UK latest updates: Rishi Sunak begins appointing new cabinet
In his first speech as PM, Sunak focuses on the nation’s imperilled economy following weeks of political turmoil.
- Rishi Sunak has become Britain’s third prime minister within 50 days, after Liz Truss and Boris Johnson were forced to resign.
- In his first speech as PM, Sunak promised to unite the nation “facing a profound economic crisis” and acknowledged “mistakes were made” by his predecessors.
- Rishi Sunak has become Britain’s third prime minister within 50 days, after Liz Truss and Boris Johnson were forced to resign.
- In his first speech as PM, Sunak promised to unite the nation “facing a profound economic crisis” and acknowledged “mistakes were made” by his predecessors.
- The 42-year-old has begun work shaping his administration; Jeremy Hunt is set to remain in his position as finance minister while Jacob Rees-Mogg, a Johnson ally, earlier quit.
This live blog is now closed, thank you for joining us. These were the updates on Rishi Sunak becoming the UK’s new prime minister on Tuesday, October 25:
‘It is going to be tough,’ UK finance minister says
Jeremy Hunt, who is keeping his job as finance minister, said on Twitter: “Honoured to serve our country, and Rishi Sunak, as Chancellor of the Exchequer.
“It is going to be tough. But protecting the vulnerable – and people’s jobs, mortgages and bills – will be at the front of our minds as we work to restore stability, confidence and long-term growth.”
Honoured to serve our country, and @RishiSunak, as Chancellor of the Exchequer.
It is going to be tough. But protecting the vulnerable – and people's jobs, mortgages and bills – will be at the front of our minds as we work to restore stability, confidence and long-term growth. pic.twitter.com/8eGecW677t
— Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) October 25, 2022
Ben Wallace has been reappointed as defence minister, and James Cleverly retains his position as foreign minister, Sunak’s office said.
Everything you need to know about the new PM
Sunak becomes the UK’s third prime minister in three months after winning the Conservative Party’s leadership vote on Monday.
But who exactly is Sunak and what was he doing before running for PM?
Sunak’s elevation to Britain’s top job stirs diversity debate
Sunak is the first non-white person and first Hindu to lead Britain.
For many, his win signals a victory for British diversity. But others doubt his policies will benefit underrepresented people.
More here on what Sunak’s win could mean for multiculturalism.
Alok Sharma loses position; 10 MPs leave cabinet
British minister Alok Sharma has lost his position in the cabinet and becomes the 10th person to be reshuffled.
The government said Sharma would still represent the UK at the COP27 climate summit next month in Egypt and remain Britain’s COP26 president.
According to Dan Bloom, the online political editor for The Sun, nine other people have lost or resigned from their positions in government.
OUT so far
Jake Berry – chair
Wendy Morton – chief whip
Brandon Lewis – Justice
Jacob Rees Mogg – Business
Robert Buckland – Wales
Kit Malthouse – Education
Ranil Jayawardena – Environment
Chloe Smith – DWP
Vicky Ford – Development— Dan Bloom (@danbloom1) October 25, 2022
Full transcript of Sunak’s address to the nation
Sunak gives his first address as prime minister and speaks about the economic crisis the country is in with inflation high and the pound weak.
Here’s a full transcript of Sunak’s statement about the country’s future.
US President Joe Biden calls Sunak’s appointment ‘groundbreaking’
US President Joe Biden has congratulated Sunak, who became the country’s third prime minister in two months.
“Together, I look forward to enhancing our cooperation on issues critical to global security and prosperity, including continuing our strong support for Ukraine,” Biden said on Twitter.
The US president congratulated Sunak on Monday, ahead of his meeting with King Charles III, and called the appointment of a person with Indian heritage to lead Britain “groundbreaking”.
“It’s pretty astounding, a groundbreaking milestone, and it matters,” Biden said at a White House celebration of the Indian Diwali festival.
Biden also messed up the new prime minister’s name and called him “Rashid Sanook”.
'"Go figure!"
US President Joe Biden reacts to incoming prime minister Rishi Sunak's 'ground-breaking' win.
