KEY figures in Allerdale have reacted to the appointment of Liz Truss as Prime Minister after she was appointed to the role earlier this week.

The new Prime Minister was announced on Monday, September 5 after Conservative members selected her over fellow frontrunner Rishi Sunak over the weekend.

Workington MP Mark Jenkinson was one of many outside of Downing Street on Tuesday morning, September 6 to wave goodbye to former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The MP was accompanied by son Elliot, who went back to school yesterday with a very significant tale of his holidays to tell.

Mr Johnson left Downing Street to travel to Balmoral and resign as Prime Minister; he was followed by now Prime Minister Liz Truss who made her first speech as leader later that afternoon.

Mr Jenkinson who has been a staunch supporter of Mr Johnson until the end of his premiership, hailed Mr Johnson as someone who had been a true friend to the Workington constituency.

Mr Jenkinson also welcomed new Prime Minister Liz Truss, who he supported from early on within the leadership election.

The MP says he has already spoken to the new prime minister at length about the issues that he sees as priorities in the Workington constituency.

On the day Mr Jenkinson said: "A sad day on Downing Street this morning, but a real privilege to be there to witness history in the making.

"Sad to see Boris go, I’ve said many times he’s been a friend to Workington. I’m glad to see that his successor is the one I backed from the launch of her campaign, Liz Truss - and I’ve already had a lengthy discussion about my priorities for the Workington constituency.

"I’m confident that she’ll continue Boris’s work to ensure that we deliver our promises made in the 2019 election."

However, Cumbria County Council Labour member for Keswick Tony Lywood is apprehensive that the change will not help in the issues of the country.

He said: “Of course I’m happy to see the back of Boris Johnson but a change of leadership doesn’t necessarily mean a change in direction.

“What we need now is serious help on behalf of this Government to help those in need.

"We are facing huge increases in gas and electricity, a less than perfect rail service, mostly foreign owned, an NHS in crisis and a level of inequality that has got worse over the last 12 years, not better.

“This is not to mention a 10 per cent inflation rate which seems to be getting worse not better.”