00:00Good afternoon. I have just returned from Buckingham Palace where I accepted an invitation
00:23from His Majesty the King to form the next government of this great nation.
00:36I want to thank the outgoing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. His achievement as the first
00:43British Asian Prime Minister of our country, the extra effort that that will have required
00:51should not be underestimated by anyone and we pay tribute to that today. And we also
01:00recognise the dedication and hard work he brought to his leadership. But now our country
01:08has voted decisively for change, for national renewal and a return of politics to public
01:18service. When the gap between the sacrifices made by people and the service they receive
01:27from politicians grows this big it leads to a weariness in the heart of a nation, a draining
01:36away of the hope, the spirit, the belief in a better future, that we need to move forward
01:47together. Now this wound, this lack of trust can only be healed by actions, not words.
02:00I know that. But we can make a start today with the simple acknowledgement that public
02:08service is a privilege and that your government should treat every single person in this country
02:18with respect. If you voted Labour yesterday we will carry the responsibility of your trust
02:27as we rebuild our country. But whether you voted Labour or not, in fact especially if
02:36you did not, I say to you directly my government will serve you. Politics can be a force for
02:47good. We will show that. We've changed the Labour Party, returned it to service and that
02:55is how we will govern. Country first, party second. Yet if I'm honest, service is merely
03:05a precondition of hope and it is surely clear to everyone that our country needs a bigger
03:13reset, a rediscovery of who we are because no matter how fierce the storms of history,
03:21one of the great strengths of this nation has always been our ability to navigate a
03:27way to calmer waters. And yet this depends upon politicians, particularly those who
03:35stand for stability and moderation, as I do. Recognising when we must change course, for
03:45too long now we've turned a blind eye as millions slid into greater insecurity. Nurses,
03:52builders, drivers, carers, people doing the right thing, working harder every day. Recognised
04:00at moments like this before, yet as soon as the cameras stop rolling their lives are ignored.
04:11I want to say very clearly to those people, not this time. Changing a country is not like
04:19flicking a switch. The world is now a more volatile place. This will take a while. But
04:27have no doubt that the work of change begins immediately. Have no doubt that we will rebuild
04:36Britain with wealth created in every community, our NHS back on its feet facing the future,
04:43secure borders, safer streets, everyone treated with dignity and respect at work, the opportunity
04:52of clean British power cutting your energy bills for good. And brick by brick we will
05:00rebuild the infrastructure of opportunity, the world class schools and colleges, the
05:07affordable homes that I know are the ingredients of hope for working people, the security that
05:15working class families like mine can build their lives around. Because if I asked you
05:23now whether you believe that Britain will be better for your children, I know too many
05:34of you would say no. And so my government will fight every day until you believe again.
05:43From now on you have a government unburdened by doctrine, guided only by the determination
05:50to serve your interest, to defy quietly those who have written our country off. You have
05:59given us a clear mandate and we will use it to deliver change, to restore service and
06:06respect to politics, end the era of noisy performance, tread more lightly on your lives
06:14and unite our country. Four nations standing together again, facing down as we have so
06:23often in our past the challenges of an insecure world, committed to a calm and patient rebuilding.
06:34So with respect and humility I invite you all to join this government of service in
06:45the mission of national renewal. Our work is urgent and we begin it today. Thank you very much.
