INCOMING prime minister Liz Truss has been warned against filling her cabinet team just with those MPs who supported her leadership campaign.

Poole MP Sir Robert Syms said the government needs a “proper functioning” cabinet.

The backbench Conservative politician compared Boris Johnson’s premiership to a presidential system, with too many decisions being made in Downing Street and not collectively by senior ministers.

Ms Truss was announced as the winner of the Tory leadership race yesterday afternoon and she is set to formally become prime minister today when she meets the Queen at Balmoral.

Sir Robert, who backed the runner up in the race Rishi Sunak, told the Daily Echo: “Well done to her. I think it was closer than some of the polls were predicting and the polls didn’t help Rishi because they made it look like he had no chance. It was a good competitive race.

“It is now up to her to pick the best cabinet and taking decisions to deal with the issues people care about. I think she will have the full support of the party.

“Boris didn’t select the best people for cabinet, he chose his supporters rather than the best people for the jobs. If Liz does that it will not go down very well.

“There will people across the party who want to be given the chance and we need a proper functioning cabinet with a move away from all the decisions being made in Downing Street and more down as a collective cabinet. But we will have to see. Hopefully Liz will take good advice.”

Bournemouth Echo: Liz Truss won the Conservative leadership raceLiz Truss won the Conservative leadership race

Sir Robert said he was “quite optimistic for the party” if the new prime minister selects a suitable team of ministers.

Christchurch MP Sir Christopher Chope described Ms Truss as “by far the best candidate” out of the two finalists.

He told the Daily Echo: “There are big challenges but I think she will exceed our expectations.

“She is tough, very hard working and I think that is what we need – that is important and what is required at the moment. From my perspective she is an economic liberal, which is a good thing as hopefully she will push back the barriers of the state.

Asked how she will compare to Mr Johnson, Sir Christopher said: “She will be more conscientious, she will be more careful keeping in good contact with her parliamentary colleagues.

“I think that she will give more direction to her team.”

The Daily Echo contacted all of the region’s MPs but did not receive a response from Tobias Ellwood, Conor Burns, Michael Tomlinson and Simon Hoare.