Not all Tories happy about new Prime Minister as county MPs echo Rishi Sunak's call for unity

But Tory MPs' calls for unity were speared from within the Conservative Party's ranks when a senior member of the party in Telford said the new Prime Minister had not shown 'core Conservative' beliefs, and was too focused on 'high taxation'.

Councillor Tammy Wood, chair of Telford Conservatives, said that she was personally disappointed at Mr Sunak being elected, but had wider concerns about a process that left thousands of Conservative members across the country without a say.

Shropshire's Tory MPs supported Mr Sunak after he called on the party to "unite or die".

Telford MP Lucy Allan said: "The most pressing need for the country is stable government and this can now be achieved.

"We have a new Prime Minister and MPs have a duty to support him and ensure he can get business through Parliament. Local party members told me their priority was to see the party unite and move forward and that is what has now happened. I know Rishi well, he became an MP in 2015 when I did. He is a decent person, he’s bright, diligent and is the right person to be Prime Minister at this hugely challenging time."

Ludlow Tory MP, Philip Dunne, who had supported Sunak, said: "I am very pleased that the Conservative parliamentary party has united behind Rishi Sunak who will be an outstanding Prime Minister.

"He takes an evidence-based approach to policy-making and will provide the reassurance that the markets, the party and the country need after a turbulent few weeks.

Shrewsbury & Atcham's Conservative MP, Daniel Kawczynski, said unity would be key as Mr Sunak attempts to steer the country away from recession.

He said: "The UK is facing extraordinarily difficult economic times and I very much hope the whole parliamentary party can now get behind Mr Sunak and support him.

"Whenever the next General Election is we need to show a total united front and I think some of the division we saw during the election contest must now be put aside and we must get behind him with the very difficult task he has ahead of him."

Wrekin MP, Mark Pritchard said: "Whoever people supported it’s now time for the Conservative Party to unite behind the new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and get the UK’s economy back on track. It is in the national interest he succeeds. He will have my full support."

Craig Williams, Tory MP for Montgomeryshire, and Mr Sunak's former Parliamentary Private Secretary, said the new Prime Minister would be 'straight to work' tackling the current economic instability.

He said: "I am delighted that he has become Prime Minister. Having worked closely with him I think he is the right person for the job – but, there is no honeymoon, it is straight in with a huge in-tray."

Mr Williams said the overriding concern would be dealing with the economic problems, adding: "That is the top thing, it is what my constituents and businesses in Montgomeryshire are concerned about – they are asking us to steady the economic situation."

Meanwhile political opponents called for a General Election.

North Shropshire's Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan said that voters had been "repeatedly let down".

She has now backed a bill in Parliament calling for an early General Election by December 1.

The bill will be given its First Reading on Wednesday after Prime Minister's Questions.

She said: “Rishi Sunak was a central part of Boris Johnson’s failed government and has consistently shown he does not understand the challenges families in North Shropshire are facing."

Councillor Shaun Davies, the Labour leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, questioned why the public should accept the new Prime Minister, when his own party rejected him less then two months ago.

He said: "Sunak has been crowned Prime Minister without a single vote being cast - even the Chinese president had to secure some votes.

"Mr Sunak has failed this country as chancellor with the highest levels of taxation for 70 years and the lowest levels of growth. He should do the decent thing and call a general election to give us the say on who leads this country."

From the world of business Christopher Greenough, chief commercial officer at Shrewsbury-based manufacturer SDE Technology, said Rishi Sunak will need to act quickly to help give businesses the support they need to invest.

"With the last few months leaving the political system and the UK economy is disarray, I am looking for clarity and a long-term plan from the new Prime Minister and his team," he said.

"He will need to act quickly to support, promote and encourage business to invest and give the economy the boost it so vitally needs."