British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has warned the British public that the problems that have hit the country in 2022 will not simply disappear in the new year. It writes Bloomberg. The tone of his first New Year’s speech was somewhat gloomy.

“I will not pretend that all problems will disappear by next year,” Sunak said in the video message. “At a time when we were just emerging from the global pandemic, Russia launched a barbaric and illegal invasion of Ukraine.”

Third prime minister in a year

Sunak is the third prime minister Britain has had in a year, after Boris Johnson and Liz Truss resigned having lost faith in their parties. The former banker inherits the full term as Prime Minister, and has battled adversity in Britain and far beyond in a tumultuous year. For example, he promised Ukraine full support and had to take tough measures to curb rampant inflation.

Read also | Labor is far ahead of the Tories

Opposition leader Keir Starmer of the Labor Party also acknowledged that it has been a difficult year, but the country needs change. Change that the Labor Party looks like it could bring about. Despite not having been in British government for over 12 years, Labor is clearly leading in opinion polls, with a 26-point lead over the Conservatives. “If we want Britain to be fairer, greener and more dynamic, we need a new way of doing politics,” said Starmer. “We must renew our oath to improve our country. 2023 is the first chapter of that.’