Rishi Sunak's light-hearted advice to PM Keir Starmer

Rishi Sunak,in his first official speech as UK Opposition Leader in Parliament on Wednesday offered some light-hearted advice to his successor, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as he congratulated him for his “decisive” victory in the general election earlier this month. The good-natured exchange in the House of Commons followed the King’s Speech, marking the State Opening of Parliament as King Charles III read out the new Labour Party government’s legislative agenda and priorities for the year ahead.Sunak congratulated Starmer for his decisive victory in the general election earlier this month.“On the Government Benches, life comes at you fast. Soon, you might be fortunate enough to be tapped on the shoulder and offered a junior ministerial role,” Sunak said.

'Life comes at you fast.'
'When the PM's position becomes untenable... you might find yourself called to the highest office.'

Rishi Sunak's words of wisdom to ministers on the government benches has the Commons cracking up. pic.twitter.com/3D8iuyFWY4

— LBC (@LBC) July 17, 2024

In response, Starmer thanked Sunak for his “generosity” but also took aim at the Conservatives, saying that there will be "no more wedge issues, no more gimmicks, no more party political strategies masquerading as policy” under his watch.“We are all responsible for the tone and standards that we set, and I want to thank the right honourable gentleman (Sunak) in every exchange that we had since the election, and in his words today, he has gone well beyond the usual standards of generosity, and I thank him for that,” said Starmer.
In his speech, the MP for Richmond and Northallerton said that the Labour Party successfully tapped into the public’s desire for change in the general elections and now must deliver change.