'I'LL DO ALL THAT I CAN TO HELP THOSE STRUGGLING'

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH LIZ TRUSS | I'm somebody who gets things done, says Truss

- David Bond

TORY leadership frontrunner Liz Truss today vowed to do "all I can" to help millions of struggling families as UK households brace for the biggest collapse in living standards for 60 years.

In an exclusive interview with the Evening Standard, the Foreign Secretary ruled out what she described as "Gordon Brown-style handouts" to ease the squeeze on people's finances as energy bills and inflation soar.

But she said she stood ready to offer more support through an emergency Budget if she wins the keys to No 10. "I can assure you that I will do all I can to help households across Britain," Ms Truss said. "I understand how difficult the circumstances are... that people are facing pressure on food bills and fuel bills and with the cost of living.

"I'm somebody who gets things done. I look at the evidence and I sort things out and that's what I've committed to doing."

The race to become Britain's next prime minister has been dominated by a battle of ideas between Ms Truss and her rival for the leadership Rishi Sunak over how best to tackle the darkening economic crisis and the cost of living "emergency".

Today, the two contenders were back on the campaign trail with Ms Truss in Manchester and Mr Sunak in London after last night's hustings event with party members in the "red wall" constituency of Darlington.

But with business groups and anti-poverty campaigners calling for immediate action to tackle what former Labour prime minister Mr Brown called a ticking financial timebomb, both candidates are under pressure to come together with outgoing premier Boris Johnson to develop a plan to help families now.