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In his first parliamentary debate as the British prime minister on Wednesday, Rishi Sunak will take on opposition legislators, capping off weeks of political unrest.
It happens after he became the first person of colour to lead the UK on Tuesday, promising to undo the harm that outgoing leader Liz Truss caused with her terrible budget, which caused economic havoc.
Mr. Sunak began his tenure by reappointing a number of ministers from the top group of his predecessor’s Conservative Party, promising to also bring his divided party together as well as an increasingly unimpressed nation.
After stabilising the situation with his initial appointment almost two weeks earlier, the former finance minister decided to keep Jeremy Hunt as chancellor of the exchequer in an effort to maintain market support.
Along with controversially bringing back the recently sacked Home Secretary Suella Braverman, he also kept Ms. Truss’s ministries of foreign policy, defence, trade, and culture.
Following the election of their third leader in as many months by Conservative MPs, they will definitely try to capitalise on the weeks of turbulence at the top of government and renew calls for a general election.
In a preview of his next attack lines, Mr. Starmer claimed on Tuesday that the Tories have “cracked the economy” due to their low wages, high prices, and cost-of-living crisis.
“The people need a new beginning and a say in Britain’s future.”
“Difficult choices”
The UK’s first Hindu and youngest prime minister since 1812 took over after Ms. Truss, who served as the country’s premier for the shortest period of time ever.
Following the spectacular collapse of Boris Johnson’s bold return attempt and Penny Mordaunt’s inability to get enough support from fellow Tories, Mr. Sunak, 42, won the 96-hour Tory leadership race.
Ms. Truss and Mr. Johnson offered their assistance, but Mr. Johnson, who in private blamed his ex-minister for overthrowing him in July, is rumoured to be furious and still harbouring dreams of one day returning to Downing Street.
Shortly after being appointed by King Charles III, Mr. Sunak addressed the country outside of Number 10 and acknowledged a “deep economic catastrophe” existed in the kingdom.
Our would necessitate making painful decisions, he continued, adding that “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, something Truss did not do throughout her seven-week term, in what appears to be an effort to improve internal cohesion.
The British government would continue to provide “steadfast support” after Russia’s invasion, Mr. Sunak said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his first contact with a foreign leader.
He also spoke with US President Joe Biden, who had previously praised the choice of the first British-Indian prime minister as “groundbreaking.”
President Biden stated that the United Kingdom is still America’s closest ally, and the Prime Minister concurred with this statement, according to Mr. Sunak’s office.
European leaders congratulated Mr. Sunak, but Micheal Martin, the Irish premier, reminded him of their “joint obligation” to maintain peace in Northern Ireland following difficulties under Mr. Johnson and Ms. Truss.
Given the myriad of issues he inherits, Mr. Sunak is not expected to experience much, if any, of a political honeymoon.
Markets and opposition parties are anticipating Hunt’s fiscal statement for the month of October 31 in anticipation of expenditure cuts to close tens of billions of pounds in budget gaps.
Alongside it will be closely scrutinised independent evaluations of the government’s financial statements.
Given that Mr. Sunak is the second prime minister in a row to hold office without receiving a clear mandate from the people, Labour and others are likely to continue calling for an early election, which is not scheduled to take place until at least January 2025.
Since a rush of surveys show Labour with its largest lead in decades, opposition parties are powerless to compel one unless dozens of Conservative MPs agree, which doesn’t seem probable.
