In first comments as UK’s new PM, Sunak vows to fix ‘mistakes’ by Truss

LONDON — New British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak vows to fix the errors made by his predecessor Liz Truss while warning of “difficult” decisions ahead.

Speaking on the steps of Downing Street after being appointed premier by King Charles III, Sunak speaks of Truss’s “noble” aims but says some “mistakes” had been made.

“Right now our country is facing a profound economic crisis, the aftermath of Covid still lingers, Putin’s war in Ukraine has destabilized energy markets and supply chains the world over,” he says.

He says, however, he wants to “pay tribute” to Truss, whose tenure as leader lasted just seven weeks.

Her tax-slashing budget sparked economic and political turmoil.

“She was not wrong to want to improve growth in this country. It is a noble aim and I admired her restlessness to create change but some mistakes were made, not born of ill will or bad intentions, but mistakes nonetheless,” he says.

“And I have been elected as leader of my party — your prime minister — in part to fix them, and that work begins immediately,” he adds.