Thursday, March 28

Liz Truss, in her first speech as British Prime Minister: “We can weather the storm”


Liz Truss is already the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, replacing Boris Johnson. “It is an honor for me to assume this responsibility at a vital moment for our country”, she said this Tuesday at the beginning of her first speech as head of government at the gates of her residence in Downing Street after arriving from Balmoral Castle, in Scotland. , where he has been formally commissioned by Queen Elizabeth II to form a new Government, the composition of which will be announced in the next few hours.

“This is it, folks”: Boris Johnson’s farewell speech as Prime Minister

Know more

The leader tory She has arrived smiling at the official residence to the applause of her followers, who have waited for her in the rain outside number 10. At 47 years old and until now Foreign Minister, she is the third woman to hold the position of Prime Minister, after Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May.

During her speech, Truss stated that her government “will transform Great Britain into a nation with aspirations, with well-paying jobs, safe streets and where everyone, everywhere, has the opportunities they deserve.” “I will take action today and every day to make it happen,” he said. After her intervention, she has posed for a photograph with her husband, Hugh O’Leary, in front of the door of number 10, before turning around and entering her official residence.

Economy, energy and health

As prime minister, Truss will have to face several open crises, from the increase in inflation and the cost of living to the energy crisis and the saturation and lack of resources in the health system. A conservative, she has insisted on her promise to cut taxes and she plans to announce a new plan that may include, as reported by the BBC, freezing household energy bills for a period of 18 months. One of her first significant acts as chief executive is expected to be the announcement of these measures.

In this sense, Truss has assured in his first speech that he has set three immediate priorities for his Government. First of all, in his words, to make the UK “work again”. “I have a bold plan to grow the economy through tax cuts and reforms. I will cut taxes to reward hard work and drive business-led growth and investment. I will drive reform in my mission to get the UK working, building and growing.”

Next, he has promised means so that people do not face, he has said, “unaffordable energy bills”. “We will also make sure that hospitals, schools, roads and broadband are built.”

Second, he has pledged to address the energy crisis caused, he said, “by Putin’s war.” “I will take action this week to address energy bills and to secure our future energy supply.” The third priority that he has mentioned is that “people can go to medical appointments and NHS services [el sistema sanitario británico] what do you need. We will place our health service on a firm foundation.”

“By delivering on the economy, energy and the NHS, we will put our nation on the path to long-term success,” said the new prime minister. “Now is the time to address the issues that are holding Britain back. I know we have what it takes to meet those challenges. Of course, it won’t be easy, but we can do it. I am sure that together we can weather the storm. We can rebuild our economy and become the brilliant modern Britain that I know we can be.”

Johnson’s goodbye

A few hours earlier, in front of the famous black door of number 10 Downing Street, Johnson said goodbye to the position with a “this is all, friends”, defended his record as head of the Executive and gave his support to the Government of his successor.

The former prime minister announced his resignation on July 7, mired in a political crisis after the cascade of resignations within his government as a result of various scandals, from the celebrations that broke the rules of the pandemic to the management of accusations of sexual harassment against a Conservative MP.

Johnson’s resignation kicked off a weeks-long internal process to choose the new leader of the Tories British, which ended with Truss’s victory over his rival, former Foreign Minister Rishi Sunak. The person who leads the Conservative Party also becomes the new tenant of Downing Street because this formation has a parliamentary majority. The Tories They have been in power for 12 years.

Truss, perceived as loyal to Boris Johnson, was appointed Foreign Minister on September 15, 2021. Two years earlier she had been elected Secretary of State for Women and Equality. She has held other ministerial posts, such as International Trade, Justice and Environment – ​​she was recruited by David Cameron and May kept her in the cabinet. The leader tory He studied philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford University’s Merton College and entered Parliament in 2010 for South West Norfolk, in the east of England.



www.eldiario.es