LONDON-Reuters | AFP :Newly elected UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday said Britain needed to rediscover its identity and undergo a wider reset, in his first words outside his new office at 10 Downing Street, promising to fight to restore trust in politics and serve all voters.
Greeted in Downing Street by a large crowd of cheering aides and supporters after formally accepting King Charles’s invitation to become prime minister, Starmer’s first address made the case for moderate politics to repair voters’ broken trust.
“It is surely clear to everyone that our country needs a bigger reset, a rediscovery of who we are, because no matter how fierce the storms of history, one of the greatest strengths of this nation has always been our ability to navigate a way to calmer waters,” he said.
“This depends upon politicians, particularly those who stand for stability and moderation, as I do.”
He added: “My government will fight every day until you believe again. From now on, you have a government unburdened by doctrine, guided only by the determination to serve your interest. To defy those quietly those who have written our country off.
“You have given us a clear mandate, And we will use it to deliver change.”
King Charles III earlier officially appointed Starmer as prime minister during an audience at Buckingham Palace.
A photograph released by the palace showed the monarch shaking hands with Starmer, whose party won a landslide election victory. The king earlier accepted the resignation of Conservative leader Rishi Sunak.
“The king received in Audience The Right Honourable Sir Keir Starmer MP today and requested him to form a new administration,” a palace statement read.
“Sir Keir accepted his majesty’s offer and kissed hands upon his appointment as prime minister and first lord of the Treasury.”
Starmer vowed to bring change to Britain as its next prime minister after his Labour Party surged to a comprehensive win in a parliamentary election, ending 14 years of often tumultuous Conservative government.
The centre-left Labour was set to win a massive majority in the 650-seat parliament with Sunak’s Conservatives poised to suffer the worst performance in the party’s long history as voters punished them for a cost of living crisis, failing public services, and a series of scandals.
“Change begins now,” Starmer said in a victory speech.
“We said we would end the chaos, and we will, we said we would turn the page, and we have. Today, we start the next chapter, begin the work of change, the mission of national renewal and start to rebuild our country.
“Tonight, people here and around the country have spoken and they’re ready for change, to end the politics of performance, a return to politics as public service,” Starmer said after winning his seat in London.
“The change begins right here … You have voted. It is now time for us to deliver.”
