Rishi Sunak is officially the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Sunak, 42, visited King Charles at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday for his official swearing-in ceremony. In his inaugural address, he claimed to have been tasked with correcting the mistakes of his predecessor, Liz Truss.
Sunak came to power after a turbulent and above all very short period of Truss’s rule. The new prime minister is the first Hindu person to hold the office. He is also the youngest prime minister of the past two hundred years.
In September, he lost to Truss in a leadership election. She resigned after 45 days last week. Sunak soon entered the scene as a successor and eventually became the new leader of the Conservative Party after former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and former Secretary of State Perry Mordaunt withdrew from the new premiership battle.
Shortly after being sworn in at Buckingham Palace, Sunak left for 10 Downing Street, the official residence of the British Prime Minister. There he addressed the people for the first time.
Rishi Sunak shakes hands with King Charles at Buckingham Palace.
Rishi Sunak shakes hands with King Charles at Buckingham Palace.
Photo: AP
“Must correct Truss’s mistakes”
Sunak began his speech by thanking his predecessor Truss. “I want to pay tribute to Liz Truss. Her intentions to improve the economy weren’t wrong. But the mistakes were made. Not bad intentions, but they were mistakes. I have to correct those mistakes as party leader.” he said.
The new premier also underlined the difficult situation in which the country finds itself. “Our country is facing the consequences of the corona pandemic and the consequences of the war in Ukraine,” he said. He stressed that difficult decisions must be made.
“You saw how I did everything possible to protect citizens and businesses during the crown pandemic. I promise to work with the same passion as the Prime Minister.”
Sunak also dedicated a few words to Johnson. “I will always be grateful for Boris’ results,” he said. “And I’m sure that he too, like me, agrees with the mandate that the Conservative Party received in 2019 (during the elections at the time, ed). That mandate unites us all, ”he referred to the appeal of the opposition Labor Party. again to call elections after the Conservative Party’s clumsy interior.
Truss: “Honor to lead the country”
Truss submitted his official resignation as Prime Minister to King Charles earlier in the day. After his he last cabinet meeting, he rethought his historically short term as prime minister in a final speech. He did just like Sunak for 10 Downing Street, exactly seven weeks after addressing the media at the same spot as the new prime minister.
Truss said he considered it a “great honor” to lead the country. She also said that she was “more than ever” convinced that the UK must take courageous decisions to solve the current problems.
“We need to take advantage of the freedom we have gained through Brexit,” he continued. He then stressed the importance of individual freedom and low taxation for the British. Ironically, his plan to cut taxes (especially for the wealthy) killed Truss.
Finally, she expressed her support for Ukraine, congratulated Sunak and thanked her friends and family for their support.