Latest 👉 https://t.co/jUh3qMyzSV pic.twitter.com/fMNj07DyzR
— Sky News (@SkyNews) October 25, 2022
Jeremy Hunt to remain as finance minister
Jeremy Hunt, who was given the position of Chancellor of the Exchequer under the former PM Liz Truss to save the economy, will remain in the job, according to Sky News.
The controversial mini-budget to cut taxes as part of Truss’s plan to encourage growth in the British economy had the opposite effect.
The budget instead led to the pound crashing and the government making embarrassing u-turns.
Sunak’s full address as PM
Here is Rishi Sunak’s first address as the UK’s newest prime minister.
Watch as Rishi Sunak gives his first statement as UK PM, laying out how he intends to fix Britain’s “profound economic crisis.” ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/G2bSR2UZz1
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) October 25, 2022
Two MPs resign from cabinet following Sunak’s address
Britain’s business secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg and justice secretary Brandon Lewis have resigned following the new PM’s statement.
The justice secretary posted his resignation letter on Twitter, he wrote: “An honour to have been one of the longest serving Cabinet ministers – having done eight ministerial roles, in five departments, under four Prime Ministers. The new PM will have my support from the back benches to tackle the many challenges we face – as a Party and as a country.”
An honour to have been one of the longest serving Cabinet ministers – having done eight ministerial roles, in five departments, under four Prime Ministers.
The new PM will have my support from the back benches to tackle the many challenges we face – as a Party and as a country. pic.twitter.com/ulZjpcHkWk
— Brandon Lewis (@BrandonLewis) October 25, 2022
Kremlin sees no change in future relations under Sunak
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov tells reporters that there is no hope for future positive ties with the UK under the new leader.
“At the moment we see no grounds for hope that there will be any positive changes in the foreseeable future,” he said.
“Russia remains open and ready to discuss the most difficult issues at the negotiating table. But not to the detriment of our own interests.”
Russian officials have been happy with the departures of Liz Truss and Boris Johnson and repeatedly said they see no chance of an improvement in relations between London and Moscow, no matter who occupies 10 Downing Street.
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy congratulates PM Sunak
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy takes to Twitter to congratulate the new PM.
He wrote: “Congratulations to Rishi Sunak on taking office as Prime Minister! I wish you to successfully overcome all the challenges facing British society and the whole world today. I’m ready to continue strengthening the strategic partnership together!”
Congratulations to @RishiSunak on taking office as 🇬🇧 Prime Minister! I wish you to successfully overcome all the challenges facing British society and the whole world today. I’m ready to continue strengthening the 🇺🇦-🇬🇧 strategic partnership together!
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 25, 2022
Time for Tories to give ‘their full and wholehearted support’: Johnson
Former British PM Boris Johnson congratulates Rishi Sunak on his appointment as prime minister, urging Tory party members to give Sunak their full support.
“Congratulations to (Rishi Sunak) on this historic day; this is the moment for every Conservative to give our new PM their full and wholehearted support,” Johnson wrote on Twitter.
Congratulations to @RishiSunak on this historic day, this is the moment for every Conservative to give our new PM their full and wholehearted support.
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) October 25, 2022
Macron: ‘We will continue working to tackle the challenges of the moment’
French President Emmanuel Macron congratulates Rishi Sunak on becoming the new PM.
Macron tweeted: “Congratulations to Rishi Sunak, who has become Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Together we will continue working to tackle the challenges of the moment, including the war in Ukraine and its many consequences for Europe and the world.”
Congratulations to @RishiSunak, who has become Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Together we will continue working to tackle the challenges of the moment, including the war in Ukraine and its many consequences for Europe and the world.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) October 25, 2022
Sunak ‘wants people to have their say’: AJ correspondent
Al Jazeera’s Andrew Simmons, reporting from Downing Street, says Rishi Sunak “wants a mixed approach to the party. He wants people to have their say; he wants unity”.
As Sunak takes the top job, Simmons explained: “There’s no love lost between him and Boris Johnson, and there’s no doubt about that.
“[Boris] came here with the expectation that he would be riding back into Downing Street. He really thought he had a popular position in London which he didn’t have.”
