her supporters, while boasting a bright red jacket and white trainers, during the first leadership campaign hustings for Conservative Party members in Morley.
She was introduced by East Yorkshire-born MP Andrea Jenkins. Andrea introduced Liz and said: "Why am I backing this and first of all like Lizz said she was here in 2018 when I was in my fight against Ed Balls in that pizza restaurant where the chef had bio and tried to dance with everybody."
Speaking to the crowd of people Lizz said: "And that is what we need in Downing Street, we have got big economic challenges facing us for a generation caused by Covid. We have got the worst war in European shores after Vladimir Putin's appalling invasion into Ukraine.
"And that's why we've got to do things differently. And we've got to unleash the potential of the great people across this country and I know there is huge potential here in Yorkshire."
She added: "We can do more and I know that we can be better. But what we have to do is first we have to reverse the National Insurance increase." The Foreign Secretary previously thanked her supporters, and said: "I would like to thank each and every one of my colleagues who have supported me throughout this stage of this contest. I would also like to pay tribute to every candidate who stood for the leadership. Each of them has contributed enormously to the Conservative Party and to public life.
"I am excited to now take to the country to make the case to the Conservative Party about my bold new economic plan that will cut taxes, grow our economy and unleash the potential of everyone in our United Kingdom. As Prime Minister I would hit the ground running from day one, unite the Party and govern in line with Conservative values.
"I am incredibly proud to be a part of the Conservative and Unionist Party and am excited to spend the next few weeks proving to all of our brilliant members exactly why I am the right person to lead it, and our great nation."
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