Bury Conservatives leader backing Liz Truss to be next Prime Minister

Cllr Russell Bernstein is supporting the Foreign Secretary, who is up against former Chancellor Rishi Sunak for the top job in Parliament.

The two politicians are in the middle of TV debates as they try to gain the votes of Conservative members across the country before the winner is set to be announced on September 5.

Cllr Bernstein, the counciil's shadow cabinet member for finance, strategic growth, corporate core and HR, believes Ms Truss - who is the favourite to be the next Prime Minister - has the best economic plan out of the two candidates. 

He said: “If a vote ended today, I’d be voting for Liz Truss because I feel that currently, on all the up-to-date information that Liz is offering, (that information) is more what I believe is reflective of what the current requirements are both economically and politically.

“(Liz) gives us the best platform for winning the next general election and that includes levelling up.

“Let’s not forget that the backdrop of this is, over first last couple of years of this government, an excess of over £100m coming into Bury and we want that level of support and confidence to be maintained."

Rishi Sunak and Liz Trust at Conservative leadership debate

Cllr Bernstein says his support for Ms Truss over Mr Sunak is due in part to the former chancellor’s economic policy which he feels “isn’t right for the next couple of years".

The pair have clashed over taxes, with Ms Truss pledging immediate tax cuts, while Mr Sunak saying he would only cut tax once inflation was under control.

Cllr Bernstein said: “What (Truss is) suggesting, tax cuts, is what I believe we need to start some growth.”

Fellow Conservative and MP for Bury North, James Daly also shared his thoughts on the two remaining candidates.

Prior to his elimination from the race, the MP endorsed Tonbridge and Malling MP Tom Tugendhat. 

He said: “This leadership contest has shown the breadth of talent and diversity in the Conservative party with all of the candidates being excellent.

“Now the final two have been selected it is down to the members of the party to decide on who should lead us forward.

“Like many members, I will be attending hustings and watching closely over the coming weeks before voting but I am sure that whether it is Rishi or Liz who wins, they are a million times better leader of our country than Keir Starmer who fought for Jeremy Corbyn to be in 10 Downing Street."

Bury North MP James Daly

By contrast, some of the people of Bury do not share Mr Daly's and Cllr Bernstein’s optimism. 

In response to a social media post in which the Bury Times asked readers who they would back as the next PM, one commenter wrote: “Neither of them and a general election should be called.

"The last debate they banged on about how they could save the country from the cost of living crisis and turn everything round, yet it was these two people who caused the mess in the first place.”

Another reader agreed, saying: “Put it to the people...PM should always be earned.”

A third added: “Such a dearth of talent on all sides. I’m 64 and can’t ever remember a situation like this.”