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Liz Truss to fight at next general election, with West Norfolk councillors Rob Colwell and Ian Sherwood at odds over her decision




Councillors are at odds over the political future of West Norfolk after Liz Truss opted to fight for a fifth term as MP.

The former Prime Minister will compete at the next general election after being formally re-elected by the South West Norfolk Conservative Association to be its members’ candidate on Tuesday.

Ms Truss has represented South West Norfolk in parliament since 2010, and last year became the shortest serving UK leader when she resigned just 44 days after taking the role.

Liz Truss, pictured during the 2019 general election campaign, is fighting for a fifth term as South West Norfolk MP
Liz Truss, pictured during the 2019 general election campaign, is fighting for a fifth term as South West Norfolk MP

There were some suggestions that she may step down as an MP - but recent months have seen her make a return to front-line politics and local campaigning.

Following a meeting in Swaffham, she tweeted: “Delighted to have been re-selected as Conservative candidate for South West Norfolk.

“Thanks to my local association for their ongoing support and I look forward in due course to us fighting a fifth general election together.”

However, West Norfolk Liberal Democrat councillor Rob Colwell has deemed Ms Truss’ decision to run for MP again an “embarrassment”.

He said: “This is the person that tanked the economy, made inflation worse and made all our mortgage re-payments go up.

“She should have walked away from parliament. Quite frankly I don’t know how she has the audacity to even show her face, let alone put her self up for re-selection.

“She is an embarrassment to West Norfolk.”

But Cllr Ian Sherwood, who represents Swaffham on Breckland Council, has urged fellow councillors to focus on their own campaigns rather than that of Ms Truss.

He has engaged in door-knocking campaigns with the former Prime Minister in recent weeks, describing residents’ responses as “positive”.

Cllr Sherwood said: “If I’m walking through Swaffham with Liz, as I have done recently, people stop her and come up to her.

“She’s constantly asked to have a photograph with, and people say they’re sorry for what happened (during her stint in Downing Street). I won’t say there’s never a negative comment, there’s always going to be negative comments.”

He added: “I think individual councillors need to focus on their campaign and their choices, and leave other councillors to make their choices and their decisions.

“I’ve seen Liz since she stepped down give a number of speeches at constituency meetings and events that we’ve held. People come up afterwards and say that she’s confident, she’s got things to deliver.

“We all have an opinion, and they are all entitled to an opinion, but I wouldn’t have anyone tell me when I should step down.”



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