New UK Prime Minister Liz Truss vows to ‘get Britain working again’ – POLITICO

LONDON — New U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss has vowed to “get Britain working again” after being been appointed the nation’s leader by Queen Elizabeth. 

Predecessor Boris Johnson tendered his resignation at Balmoral Castle in Scotland earlier on Tuesday before Truss, the former foreign secretary, was invited to form a government by the 96-year-old monarch.

The audience, known as “kissing hands” — although hands are no longer kissed — was held at Queen Elizabeth’s Aberdeenshire estate rather than at her London residence, Buckingham Palace, because of concerns about her mobility.

Truss then flew back to London to deliver an address on the steps of No. 10 Downing Street, the prime minister’s official residence, later Tuesday afternoon.

Speaking on live TV Truss insisted she was “determined to deliver” for voters and said she would “get Britain working again.”

She insisted Britain could “ride out the storm” of the twin economic and energy crises facing the nation, while acknowledging the “severe global headwinds” she is up against.

The new prime minister was speaking just after a torrential downpour had drenched the waiting media and Truss supporters outside No. 10.

She promised three early priorities as PM — delivering on the economy, on energy and on the crisis-ridden National Health Service, reiterating her promise of “bold” tax cuts and reform.

On the most pressing challenging in her in-tray — spiraling energy bills and the threat to the U.K.’s energy supply — Truss promised “action this week.” A bailout package for households and businesses costing upward of £100 billion is expected as soon as Thursday.

After delivering her speech Truss posed outside the famous black door with her husband Hugh O’Leary, before heading into her new residence, followed by her team, who had come out to welcome her.

She will shortly start appointing her top team, with her close political ally Kwasi Kwarteng, Johnson’s business secretary, expected to be announced as Truss’ chancellor.

It comes after Truss emerged victorious in the long summer Conservative Party leadership contest, which was triggered by Johnson’s resignation following a Cabinet revolt over his handling of a series of scandals.

Truss became Conservative leader after beating former Chancellor Rishi Sunak by a margin of 57 to 43 percent in a ballot of party members.

In her acceptance speech, she pledged to deliver on a raft of promises made during the campaign, including a suite of tax cuts and help with the soaring cost of energy.

“I campaigned as a Conservative and will govern as a Conservative,” she said on Monday.

The new prime minister will appear before MPs at the traditional weekly prime minister’s question time at lunchtime Wednesday.

Further reading: POLITICO’s behind-the-scenes look at how Truss beat Sunak; our essential primer on the new British PM; and an in-depth look at Truss’ program for government.