But, his influence over party members and the public cannot be disregarded, Simmons said.
“There you have an area that could cause a future problem because Johnson is still well-regarded by quite a few people in the party.”
Sunak: ‘I will place economic stability at the heart of agenda’
In his first speech to the nation as PM, Rishi Sunak says his government will not leave future generations with a debt to pay and promises to unite the country.
“I will place economic stability and confidence at the heart of this government’s agenda. This will mean difficult decisions to come,” he said.
Sunak paid “tribute” to ex-PM Liz Truss and acknowledged mistakes were made.
“I want to pay tribute to my predecessor Liz Truss. She was not wrong to want to improve growth in this country. It is a noble aim. And I admired her restlessness to create change.
“But some mistakes were made – not born of ill will, or bad intentions. Quite the opposite, in fact. But mistakes, nonetheless. And I have been elected as leader of my party and your prime minister, in part to fix them.”
Sunak also referenced his work during COVID and the furlough scheme, which saved businesses.
“You saw me during COVID doing everything I could to protect people and businesses with schemes like furlough.
“There are always limits, moreso now than ever. But I promise you this, I will bring that same compassion to the challenges we face today.
“The government I lead will not leave the next generation, your children and grandchildren, with a debt to settle that we were too weak to pay ourselves.”
Rishi Sunak is officially the new PM
Rishi Sunak meets King Charles III, who appoints him Britain’s newest prime minister.
BREAKING: The King has appointed Rishi Sunak as Prime Minister. pic.twitter.com/h7reWS1fmR
— Royal Central (@RoyalCentral) October 25, 2022
Rishi Sunak to give his first speech to the nation
Rishi Sunak, the incoming prime minister, will shortly give his first speech to the nation and address his future steps as leader of the Conservative Party and Britain.
Harry Cole, the political editor of The Sun newspaper, has tweeted a picture of a new, smaller lecturn being set up for Sunak’s speech.
New smaller lecturn arrives pic.twitter.com/0FntHi0SNv
— Harry Cole (@MrHarryCole) October 25, 2022
‘The British public is getting quite used to this procedure’: AJ correspondent
Here’s Al Jazeera’s Andrew Simmons with more on Tuesday’s process.
Outgoing UK PM Liz Truss gives final speech
Liz Truss has given her final speech as prime minister in front of 10 Downing Street and reiterated that the country needs to be “bold and confront the challenges that we face”.
Truss wished the incoming Prime Minister Rishi Sunak “every success” in taking the mantle and becoming the new leader.
“Our country continues to battle through a storm. But I believe in Britain. I believe in the British people. And I know that brighter days lie ahead,” she said.
Truss invoked the Roman philosopher Seneca and said: “It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare. It is because we do not dare that they are difficult.”
Truss will now visit the king to formally tender her resignation.
Liz Truss to give final statement as PM
Liz Truss will give her final statement as prime minister before her successor Rishi Sunak meets with King Charles III.
Truss lost her party’s confidence after her government announced a mini-budget that crashed the country’s economy.
She was forced to resign a month and a half after taking up her position.
Pound rises on hopes Sunak can stabilise UK economy
The British pound has risen after Rishi Sunak won the race to become Britain’s next prime minister, although analysts say gains will likely be short-lived given the gloomy economic outlook.
Jeremy Hunt, who outgoing Prime Minister Liz Truss had appointed as the chancellor of the exchequer to replace Kwasi Kwarteng, is widely expected to continue serving under Sunak.
His first task will likely be presenting details on what remains of the Truss government’s fiscal plan on October 31.
Rishi Sunak to become third prime minister in two months
Rishi Sunak, the former chancellor of the exchequer, will become Britain’s third prime minister in two months after weeks of infighting and feuding in the country’s legislature that scared the stock market and alarmed international allies.
The 42-year-old former hedge fund boss and one of the richest politicians in the House of Commons warned his Conservative colleagues on Monday that the party faced an “existential crisis” if it did not help to steer the country through what he described as a “profound” economic challenge.
“We now need stability and unity, and I will make it my utmost priority to bring our party and our country together,” he said.