Charged by King Charles III to form a government, the conservative Rishi Sunak warned the United Kingdom on Tuesday of the “difficult decisions” which are ahead while endeavoring to send a message “of hope”, in a country plunged in a serious economic and social crisis.
A former banker and Minister of Finance, Rishi Sunak becomes the first British Prime Minister of Indian origin, of Hindu faith, and the first to come from a former British colony. At 42, he is also the youngest head of government in contemporary UK history, after a meteoric rise in politics.
“I will unite our country not with words, but with deeds”, he assured, promising to “repair” the “mistakes” made under Liz Truss, facing a right-footed desk, contrasting with the spiral of that of its predecessor.
In a serious speech, he explained that he was “not intimidated” by the magnitude of the task. “We will create a future that is worth the sacrifices so many have made and will fill tomorrow, and every day after, with hope,” he continued.
Rishi Sunak reiterated British support for Ukraine in the “terrible war” waged by Moscow, which must “end with success” for kyiv.
“historic day”
He also said he was “aware” of the work to be done to “restore confidence”, he said in an allusion to the scandals under Boris Johnson, to whom he expressed his “gratitude”, in his first speech before the famous black lacquered door stamped with the number 10.
The latter sent him his “congratulations” on “this historic day”.
Forced to leave after the storm caused by his massive tax cut plan, Liz Truss had preceded him to Buckingham Palace to present his resignation to the king, after a term of record shortness: 49 days.
She wished “all the successes” of the world to her successor, “for the good of our country” and in a plea for audacity in power quoted the Roman philosopher Seneca: “it is not because things are difficult that we dare not, it is because we do not dare that they are difficult”.
She then went to hand in her resignation to Charles III at Buckingham Palace. The 73-year-old sovereign has entrusted the task of forming a new government to Rishi Sunak, who, unless surprised, should notably retain Jeremy Hunt as finance minister.
Rishi Sunak takes the reins of a country facing a serious economic and social crisis. Inflation exceeds 10%, the highest in the G7. Energy prices are soaring, like food prices. The risk of a recession hovers.
He will also have to calm the markets, shaken by the budget announcements of the Truss government at the end of September, since canceled for the most part, in disaster.
Rishi Sunak comes to power in a period of unprecedented instability. He is the fifth British prime minister since 2016, when the United Kingdom chose in a referendum to leave the European Union, and the third in two months.
“Brexiter”
He takes the head of an extremely divided conservative party, after twelve years in power. While the Labor opposition prances in the lead in the polls two years before the general election, Rishi Sunak warned the deputies of his camp that they had to “unite or die”.
He ruled out early elections, demanded by Labour. But, according to an Ipsos poll published on Monday, 62% of voters want such a ballot before the end of 2022.
“Brexiter” from the start, who passes for a pragmatic worker, Rishi Sunak will have to with his government both give guarantees to the markets and satisfy the clans of his majority, at the risk of suffering the same fate as Liz Truss. He will also have to detail his projects, after having imposed himself without a program or a vote of the members.
During the previous campaign, last summer, during which he was beaten by Liz Truss, this former Chancellor of the Exchequer (2020-2022) had insisted on the need to fight against inflation, describing the promises of tax cuts from his “fairy tale” adversary.
On immigration, he said he supported the ultra-controversial project, and for the time being blocked, consisting in sending migrants who arrived illegally in the United Kingdom to Rwanda.