<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>Rishi Sunak will on Wednesday face off against opposition lawmakers for the first time as British prime minister, in a likely raucous parliamentary session following weeks of political turmoil.</b></span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It comes after he took power Tuesday as the first UK leader of colour, vowing to repair the damage wrought by outgoing leader Liz Truss through her disastrous budget, which sparked economic carnage.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pledging also to unite his fractured Conservatives, and an increasingly unimpressed country, Sunak began his tenure by re-appointing a host of ministers from his predecessor's top team.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The former finance minister retained Jeremy Hunt as chancellor of the exchequer, bidding to keep markets on side after he stabilised the situation with his initial appointment nearly two weeks ago.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He also kept Truss's foreign, defence, trade and culture ministers, among others, as well as controversially bringing back recently fired Home Secretary Suella Braverman.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The line-up "reflects a unified party and a cabinet with significant experience, ensuring that at this uncertain time there is continuity at the heart of government", a Downing Street source said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The largely same-look cabinet could hold an inaugural meeting Wednesday before Sunak heads to the House of Commons for his first weekly "Prime Minister's Questions", when he will battle Labour leader Keir Starmer and other opposition lawmakers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">They will undoubtedly seek to capitalise on weeks of chaos at the top of government, and reiterate demands for a general election following the selection -- by Conservative MPs -- of their third leader in two months.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Tories have crashed the economy, with low wages, high prices and a cost-of-living crisis," Starmer said Tuesday, in a taste of the attack-lines to come.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The public needs a fresh start and a say on Britain's future."</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><b><br></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>- 'Difficult decisions' -</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Truss left office as the UK's shortest-serving premier in history, replaced by its youngest since 1812 and first Hindu leader.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sunak, 42, triumphed in a 96-hour Tory leadership contest after rival contender Penny Mordaunt failed to secure enough nominations from Tory lawmakers and Boris Johnson dramatically aborted an audacious comeback bid.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Truss and Johnson offered their support -- though Johnson, who privately blamed his ex-minister for toppling him in July, is thought to be fuming and still harbouring hopes of an eventual Downing Street return.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Addressing the nation outside Number 10 shortly after his appointment by King Charles III, Sunak conceded the country faced "profound economic crisis".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"I will place economic stability and confidence at the heart of this government's agenda," he said, adding: "This will mean difficult decisions to come."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In an apparent bid for better domestic unity, Sunak held immediate calls with the devolved leaders of Scotland and Wales -- something Truss failed to do in her seven-week tenure.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In his first call with a foreign leader, Sunak told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Britain would continue its "steadfast support" following Russia's invasion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He also spoke to US President Joe Biden, who had earlier hailed the appointment of the first British-Indian prime minister as "groundbreaking".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"President Biden said that the UK remains America's closest ally, and the Prime Minister agreed on the huge strength of the relationship," Sunak's office said of their discussions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">European leaders offered their own congratulations, while Irish premier Micheal Martin reminded Sunak of their "shared responsibility" to safeguard peace in Northern Ireland following tensions under Johnson and Truss.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sunak is unlikely to enjoy much, if any, of a political honeymoon, as he inherits an array of problems.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Markets -- and opposition parties -- are eagerly awaiting an October 31 Halloween fiscal statement from Hunt, which is likely to contain curbs on public spending to meet tens of billions of pounds in budget shortfalls.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It will be accompanied by much-scrutinised independent assessments of the government's sums.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Labour and others are expected to keep demanding a snap election -- not due until January 2025 at the latest -- given Sunak is the second prime minister in succession without a direct mandate from the electorate.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Opposition parties have no way to force one, unless dozens of Conservative MPs agree, which appears unlikely as a flurry of polls show Labour with its largest lead in decades. BSS/AFP</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>