Sir Keir Starmer has addressed the nation from Downing Street after being made Prime Minister by the King following Labour’s stunning election victory.The Labour leader made his way to Number 10 after travelling to the Palace to be appointed PM after Rishi Sunak earlier resigned.
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00:00Good afternoon. I have just returned from Buckingham Palace where I accepted an invitation
00:11from His Majesty the King to form the next government of this great nation. I want to
00:25thank the outgoing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. His achievement as the first British Asian
00:32Prime Minister of our country, the extra effort that that will have required should not be
00:40underestimated by anyone. We pay tribute to that today. And we also recognise the dedication
00:50and hard work he brought to his leadership. But now our country has voted decisively for
01:00change, for national renewal and a return of politics to public service. When the gap
01:10between the sacrifices made by people and the service they receive from politicians
01:17grows this big, it leads to a weariness in the heart of a nation, a draining away of
01:26the hope, the spirit, the belief in a better future, that we need to move forward together.
01:38Now this wound, this lack of trust can only be healed by actions, not words. I know that.
01:51But we can make a start today with the simple acknowledgement that public service is a privilege
01:59and that your government should treat every single person in this country with respect.
02:10If you voted Labour yesterday, we will carry the responsibility of your trust as we rebuild
02:16our country. But whether you voted Labour or not, in fact, especially if you did not,
02:26I say to you directly, my government will serve you. Politics can be a force for good.
02:37We will show that. We've changed the Labour Party, returned it to service, and that is
02:44how we will govern. Country first, party second. Yet if I'm honest, service is merely a precondition
02:54of hope, and it is surely clear to everyone that our country needs a bigger reset, a rediscovery
03:03of who we are, because no matter how fierce the storms of history, one of the great strengths
03:10of this nation has always been our ability to navigate away to calmer waters. And yet
03:19this depends upon politicians, particularly those who stand for stability and moderation,
03:28as I do, recognising when we must change course. For too long now, we've turned a blind eye
03:36as millions slid into greater insecurity. Nurses, builders, drivers, carers, people doing
03:43the right thing, working harder every day, recognised at moments like this before, yet
03:53as soon as the cameras stop rolling, their lives are ignored. I want to say very clearly
04:01to those people, not this time. Changing a country is not like flicking a switch. The
04:10world is now a more volatile place. This will take a while, but have no doubt that the work
04:18of change begins immediately. Have no doubt that we will rebuild Britain with wealth created
04:27in every community, our NHS back on its feet facing the future, secure borders, safer streets,
04:35untreated, with dignity and respect at work, the opportunity of clean British power cutting
04:42your energy bills for good. And brick by brick, we will rebuild the infrastructure of opportunity,
04:52the world-class schools and colleges, the affordable homes that I know are the ingredients
04:58of hope for working people, the security that working-class families like mine can
05:06build their lives around. Because if I asked you now whether you believe that Britain will
05:17be better for your children, I know too many of you would say no. And so my government
05:27will fight every day until you believe again. From now on, you have a government unburdened
05:35by doctrine, guided only by the determination to serve your interest, to defy quietly those
05:43who have written our country off. You have given us a clear mandate, and we will use
05:51it to deliver change, to restore service and respect to politics, end the era of noisy
05:58performance, tread more lightly on your lives, and unite our country. Four nations standing
06:07together again, facing down, as we have so often in our past, the challenges of an insecure
06:16world committed to a calm and patient rebuilding. So, with respect and humility, I invite you
06:28all to join this government of service in the mission of national renewal. Our work
06:38is urgent, and we begin it today. Thank you very much.