Former prime minister Liz Truss has claimed the mistakes she made during her ill-fated stint in Downing Street will make her a better MP for Norfolk.
Speaking to local media for the first time since her resignation as prime minister, Ms Truss acknowledged the anger over the decisions she had made - but stopped short of apologising.
Ms Truss's brief spell at Number 10 saw the pound tumble while government borrowing costs soared.
She sacked her chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng following the disastrous mini-budget, before quitting after 44 days in office.
Ms Truss was recently re-selected to stand for the Conservatives in South West Norfolk, the seat she has held since 2010, at the next general election.
Asked if she believed Norfolk would forgive her and her party, she said: "I've admitted that I have made mistakes. I'm human, like everyone else.
"As prime minister, the reason I did what I did - the biggest reason was to ensure that people didn't face massive energy bills.
"Yes, there were mistakes made. I've been honest about that. But the alternative we were facing was people having to pay bills of £6,000.
"I did what I could at the time. Having learned lessons after what happened, I want to be able to apply those lessons.
"Many people after they've done big jobs in government, then decide to stand down or not go on.
"But I believe it's important that there are people who have had that experience, who are able to contribute in Parliament and maybe say 'here's what we could have done differently' or 'here's the potential pitfall of doing this'."
THE NEXT ELECTION
Ms Truss conceded the next general election will be "hard", but she never considered not standing in South West Norfolk again.
She said: "Why I stood to be an MP in the first place is because I wanted to contribute locally and nationally.
"I don't think I have fully exhausted my energy in doing that. Yes, there have been difficulties and I've been very clear about that. But we have also achieved great things.
"I visited RAF Marham a few weeks ago to see the new pilot training centre. If you look at the contribution the UK has made to the war in Ukraine, I think that was decisive, in terms of putting pressure on Putin and ensuring Ukraine was able to defend itself."
She added: "After 10 years in government you become 'institutionalised' and you become used to the entire structure, so I'm doing a lot more in the constituency because I've got more time to do that.
"I also want to use the experience I've had in government to talk about how we can improve things.
"We need to make sure we get the economic growth so we can pay for things like hospitals, so I'm continuing to contribute to the national debate, but with more of a local focus."
She repeated that she had no intention of seeking to lead the Conservative party again, saying: "I've been there and have got the t-shirt".
'VITALLY IMPORTANT' QEH REBUILD
Ms Truss was speaking to reporters during a visit to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn, where she saw some of the 3,300 struts and supports stopping the roof from collapsing.
She, and North West Norfolk MP James Wild, will be meeting chancellor Jeremy Hunt next week to press for a commitment to rebuild the hospital in this month's budget.
She said: "It's vitally important. The hospital is having to continuously move patients from ward to ward because they are structurally unsafe.
"It is the worst affected hospital in the entire country."
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