The new prime minister Rishi Sunak has pledged to “unite our country, not with words but, with action,” as he spoke outside of Number 10, minutes after officially becoming prime minister.
“This government will have integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level,” Sunak added, “Trust is earned. And I will earn yours.”
After the recent turmoil faced by the Tory party, the new PM also promised to rise above politics, and turn his focus to the needs of the country.
“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,” he said.
In what was his first address to the nation as UK prime minister, Sunak also paid tribute to his short-lived predecessor, Liz truss, saying that it was “a noble aim” to try to improve growth.
Sunak also conceded that Truss had made mistakes, however, and said it was his intention to fix them – the mistakes were “not born of ill will or bad intentions, quite the opposite. But mistakes nonetheless,” Sunak said.
Earlier this morning, Rishi Sunak travelled to Buckingham Palace to meet King Charles – new to the job himself – for the Kissing of the Hands, during which the King invited Sunak to form a government in his name.
Prior to Sunak’s meeting with the King, Liz Truss also visited Buckingham Palace, to formally resign, shortly after she made her final address outside of Downing Street.
“We continue to battle through a storm but I believe in Britain, I believe in the British people and I know that brighter days lie ahead,” the former PM said.
“As the Roman philosopher Seneca wrote: it is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it’s because we do not dare that they are difficult,” Truss ended her speech.
