The parliamentary spokesperson for St Albans has congratulated Rishi Sunak on becoming Prime Minister, and insisted that he is "the right man" for the job.

The Conservative Party's Clare De Silva has warmly welcomed the new PM, who was confirmed for the role yesterday.

De Silva also praised the new Prime Minister's support for those in need, particularly throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Clare De Silva said: "I warmly welcome Rishi Sunak as leader of the Conservative Party and our new Prime Minister following his decisive victory in the Leadership Ballot.

"Having secured a large swathe of support from Conservative MPs from all wings of our party, Rishi has the strong mandate needed to tackle some of the considerable challenges the country faces at the moment.

"The Covid pandemic and Putin’s war in Ukraine have put pressure on the economy and household budgets in St Albans, meaning that many families are struggling.

"Rishi’s experience and competence will bring stability to government at this critical time and enable us as a nation to get back on our feet.

"I was pleased to support Rishi during his summer campaign, encouraged by his commitment to supporting families and the NHS and I am convinced that he is the right person for the job this time too.

"His commitment to address local housing targets and protect the Green Belt will resonate with people in St Albans.

"Equally, his experience as Chancellor steering our finances through the pandemic and putting in place essential funding through the furlough scheme means that he is the right person to be leading the government at this time.”