United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's first 100 days in office have been a rough patch as he continues to work on shoring up support for economic recovery by overhauling government departments.
Sunak reshuffled his cabinet on Tuesday, where he broke up two departments to suit better his pledges to spur the region's economy, reduce energy prices, and shore up support before next year's expected elections.
Rishi Sunak's Government Overhaul
The prime minister also created a new energy security and net zero departments that former business minister Grant Shapps will head. Furthermore, he made three other departments, one focusing on science and innovation, which is a personal passion for Sunak.
The UK prime minister, the former finance minister, is trying to steer the country's economy through a prolonged period of double-digit inflation and stagnation, which is being worsened by rising energy prices.
Sunak is also facing mounting pressure as he tries to prove his belief that Britain can reap the benefits of its departure from the European Union. He is doing this by developing new trade ties with various international partners, as per Reuters.
In a Twitter post, the prime minister said that the British government needs to reflect on the priorities of their people and work on delivering them. He noted that such changes would need to focus teams on addressing the issues that would build a better environment for future generations.
Sunak also praised the standalone energy and net zero ministries as one that would help the region gain greater energy security and produce cheaper and cleaner energy. This would avoid the kind of price increases people had to suffer following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
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United Kingdom's Woes
The prime minister's spokesperson also said that the changes that business groups and green energy supporters both welcomed and criticized may not offer a cure-all for Britain's issues. However, they said it would help Sunak deliver his agenda to the region.
Sunak's government shuffle also included the appointment of former Trade Minister Greg Hands as the new party chairman, replacing Nadhim Zahawi. According to CNBC, the energy security department is only one of four divisions that the prime minister promised last year, during his first bid for Conservative Party leadership.
Previously, the UK had a Department of Energy and Climate Change, but this one was combined with the business department in 2016. The other divisions that Sunak promised include the Department for Business and Trade, which equalities minister Kemi Badenoch leads, and an overhauled Department for Culture, Media, and Sport, led by Lucy Frazer.
The overhaul comes as Sunak faces at least three big-ticket issues that will provide sufficient grounds for opposition lawmakers to criticize. The first is the forthcoming budget, the government's annual public spending plan due March 15.
While Liz Truss, Sunak's predecessor, is unlikely to get personally involved in the matter, loyalists to the former will most likely be an annoyance for the current prime minister if his approach is judged to only provide a few answers on growth, said Politico.
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