MPS from across Sussex have called on the new Prime Minister to urgently tackle the cost of living crisis to help residents across the county.

Representatives from both sides of the political aisle have urged the new leader to put the challenge many households are facing with rising bills top of the agenda as soon as they step into Number 10.

Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss will find out today which of them will replace Boris Johnson as Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party.

Mr Johnson is expected to announce his resignation to the Queen tomorrow, with his successor appointed by the monarch shortly after. 

In a break from tradition, the Queen will appoint the new leader of the country at the royals’ summer residence of Balmoral in Scotland, rather than Buckingham Palace.

Sally-Ann Hart, Conservative MP for Hastings and Rye, said that many of her constituents are “concerned” about the rising cost of living and she called on the new Prime Minister to “seriously consider all further options at their disposal”.

She said: “This should include additional targeted support for those on lower or fixed incomes.

“Whilst the global causes of inflation cannot be overlooked, I am confident that whoever enters Downing Street next week will put tackling the crisis at the very heart of their agenda.”

However, Brighton’s Labour MPs, Lloyd Russell-Moyle and Peter Kyle, did not share Ms Hart’s optimism and said the next Prime Minister lacks the “vision, ability or compassion” to tackle the cost of living crisis.

Mr Russell-Moyle, MP for Kemptown, said: “We have spent months watching an ego contest in the Conservative Party when we needed a government to be getting a grip on the cost of living.

“I have seen nothing from the two contenders to indicate they have a plan to solve this problem.”

Peter Kyle, MP for Hove and shadow Northern Ireland secretary, said: “The cost of living is rising in Hove, Portslade and Hangleton at the fastest rate for 40 years and I’m so worried for the residents because looking ahead to winter is frightening.

“Britain deserves a government that will take this crisis seriously but the Tories are too busy fighting each other to take notice.

“I worry that whoever is made Prime Minister just hasn’t got the vision, ability or compassion to take the measures necessary.”

Mr Kyle said both Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss would “fail residents of our city” by not directly tackling the issues working people are facing, and called for a national effort to improve home insulation, an increase in the business threshold for small businesses and a VAT cut on home energy bills.

Along with the cost of living crisis, some MPs raisedother issues they would like to see the new Prime Minister address after taking office later today.

Henry Smith, MP for Crawley, urged the new Prime Minister to take further steps to tackle migrant boat crossings after the issue was raised by residents in recent weeks, while MP for Chichester Gillian Keegan said she will be contacting the new leader to address two key areas affecting people in the city, namely planning reform and stopping sewage discharges.

She said the new PM will face “several huge challenges”, including rising inflation, continuing reform of the health service and supporting the people of Ukraine in their efforts to repel the Russian invasion.

The results of the Conservative leadership contest will be announced at 12.30pm this afternoon.

Should Liz Truss win, she will become only the third female Prime Minister in British history - after Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May. If Rishi Sunak wins, he would become the first person of colour to lead the country.