Boris Johnson promises to unite Britain, committed to have a Brexit deal within 99 days
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Boris Johnson has delivered a defiant, upbeat first speech on the steps of Downing Street after becoming the UK’s prime minister.
In his first address as Prime Minister, Mr Johnson hit out at the “doubters, doomsters and gloomsters” who doubted Britain’s ability to deliver Brexit, telling critics not to “underestimate this country”.
As the UK’s new Prime Minister stood outside the famous black door of 10 Downing Street, addressing the public for the first time as leader, he made clear that bringing Britain together was his intention.
Johnson promised to take personal responsibility for delivering on his central leadership pledges.
Johnson opened by saying that pessimists “at home and abroad” had created an impression that the UK had become a “prisoner” to the divisions Brexit created in 2016.
Promising to restore trust in politics, he added: “The people who bet against Britain are going to lose their shirts because we are going to restore trust in our democracy.
Boris Johnson has promised to deliver Brexit by October 31 “no ifs or buts”, as he told the nation that “the buck stops here”.
“And we are going to fulfil the repeated promises of Parliament to the people and come out of the EU on October 31 no ifs or buts.
“And we will do a new deal, a better deal that will maximise the opportunities of Brexit while allowing us to develop a new and exciting partnership with the rest of Europe based on free trade and mutual support.
“I have every confidence that in 99 days time we will have cracked it.”
We aren’t going to wait 99 days because the British people have had enough of waiting,” Johnson says, in a combative and confident first statement as Prime Minister.
“My job is to serve you, the people,” he says. “The people are our bosses.
“My job is to make your streets safer, and we’re going to begin with another 20,000 new police on the streets,” he says. Johnson adds there will be 20 new hospital upgrades, and that “we will fix the crisis of social care once and for all.”
