Starmer Begins Term as UK Prime MinisterStarmer Begins Term as UK Prime Minister At 10 Downing Street, Keir Starmer welcomed new ministers and expressed his honor at being asked by King Charles III to lead the government. The ceremony marked his official appointment as Prime Minister. “We still have a lot of work to do, so let’s get started now,” Starmer stated. Starmer’s Labour Party secured a landslide victory against the Conservatives, presenting significant challenges. These include reviving the economy, overhauling healthcare, and rebuilding public trust. “Labour’s victory does not eliminate the issues faced by the previous Conservative government,” noted Professor Tim Bale. International leaders, including US President Joe Biden, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, extended their congratulations. Albanese emphasized his desire to collaborate on economic growth, climate action, and the AUKUS initiative. Starmer also engaged with European and global leaders throughout his first day, discussing the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. In his inaugural address, Starmer pledged immediate action despite acknowledging the time required to see results. He stressed restoring the National Health Service and securing borders amid concerns about migration due to climate change and conflict. “Choosing a different country is not like flipping a switch,” Starmer stated, noting the need for a gradual transition. Starmer intends to cancel the Conservative plan of deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda, a controversial policy that has proven ineffective. Despite criticizing this move, potential Conservative Party leader Suella Braverman emphasized the need for alternative solutions to address illegal Channel crossings. Starmer’s first day in office saw him address critical issues and engage with domestic and international counterparts. The government faces numerous challenges as it embarks on its mandate to bring about change in the United Kingdom.
Starmer welcomed the new ministers to the negotiating table at 10 Downing St. and said it had been the honour of his life to be asked by King Charles III to form a government. During the ceremony he was officially appointed prime minister.
“We still have a lot of work to do, so let’s get started now,” he said.
WATCH LIVE: Prime Minister Keir Starmer holds a press conference at 10 Downing Street. — UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) https://t.co/uvkZ5XxVHAJuly 6, 2024
Starmer’s Labour Party dealt the Conservatives the biggest blow in their two-hundred-year history on Friday by winning a landslide victory on a platform of change.
Some of the issues they face include stimulating the sluggish economy, fixing the broken health care system and restoring trust in government.
“The fact that Labour won a big victory doesn’t mean that all the problems the Conservative government faced have gone away,” said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London.
US President Joe Biden, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese were among the international leaders who picked up the phone to congratulate Starmer.
The Australian Labor Party leader congratulated Starmer on his victory and said he looked forward to working with him.
The two leaders reaffirmed Australia and the United Kingdom’s commitment to advancing a busy agenda including growing their economies, taking action on climate change, seizing the opportunities of the global clean energy transition and advancing AUKUS.
The wars in Ukraine and Gaza were also discussed, officials said.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been busy on his first day in office at Downing Street. (AP PHOTO)
Starmer spoke with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
He also spoke to Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris, who accepted an invitation to visit Downing Street on July 17, and to Scottish First Minister John Swinney.
In his first speech as prime minister on Friday after the “kiss of the hand” ceremony with Charles at Buckingham Palace, Starmer said he would get to work immediately, although he warned it would take some time before results were visible.
“Choosing a different country is not like flipping a switch,” he said as enthusiastic supporters cheered him on at his new official residence at 10 Downing.
“This will take some time, but have no doubt that change will begin immediately.”
Starmer made a number of key points, such as restoring the respected but flawed National Health Service and securing its borders. In doing so, he pointed to a larger global problem in Europe and the US, namely coping with an influx of migrants fleeing war and poverty, as well as droughts, heatwaves and floods, which have been blamed on climate change.
Conservatives have struggled to stem the flow of migrants arriving across the Channel, failing to deliver on ousted Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s promise to “stop the boats”.
Suella Braverman is a possible candidate to replace Rishi Sunak as leader of the Conservative Party. (AP PHOTO)
Starmer has said he will scrap the Conservatives’ controversial plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda.
The plan had cost hundreds of millions of dollars without a single flight taking off.
“Labour will have to find a solution for the small boats crossing the Channel,” Bale said.
“The country will abandon the Rwanda plan, but will have to come up with other solutions to address that specific problem.”
Suella Braverman, a hardliner on immigration who is a potential candidate to succeed Sunak as party leader, criticised Starmer’s plan to end the Rwanda pact.
“Years of hard work, parliamentary action and millions of pounds have been spent on a plan that, if implemented properly, would have worked,” she said on Saturday.
“There are big problems on the horizon, which I fear will be caused by Keir Starmer.”
with Reuters
