Truss defeated Rishi Sunak in the leadership contest, winning 57.4% of the Tory membership vote to Sunak’s 42.6%.
A Printweek poll that was live when the leadership process began and asked 'Who do you think will be the best Prime Minister' found that 20% thought Truss would, with 24% opting for Sunak and the remaining 56% selecting 'none of the above'.
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is among a number of voices to have called on Truss to take swift action to help small firms.
FSB national chair Martin McTague said: “I congratulate Liz Truss and her team on a campaign that included small businesses, the self-employed and unleashing enterprise at its centre.
“The challenge now is to deliver action that is big and bold enough to match the scale of the crisis threatening the existence of many small firms, and the jobs, livelihoods and communities which depend upon them.
“Small firms, not protected by an energy price cap, are seeing bills soaring out of control. This is at a time of sky-high taxes, rampant inflation, and supply chain disruption, creating a toxic mix which must be addressed urgently.
“Small businesses are crying out for a comprehensive response which cuts taxes, limits spiralling bills, and provides direct cash support for the smallest businesses.”
He added: “During the leadership campaign we were pleased that Liz Truss listened to our calls to reverse the recent hike in National Insurance and to look at lifting more small firms out of business rates.
“As she prepares her full package of emergency plans, we are ready and willing to work with the new Prime Minister and her team to protect the UK’s 5.5 million small businesses and the 16 million jobs within them, in communities in all parts of the UK.”
Andrew Large, director general at the Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI), had told Printweek last week that papermakers were worried about energy price increases, and were effectively holding their breath until the new government was in place.
He has now urged the new Prime Minister to act on energy costs, with the CPI yesterday writing an open letter to urge immediate action to address unsustainable energy costs in the UK.
The letter was accompanied by a position paper outlining the issues and proposing a number of potential actions.
The paper calls on the government to make good on its promises of support for Energy Intensive Industries, in particular its commitment through the British Energy Security Strategy to lower industrial energy prices compared to costs in competitor nations and the establishment of an innovation fund paid for by the £10bn (to date) UK ETS allowance auction receipts.
Also; measures to curb excessive rises in carbon taxes, and a coherent UK industrial strategy, rebalancing the economy and promoting UK industrial growth as a desirable outcome.
Large commented: “We urge the new Prime Minister to match the severity of the current energy crisis with actions to support the UK paper industries and our other manufacturing companies.
“Paper-based products are fundamental to a number of critical supply chains. The sharp increase in energy costs coupled with an inability to pass on those costs to customers in a competitive European Market is causing substantial problems for our members.
“We note that the European Union has adopted a crisis framework that enables support for energy intensive industries together with energy market reform and we urge our UK government to match their actions. Failure to act risks an immediate decline in UK investment attractiveness and further falls in UK productive capacity.
“The products that our members produce are ubiquitous in society. They are toilet paper and hand towels; food packaging and online delivery boxes; newsprint and magazine papers; as well as a host of other specialty papers that are used in advanced manufacturing, battery making and within the NHS.
“The long-term supply of many of these products from UK mills is now at greater risk than at any time in recent years. UK jobs and supply chains are in question, and unless action is taken swiftly, then the impacts will be clearly noticed by consumers as supermarket shelves empty and home deliveries slow.”
Sue Eustace, director of public affairs at the Advertising Association, was also looking for support for the advertising sector, a major source of work for printers.
“We would like to congratulate Liz Truss on her appointment and we look forward to working with her government to establish the best environment for the industry to thrive. In the hard times businesses face in the months ahead, investing in advertising can help grow businesses and position brands better in the market.
“Advertising also brings consumer benefits as it drives competition, innovation and consumer choice. These in turn help lower prices, helping people facing a cost-of-living squeeze.
“The UK is a global leader and exporter of advertising and marketing services. We have always attracted the best talent from across the globe, bringing business to the UK and creating more jobs for British citizens. The industry needs to be celebrated and championed for its creativity and contribution to the positioning of global Britain in the world.
“But we need government policies that can help advertising businesses through the tough times ahead.
“We need regulatory certainty, support for the ASA advertising self-regulatory system, and the scaling back of unnecessary regulatory intervention such as the HFSS advertising restrictions.”
Eustace has also encouraged the government to look longer-term at developing a strategic industrial strategy that will benefit the UK’s advertising, creative, and professional business services sectors. She said changes to skills policy, particularly the apprenticeship levy, would make a huge difference, while changes to immigration policy would enable companies to continue to attract the best global talent.”
Boris Johnson gave his final speech as Prime Minister on the steps of Downing Street this morning and has now spoken to the Queen in Balmoral to tender his resignation.
Truss is meeting the Queen this afternoon and is expected to give her first public address as Prime Minister later today.
