WEST Somerset MP Ian Liddell-Grainger has welcomed the ‘swift transfer of power’ to new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

But Mr Liddell-Grainger also appealed for Mr Sunak to be fully supported by his Conservative colleagues.

Mr Sunak was this afternoon declared the successor to Liz Truss, who resigned as Prime Minister last week, 45 days after winning a leadership contest in the summer caused by Boris Johnson’s resignation.

Mr Liddell-Grainger said: “The country has seen more than enough unseemly squabbling and infighting in recent weeks and voters are acutely aware of the impact this has had on normal Parliamentary business.

“Now we have a new leader our priority must be to unite behind him to rebuild confidence in the Conservative party, our Parliamentary democracy, and indeed the country.

“We cannot afford to have any more distractions from the huge task of dealing with the daunting combination of national and international issues with which the country is confronted.

“Mr Sunak needs and deserves our full support as he gets on with the job of leading us through what are inevitably going to be some exceedingly stormy waters.”