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UK's problems won't 'go away' in new year, British PM warns

Saturday, 31 December 2022 2:03 PM [ Last Update: Saturday, 31 December 2022 2:03 PM ]

Rishi Sunak speaks to the media at an event to launch his campaign to be the next Conservative leader and Prime Minister, in London, Britain, July 12, 2022. (Photo by Reuters)

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has warned of an onerous year ahead, stressing that the country’s problems will not “go away” in 2023 after a “tough” 12 months.

Delivering his New Year message on Saturday, Sunak said he was “not going to pretend that all our problems will go away in the new year,” as the cost-of-living crisis and skyrocketing prices brought Britons under intense pressure during 2022.

The British PM laid the responsibility of the UK’s worsening economic situation on the pandemic and Ukrainian war and said: “This has had a profound economic impact around the world, which the UK is not immune to.”

The 42-year-old leader, who took charge as the UK's Prime Minister towards the end of October following turmoil within the ruling Conservative Party, recalled his inaugural address on the steps of No. 10 Downing Street to reiterate his promise to work on the things that matter to Britons.

He went on to promise continuing military and financial support for Ukraine amid the UK’s economic struggles for alleviating the cost-of-living crisis, which has prompted thousands of workers to take industrial actions over low pay.

UK economy to be in ‘protracted’ recession for all of 2023 amid simmering inflation, NGO predicts

The UK economy has already entered a "protracted recession”, which is set to last until the end of next year.

Meanwhile, the Opposition Labour Party leader, Sir Keir Starmer, also acknowledged PM’s remarks that it had been a “very tough year” for the country and said the UK “needs to change.”

Referring to Conservatives’ failure in national politics and economy, Starmer said Labour will attempt to build a “new Britain” that will fix struggling public services and “grow the economy for everyone.”

The UK has been grappling with a staggering economy for the past few months, with the inflation rate rising to record-high numbers, causing the Bank of England to raise the interest rates and increase the pressure on ordinary citizens.

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