Liz Truss says she hopes Buddies are “proud of her” as she fights to justify her decisions on the economy.
The Prime Minister revealed this afternoon that she is “proud” to have lived in Paisley as she pledged to introduce policies that would boost economic growth north of the border.
Appearing in a TV interview, the Prime Minister was asked if Buddies would be proud to be “associated with her policies”.
She said: “I am proud to have lived in Paisley and I hope they are proud of me”.
Truss has discussed her childhood in Paisley on numerous occasions during her campaign for the Tory leadership.
She moved to Paisley aged four and attended West Primary before moving to Leeds, West Yorkshire for high school.
At both schools she said she witnessed “low expectations, poor educational standards and a lack of opportunity”.
This afternoon she said her plans for economic growth would benefit towns like Paisley and create better opportunities for everyone.
“I know what living in a place that has low economic growth and no prospects looks like,” she said. “That’s why I’m so determined that we have a very clear plan to drive economic growth.
“We have a very clear plan. We understand that families across the country are struggling and I think we need to remember what the situation was earlier in the summer.”
However, Paisley-based MSP Neil Bibby said Buddies will not forget Truss’ decisions which last week saw mortgage rates rocket and the cost of living even more expensive.
“Liz Truss may have grown up in Paisley. But it’s clear her values are not Paisley’s values,” he told the the Paisley Daily Express.
“Our town has a lot to be proud of but, like many others, has suffered under 12 years of Tory austerity and her recent budget was about supporting millionaires, not working people.
“Paisley needs change and Paisley needs a Labour government.”
Truss was grilled by Scottish journalists today after her Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng confirmed he would no longer pursue plans to abolish the higher rate of income tax.
Speaking at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, the Chancellor said he had “listened” to people’s concerns.
The planned cut was announced in his mini budget last week which saw the pound fall to its lowest-ever rate against the dollar and the Bank of England increase interest rates.
Banks have since pulled hundreds of mortgage products from their offering.
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