West Lancashire by-election sets early test for Liz Truss

New PM will have to prove her claim to be a vote-winner for the Conservatives as Kate Devlin explains

After the calm, the storm.

Liz Truss has had a rollercoaster start to her time as prime minister. At one point during the summer it appeared as if the Tory leadership contest might stretch on forever. Even her victory was delayed as she was only allowed to officially enter Downing Street as PM more than 24 hours after she was declared the winner over her rival Rishi Sunak.

Yet within days she was in the Commons announcing one of the most expensive packages in peacetime history – to save the country from soaring energy prices this winter. Even as she did that it emerged that the Queen was gravely ill and within hours the world’s eyes were on the UK. Now that the official period of mourning is over Truss is in New York at a United Nations summit, and at home her government is preparing to announce a series of measures designed to help the struggling economy.