In her first week as Prime Minister, Liz Truss says she will seek to address the United Kingdom’s energy crisis which has resulted from the geopolitical conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Truss declared this commitment as one of her three early priorities in her first speech since being appointed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on Tuesday, September 6.
She said, “We’ll get spades in the ground to make sure people are not facing unaffordable energy…I will deal hands-on with the energy crisis caused by Putin’s war. I will take action this week to deal with energy bills to secure our future energy supply.”
Her other two priorities were to implement a “bold plan to grow the economy through tax cuts and reform”, and to “make sure that people can get doctor’s appointments and the NHS services they need.”
Truss was officially made Prime Minister after meeting with Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
A statement from Buckingham Palace said that the Queen met with Truss and requested of her the formation of a new governing administration.
Truss told those gathered to witness in her first statement that she was honoured to accept the Queen’s request.
Just hours before Truss was officially appointed, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson tendered his official resignation to the Queen, having also visited her in Scotland.
Though he lamented the unexpected turn of events that had led to this moment, Johnson said that he was pleased to hand over the baton to his successor.
“I know that Liz Truss and this compassionate Conservative Government will do everything we can to get people through this crisis and this country will endure it, and we will win”, Johnson said.
On the occasion of his farewell, Johnson urged Tory members to unite behind Truss.