It is a great honour and privilege to have been appointed by the Prime Minister to serve as Foreign Secretary.
My parents came to Britain as Jewish refugees from the Nazis. To them, Britain was both a sanctuary and a beacon of hope in the global fight against fascism. I will carry my parents’ faith in that spirit of Britain to my role representing our country.
I will be a Foreign Secretary who fights for Britain’s interests and our values of democracy, freedom and the rule of law on the world stage.
Today, as we face a time of greater instability and threat to international law and democracy than at any time since the Second World War, these values are more important than ever.
From Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine to conflict in the Middle East, time and again we have seen the consequences of a more dangerous world in the cost of living crisis that families and businesses face.
For Britain, that means we must work with others to defend the principles that we cherish, because it is in our national interest to do so, building on the excellent work of my predecessors and friends, Yvette Cooper and David Lammy.
I will seek to deepen and strengthen our strategic alliance with the European Union which is so important for our prosperity and security and at the same time nurture our strong, enduring and essential alliance with the United States. I will uphold our commitment to multilateral institutions from NATO to the UN as well as working with global partners, particularly in the Global South.
Pursuing our interests and values means continuing to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Ukraine against Russia’s illegal invasion, as Britain has done for the last four years. It means playing our part to seek to end the conflict in Iran and fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz. It must also mean working tirelessly to seek a sustainable peace in Palestine and Israel, including an end to the terrible suffering of the people of Gaza and security for the people of Israel.
The FCDO I lead will also be at the forefront of issues which pose profound and substantial threats to justice and equality in Britain and across the world. We will work with others on tackling the climate crisis, strengthening our partnerships for international development, and reforming our international institutions so they deliver for all countries, including the world’s poorest people.
FCDO is a great British institution filled with talented, expert, and committed staff who do crucial consular work for our country and have reach across the world. I look forward to working with Britain’s world-class network of embassies, diplomats, civil servants, businesses, and cultural organisations to represent and promote the interests and values of our great country.