A CONSERVATIVE South Scotland MSP says Liz Truss's resignation as the party's leader was "only right".

Ms Truss announced her resignation on Thursday, just 44 days after becoming Prime Minister, making her the shortest serving holder of the office in UK history. 

George Canning previously held the record, serving 119 days in 1827 when he died.

Ms Truss will remain Prime Minister until a new Conservative leader is elected - expected to be by the end of next week.

Sharon Dowey, Conservative MSP for the South Scotland region, said: “It’s only right that the PM has taken the decision to resign.

"While it cannot have been an easy choice to make, it’s clear she no longer has the mandate to govern.

"Since her appointment, we’ve seen the Government take decisive action to reduce people’s energy bills against a challenging international backdrop, including the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, as well as working to deliver a low-tax, high-growth economy.

"We are now set to have a fresh contest for the leadership of the Conservative and Unionist Party and I’ll be considering the merits of each candidate in turn.”

Allan Dorans, the SNP MP for Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock, said: "The resignation of Liz Truss after only 44 days was not totally unexpected. 

"It was inevitable that she would have to go after the damage she's inflicted to the economy, the country through the increased cost of national borrowing, the increase in mortgage repayments whilst at the same time removing the cap on high earning Bankers - but merely swapping leaders of a broken Conservative government is not enough. 

"A general election is now a democratic imperative.” 

South Scotland Labour MSP Colin Smyth added: “It is right that Liz Truss has resigned.

"Her premiership has been a catastrophic failure and sadly it’s ordinary families who are paying the price with higher mortgages and rising prices in the shops.

“But the truth is this entire discredited Tory government has to go. 

“The next Tory leader - the third since the last election - will have no mandate whatsoever to be Prime Minister, and should call a general election so that the people can decide.

“Locally we should never forget that the Liz Truss leadership bid was backed by almost every Tory MP and MSP in the region, and not one of them had the spine to call for her to quit, even after weeks of economic damage.

"I think they owe their constituents an apology for their appalling judgement and getting it so badly wrong.”