Following his visit to King Charles III, Rishi Sunak wasted little time in getting back to Downing Street where a number of problems await his attention.
Outside 10 Downing Street the Prime Minister made an address directed to the people of the UK rather than other politicians, but he did make passing reference to his two predecessors.
He said: “I have just been to Buckingham Palace and accepted His Majesty The King’s invitation to form a government in his name.
It is only right to explain why I am standing here as your new Prime Minister.
Right now our country is facing a profound economic crisis.
The aftermath of Covid still lingers.
Putin’s war in Ukraine has destabilised energy markets and supply chains the world over.
I want to pay tribute to my predecessor Liz Truss, she was not wrong to want to improve growth in this country, it is a noble aim.
And I admired her restlessness to create change.
But some mistakes were made.
Not borne of ill will or bad intentions. Quite the opposite, in fact. But mistakes nonetheless.
And I have been elected as leader of my party, and your Prime Minister, in part, to fix them.
And that work begins immediately.
I will place economic stability and confidence at the heart of this government’s agenda.
This will mean difficult decisions to come.
But you saw me during Covid, doing everything I could, to protect people and businesses, with schemes like furlough.
There are always limits, more so now than ever, but I promise you this
I will bring that same compassion to the challenges we face today.
The government I lead will not leave the next generation, your children and grandchildren, with a debt to settle that we were too weak to pay ourselves.
I will unite our country, not with words, but with action.
I will work day in and day out to deliver for you.
This government will have integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level.
Trust is earned. And I will earn yours.
I will always be grateful to Boris Johnson for his incredible achievements as Prime Minister, and I treasure his warmth and generosity of spirit.
And I know he would agree that the mandate my party earned in 2019 is not the sole property of any one individual, it is a mandate that belongs to and unites all of us.
And the heart of that mandate is our manifesto.
I will deliver on its promise.
A stronger NHS.
Better schools.
Safer streets.
Control of our borders.
Protecting our environment.
Supporting our armed forces.
Levelling up and building an economy that embraces the opportunities of Brexit, where businesses invest, innovate, and create jobs.
I understand how difficult this moment is.
After the billions of pounds it cost us to combat Covid, after all the dislocation that caused in the midst of a terrible war that must be seen successfully to its conclusions I fully appreciate how hard things are.
And I understand too that I have work to do to restore trust after all that has happened.
All I can say is that I am not daunted. I know the high office I have accepted and I hope to live up to its demands.
But when the opportunity to serve comes along, you cannot question the moment, only your willingness.
So I stand here before you ready to lead our country into the future.
To put your needs above politics.
To reach out and build a government that represents the very best traditions of my party.
Together we can achieve incredible things.
We will create a future worthy of the sacrifices so many have made and fill tomorrow, and everyday thereafter with hope.
Thank you.”
DOUGLAS ROSS MP MSP
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said: “Rishi Sunak was frank and honest about the huge economic challenges the country faces as a result of the global cost-of-living crisis, and he didn’t try to sugar-coat the fact that tough decisions lie ahead.
“But the country – like the financial markets – can be reassured that our new Prime Minister is uniquely qualified and will work day and night to steer Scotland and the UK through this period.
“Rishi is a tried and tested leader in turbulent economic times and he made it clear he will approach the current economic challenges with the same compassion that we saw from him during the pandemic.
“What came across loud and clear from his address was that our new Prime Minister is a man of calm authority and integrity who won’t be daunted by the hurdles he faces. Rishi Sunak is a serious leader for serious times.”
SNP COMMENT
SNP Westminster Leader Ian Blackford MP said:
“As Scotland faces yet another Tory Prime Minister we didn’t vote for, it’s clearer than ever that independence is the only way to escape the constant crisis of Westminster control.
“Rishi Sunak is running scared of democracy by refusing to hold an election. He is feart of voters and too afraid to face their verdict, after the Tories plunged the UK into economic chaos.
“People are paying through their teeth for Tory mistakes as mortgages rise, pensions fall, and inflation soars. No one voted for this – and the Tories have no mandate to impose the devastating cuts they are now planning.
“Rishi Sunak shares the blame for the Tory economic crisis. He cannot present himself as the answer to a problem he created as Chancellor when he imposed a hard Brexit, slashed Universal Credit, and raised taxes on everyone else while his own family avoided them.
“With the Tories and Labour both imposing Brexit and austerity cuts, independence is the only way to keep Scotland safe and ensure we never again get Tory governments we don’t vote for.”
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
