Swaffham: Energy costs must be priority for Liz Truss, say constituents

What do people in Liz Truss's South West Norfolk constituency make of her new role and what do they hope she will focus on first?

Not since the very first modern prime minister - Sir Robert Walpole - has a Norfolk MP held the role.

Sir Robert, later Earl of Orford, represented King's Lynn and his stint as prime minister lasted from 1721 to 1742.

On Monday, Ms Truss's constituents learned their representative in the Commons would be following in the earl's footsteps as Conservative Party members elected her as party leader.

Ms Truss's top priority should be the rising cost of energy, says Simon Batterham, who spoke to the BBC in Swaffham and says he voted for her in the most recent general election in 2019.

"She should certainly do something with [the issue of] energy," he says.

He believes the issue of rising bills is so serious it puts the entire economy in jeopardy.

"I mean, who can afford to be open?" he asked. "Nobody will go in the shops and the shops won't be able to afford to be open because they can't afford the heating and the electricity.

"It has got to be number one."

Mr Batterham says he does not think there will be an issue for the constituency in having its MP serving as prime minister.

Ms Truss has held a number of very senior ministerial positions in recent years and he says that has not prevented her representing the constituency, which also includes the towns of Downham Market and Thetford.

"Give her a go, give her a chance but the world is really, really in a strange place that the moment," he says. "But women can organise well."

"What matters to me is the cost of living crisis and the climate crisis," says Emma Biggs. "And those are the things I think she should tackle first.

Asked whether she was concerned about what Ms Truss's move into Number 10 might mean for the constituency, Ms Biggs says: "No, I'm not particularly concerned about that because I think she has been a completely useless constituency MP anyway.

"I've written to her quite a lot and I either don't get an answer or I get a letter in a completely standard form that easily a secretary could do.

"So I don't think she's a particularly effective constituency MP and the only time I see her is when there is a possibility of a photo opportunity."

Not everyone agrees with Ms Biggs.

"She's got loads of local knowledge and seems to care," says Alison Pennington, who followed the hustings events featuring Ms Truss and her rival Rishi Sunak.

She says the constituency will not be adversely affected while their MP runs the country.

As for what Ms Truss should focus on first, Ms Pennington, says the cost of energy should be at the top of Ms Truss's in-tray.

"I think somehow she should be taxing the energy companies because they have increased their profits and been getting away with it while other people are suffering.

"Why are they making so much money while people are struggling and suffering? Some don't have enough to buy food for their family. It is not right."

Rod Feary says the rising cost of energy is certainly one of the biggest issues affecting him.

"I'm a pensioner," he says, "so it is a bit concerning.

"That's my main worry at the moment."

Beyond dealing with the rising cost of energy, he says he would like Ms Truss to ensure the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital in nearby King's Lynn is built.

"The hospital is the main thing for us as we use it quite a lot," says Mr Feary.

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