Boris Johnson Promises ‘Golden Age’ in First Speech as PM

Boris Johnson Promises ‘Golden Age’ in First Speech as PM

Boris Johnson talked the talk in his first speech as prime minister on Thursday, promising the “beginning of a new golden age”.

In address to MPs at the House of Commons, Mr Johnson said his government would throw itself into Brexit negotiations with energy.

Despite emphasising the importance of preparing for a no deal, Mr Johnson said he would “much prefer” to leave the EU with a deal and added that he will work “flat out to make it happen”, BBC writes.

He reiterated that the withdrawal agreement – negotiated by Theresa May with the EU – was “unacceptable to this Parliament and to this country”.

He also assured EU citizens living in the UK they would have “absolute certainty” of their right to live and remain in the country.

On immigration, the mercurial PM told MPs he wanted to change the system and would be asking the Migration Advisory Committee to come up with new proposals.

Reacting, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn responded to the statement saying: “The country is deeply worried the new prime minister overestimates himself.

“People do not trust this prime minister to make the right choices for the majority of the people in this country when he’s also promising tax giveaways to the richest of big business – his own party’s funders,” he said referring to a tax policy Mr Johnson proposed during the leadership campaign.

On Thursday, Mr Johnson addressed his cabinet for the first time as prime minister.

He told the cabinet they had “a momentous task ahead”, as he repeated his commitment for the UK to leave the EU on 31 October.