Prime Minister statement in Downing Street

Daren Frankish - UK Gov - PM statement in Downing Street: 13 December 2019


Prime Minister Boris Johnson made his first statement upon returning to Downing Street.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson;


This morning I went to Buckingham Palace and I am forming a new government

and on Monday MPs will arrive at Westminster to form a new parliament and I am proud to say that

members of our new one nation government ““ a people´s government ““ will set out from constituencies that have never returned a Conservative MP for 100 years

and yes they will have an overwhelming mandate, from this election, to get Brexit done

and we will honour that mandate by Jan 31

and so in this moment of national resolution I want to speak directly to those who made it possible

and to all those who voted for us, for the first time,

all those whose pencils may have wavered over the ballot

and who heard the voices of their parents and their grandparents whispering anxiously in their ears

I say thank you for the trust you have placed in us and in me

and we will work round the clock to repay your trust and to deliver on your priorities

with a parliament that works for you

and then I want to speak also to those who did not vote for us or for me

and who wanted and perhaps still want to remain in the EU

and I want you to know that we in this one nation conservative government will never ignore

your good and positive feelings ““ of warmth and sympathy towards the other nations of Europe

because now is the moment ““ precisely as we leave the EU ““ to let those natural feelings find renewed expression

in building a new partnership, which is one of the great projects for next year

and as we work together with the EU

as friends and sovereign equals

in tackling climate change and terrorism

in building academic and scientific cooperation, redoubling our trading relationship

I frankly urge everyone on either side of what after three and a half years after all an increasingly arid argument I urge everyone to find closure and to let the healing begin

because I believe, in fact I know, because I have heard it loud and clear from every corner of the country that the overwhelming priority of the British people now is that we should focus above all on the NHS

that simple and beautiful idea that represents the best of our country with the biggest ever cash boost

50,000 more nurses, 40 new hospitals as well as providing better schools, safer streets

and in the next few weeks and months we will be bringing forward proposals to transform this country

with better infrastructure, better education, better technology

and if you ask yourselves what is this new government going to do, what is he going to do with his extraordinary majority

I will tell you that is what we are going to do we are going to unite and level up ““ unite and level up

bringing together the whole of this incredible United Kingdom

England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland together

taking us forward unleashing the potential of the whole country delivering opportunity across the entire nation

and since I know that after five weeks frankly of electioneering this country deserves a break from

wrangling, a break from politics, and a permanent break from talking about Brexit

I want everyone to go about their Christmas preparations happy and secure in the knowledge that here in this people´s government the work is now being stepped up

to make 2020 a year of prosperity and growth and hope and to deliver a Parliament that works for the people

thank you all very much and happy Christmas.