COLCHESTER MP Will Quince said he will give “considerable thought” to the issue of selecting the country’s next prime minister after the resignation of Liz Truss.

The Gazette reached out to MPs across north Essex after outgoing PM Truss resigned following a tumultuous 45 days in the job.

Tory MPs have started to endorse prospective prime ministers, with Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the influential 1922 Committee of backbenchers, confirming the leadership contest will conclude by Friday, October 28.

While no candidates having officially put themselves forward, MPs are already going public with their favoured contenders, though north Essex MPs would not be drawn on their preferences.

Mr Quince said: “It is important to the country that we get this right. I will give this considerable thought once we know who the candidates are.”

Harwich and North Essex MP Sir Bernard Jenkin said: "I'm still digesting the implications of this.

"Liz obviously made some terrible mistakes from which she has concluded she cannot recover.

"I very much hope we can decide on a new leader and Prime Minister as quickly as possible."

Witham MP Priti Patel, Clacton MP Giles Watling, Braintree MP James Cleverly and Maldon MP John Whittingdale did not respond to requests for comment.

Amongst Gazette readers, many said Boris Johnson should return to the job he left only months ago following several high profile scandals.

But reader Pauline Shepherd said: "Definitely not Boris.

"He had his chance and proved he cant be trusted. Someone who's never been in power before who will firstly be honest, have the stamina and put this country's needs before their own.

"I don't think there is such a person, so I can only hope."

Kathryn Gibson said: "Someone with integrity, more than half a brain cell. 

"Someone who cares about our country and the people who live in it."