Liz Truss wins Tory leadership contest

Liz Truss has won the contest to be the next leader of the Conservative party, defeating rival Rishi Sunak.

Truss won 81,326 votes, compared to 60,399 for Sunak. 

Truss, who was seen as the overwhelming favourite throughout the contest, is expected to travel to Balmoral to meet the Queen, who will ask her to form a government as the next prime minister.

The new prime minister will come under immediate pressure to find a solution to the energy crisis, with concerns that rising bills will push many families to the brink in the weeks and months ahead.

Truss is understood to be considering a freeze on energy bills, a move which could some analysts have claimed could cost £100bn.

During the campaign, Truss set out a firm line on demands for a second independence referendum, saying it was best to "ignore" First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. 

Sturgeon pledged to work to build a good relationship with Truss.

She tweeted: "Congratulations to Liz Truss. Our political differences are deep, but I will seek to build a good working relationship with her as I did with last 3 PMs. She must now freeze energy bills for people & businesses, deliver more cash support, and increase funding for public services."

Commenting on the result, Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said: “Congratulations to Liz Truss on her election as Conservative Party leader.

“Both Liz and Rishi, along with their teams, should be proud of the campaigns they have run and the way they have engaged party members.

“However, now that the leadership election is over, it is time for the whole of the Conservative Party to come together to tackle the big challenges our country faces.

“Throughout her political career, Liz Truss has shown herself to have a record of delivery, whether that was in removing the US tariffs on whisky and cashmere or in managing the UK’s robust support for Ukraine both before and following the Russian invasion.

“I look forward to working with our new Leader and Prime Minister as she continues to deliver for Scotland and the whole of the UK at this most challenging of times.” 

Meanwhile, Scottish Greens co-leader Lorna Slater MSP said: "This is terrible news for Scotland and our environment.

“Liz Truss has supported every single one of Boris Johnson's most damaging decisions. Whether it was the Brexit deal that has curbed our right to travel while driving up prices, the cruel Universal Credit cut that has taken vital support away from thousands of the most vulnerable people and families, or his failure to act during the worst cost of living crisis for decades.

“Her proposals for a major expansion of north sea oil drilling would leave us even more dependent on fossil fuels while doing real and lasting damage to our environment at a time when we should be investing in the renewable jobs of the future.”

This is a developing story. More to follow.