Rishi Sunak takes charge as first Indian-origin UK PM
London: Rishi Sunak on Tuesday took charge as Britain's first Indian-origin Prime Minister with a promise to put the crisis-hit country's needs "above politics" and "fix the mistakes" made by his predecessor, a day after he was elected the leader of the Conservative Party in a historic leadership run.
The 42-year-old investment banker-turned politician is the youngest British PM in 210 years. He is also Britain's first Hindu Prime Minister.
In his first address at the doorstep of 10 Downing Street in London after meeting King Charles III at Buckingham Palace, the new Prime Minister said that he takes over at a time when the UK is facing a "profound economic crisis" as it deals with the aftermath of Covid and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Sunak asserted that he is "not daunted by the high office he has accepted and hopes to live up to its demands.
"I admired her restlessness to create change. But some mistakes were made. Not borne of ill will or bad intentions. Quite the opposite in fact, but mistakes nonetheless," he said about his predecessor Liz Truss.
"And I have been elected as leader of my party, and your Prime Minister in part, to fix them. "I will unite our country not with words but with action. I will work day in and day out to deliver for you," Sunak, the second Prime Minister in as many months and the third this year.
Sunak, Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy's son-in-law, warned of "difficult decisions to come" and pointed to his record as Chancellor of Exchequer during the pandemic to promise that he will bring that "same compassion to the challenges ahead".
"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. Together we can achieve incredible things. We will create a future worthy of the sacrifices so many have made and fill tomorrow and every day thereafter with hope," he said.
Sunak started delivering on his "work would begin immediately" promise within an hour of his meeting with King Charles III. A string of members of Liz Truss' team of ministers were asked to step down as a precursor to the announcement of his new Cabinet. Two crucial appointments were made by evening — Dominic Raab as the Deputy Prime Minister and Jeremy Hunt as Finance minister.
British lawmaker Suella Braverman was reappointed as Interior minister on Tuesday by Sunak, less than a week after she resigned from the role for breaching government rules.
Braverman, 42, stepped down a day before former PM Liz Truss did after breaching email security rules, also voicing concerns about the direction of Truss' government in her resignation letter. The man who replaced her, Grant Shapps, becomes Business and Energy Secretary.
Dominic Raab — who was the Deputy Prime Minister for former Prime Minister Boris Johnson — will also hold the Secretary of State for Justice portfolio.
Jeremy Hunt — who replaced Kwasi Kwarteng — will stay on as the Finance minister, tweeted the Prime Minister's official Twitter handle.
Ben Wallace also remains Defence Secretary, a role he has held since Johnson entered Downing Street in July 2019.
But nine Cabinet ministers have left their posts, including top allies of Truss such as ex-Levelling Up Secretary Simon Clarke and former Work and Pensions Secretary Chloe Smith.
Sunak supporter Simon Hart has replaced Wendy Morton, another Truss ally, as the chief whip. Oliver Dowden, another supporter of Sunak, has returned as the Cabinet Office Minister.
Brandon Lewis, Robert Buckland, Kit Malthouse and Ranil Jayawardena have also left the Cabinet, whilst Nadhim Zahawi has replaced Jake Berry as Conservative Party chairman.
In other departures, Vicky Ford has been sacked as a Development minister at the Foreign Office.
Alok Sharma has lost his job as a Cabinet Office minister, although he will remain in charge of UK preparations for the COP27 UN climate summit to be held in Egypt next month.
