‘I WILL now form a government,’ Theresa May declared yesterday in a statement outside Downing Street after returning from Buckingham Palace.
May said this would be: ‘A government that will provide certainty and lead Britain forward in this critical time. This government will guide the country through the crucial Brexit talks that begin in just ten days.
‘And deliver on the will of the British people by taking the United Kingdom out of the European Union.
‘It will work to keep our nation safe and secure by delivering the change that I set out following the appalling attacks in Manchester and London.
‘Cracking down on the ideology of Islamist extremists and and all those who support it by giving the police and the authorities the powers they need to keep our country safe. The government I lead will put fairness and opportunity at the heart of everything we do, so that we will fulfil the promise of Brexit together and over the next five years build a country in which no-one and no community is left behind …
‘As we do, we will continue to work with our friends and allies in the Democratic Unionist Party in particular. Our two parties have enjoyed a strong relationship over many years and this gives me the confidence to believe that we will be able to work together in the interests of the whole United Kingdom.
‘This will allow us to come together as a country and channel our energies towards a successful Brexit deal that works for everyone in this country, and secure a new partnership with the EU which guarantees our long term prosperity. That’s what people voted for last June, that’s what we will deliver. Now let’s get to work.’