Truss could do worse than to make a food bank visit

I WAS interested to read your double-page spread on the Conservative Party leadership debate in Cheltenham (August 18).

While I was named in your story but not asked for comment, I was nonetheless fascinated by suggestion from Liz Truss that she would prevent this constituency voting Liberal Democrat.

On the doorstep, she seems as unpopular as Boris Johnson. Indeed, she’s seen as the continuity Johnson candidate. Aside from our respective electoral prospects, it was deeply concerning to note that Truss is reluctant to offer anything substantial on a much more pressing matter: the cost of living crisis. Tax cuts simply won’t cut it for thousands of Cheltenham families.

The Liberal Democrats have suggested a windfall tax on profiteering energy firms to fund a freeze in the energy price cap. So many local households are struggling to make ends meet that it seems the only option.

Regardless of her disappointing stance on energy costs, it seems that this leadership contest is a foregone conclusion in favour of Truss. If she’s to keep her pledge to beat the Lib Dems in Cheltenham, she could do worse than ditching the bold rhetoric and instead meeting with local people to find out what’s really happening here.

A visit to one of our food banks, increased in number under Conservative rule, would be a good start.

However, our current MP might judge that his own career prospects are best served by keeping his new boss at arm’s length.

Max Wilkinson