Since he inherits a wide range of issues, UK PM Rishi Sunak is unlikely to experience much, if any, of a political honeymoon.
Following weeks of political unrest, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will square off against opposition MPs in parliament for the first time on Wednesday.
It happens after he assumed office on Tuesday as the first British leader of colour, promising to undo the harm done by departing leader Liz Truss’ terrible budget, which caused economic havoc.
Mr. Sunak began his tenure by reappointing a number of ministers from his predecessor’s senior team, promising to help unify his divided Conservatives and an increasingly unimpressed country.
In an effort to maintain market support after Jeremy Hunt’s original appointment nearly two weeks ago stabilised the situation, the former finance minister kept Jeremy Hunt in the position of chancellor of the exchequer.
Along with Suella Braverman, the recently ousted home secretary, he also controversially retained Ms. Truss’s ministries of foreign affairs, defence, trade, and culture.
According to a Downing Street source, the lineup “reflects a cohesive party and a cabinet with significant experience, ensuring that there is continuity at the heart of government at this uncertain moment.”
Before Mr. Sunak participates in his first weekly “Prime Minister’s Questions” in the House of Commons, where he will face off against Labour leader Keir Starmer and other opposition legislators, the virtually unchanged cabinet may conduct its first meeting on Wednesday.
They will definitely try to take advantage of the recent upheaval at the top of government and reaffirm their call for a general election in the wake of the choice of their third leader in as many months by Conservative MPs.
Mr. Starmer gave a preview of the coming attack lines on Tuesday when he claimed that the Tories “had destroyed the economy” due to their low wages, high prices, and cost-of-living crisis.
The people demands a new beginning and a say in the future of Britain.
“Tough decisions”
The shortest-serving prime minister in UK history, Ms. Truss, was succeeded by the nation’s first Hindu and youngest leader since 1812.
The 42-year-old Mr. Sunak won the 96-hour Tory leadership race after competitor Penny Mordaunt was unable to get enough support from fellow legislators and Boris Johnson abruptly ended his bold return attempt.
Although Mr. Johnson, who in private blamed his ex-minister for overthrowing him in July, is rumoured to be furious and still harbouring hopes of an eventual return to Downing Street, Ms. Truss and Mr. Johnson extended their support.
Shortly after being appointed by King Charles III, Mr. Sunak addressed the nation outside Number 10 and acknowledged the nation was in “deep economic trouble.”
He said: “Our will imply difficult decisions to come. I will place economic stability and confidence at the centre of this government’s mission.”
Mr. Sunak called the devolved leaders of Scotland and Wales right away in an apparent effort to improve internal cohesion, something Truss failed to do during her seven-week term.
Mr. Sunak informed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his first contact with a foreign leader that Britain would continue its “steadfast assistance” in the wake of Russia’s incursion.
Additionally, he had a conversation with US President Joe Biden, who had earlier praised the choice of the first British-Indian prime minister as “groundbreaking.”
According to Mr. Sunak’s office, President Biden stated that the United Kingdom remains America’s closest ally, and Prime Minister Theresa May concurred.
In response to the difficulties caused by Mr. Johnson and Ms. Truss, European leaders congratulated Rishi Sunak while Irish prime Micheal Martin emphasised their “joint responsibility” to maintain peace in Northern Ireland.
Markets and opposition parties are eagerly expecting Hunt’s Halloween fiscal statement on October 31. This speech is likely to include spending reductions to make up for tens of billions of pounds in budget shortfalls.
It will be complemented with meticulously analysed independent evaluations of the government’s financial statements.
Given that Rishi Sunak is the second prime minister to take office in a row without receiving a clear majority from the electorate, Labour and others are likely to continue calling for an early election, which is not scheduled to take place until at least January 2025.
If dozens of Conservative MPs agree, which seems doubtful given that a flurry of surveys show Labour with its widest lead in decades, opposition parties have no mechanism to compel one.
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