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Roundup: British PM promises "different gov't" in first all-Conservative cabinet meeting

Xinhua, May 13, 2015 Adjust font size:

British Prime Minister David Cameron on Tuesday promised to lead a "different government" at his first ever all-Conservative cabinet meeting following his triumph in the general election last week.

Pledging to deliver his party's pre-election manifesto in full, Cameron told his new cabinet: "This will be a different government. It is not a coalition government so we have proper accountability, no trading away of things that are in here (the manifesto)."

He said the ability to deliver the pledges "is one of the most important things we can do to restore trust and faith that in politics you vote for something, you get it."

"It is absolutely vital that every decision that we take, every policy we pursue, every program start is about giving everyone in our country the best chance of living a fulfilling and good life and making the most of their talents," he noted.

Labeling the Conservatives as a party for the working people, the prime minister went on: "Some pundits might call it 'blue-collar Conservatism', or being on the side of hard-working taxpayers. I would call it being the real party of working people."

"The dignity of work, the dignity of having a pay check, being able to keep more of their own money to spend as they choose, a home of their own ... being able to raise a family and have a decent and secure retirement. Those are the down-to-earth, bread-and-butter issues that we were elected to deliver on," he elaborated.

Cameron reiterated his government's responsibility to support the vulnerable.

"As I said on the steps of Downing Street five years ago, those who can should, those who can't we always help," he said.

"I want our reforms in education and welfare to be about true social justice and genuine compassion, helping people get on and make the most of their lives, and supporting those who can't," he continued, promising to deliver on every single one of the items in the manifesto that the party was elected on.

Cameron also stressed the importance of keeping the United Kingdom together, following the pro-independence Scottish Nationalists' landslide victory in the general election in Scotland in which the party won 56 out of 59 seats.

He said: "The agenda of bringing our country together - whether that is making sure the economy works for everybody and every part of our country, or the agenda of bringing the UK together - that is going to be absolutely key to the success of this government."

The Conservative Party won 331 out of a total of 650 seats in the general election held on Thursday, securing the first Conservative majority in the parliament since 1997.

Cameron's first all-Conservative cabinet saw most of his close allies retaining their jobs, including Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, Home Secretary Theresa May, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and Defense Secretary Michael Fallon.

Labour Party leader Ed Miliband, Liberal Democrats leader Nick Clegg have both resigned following defeats in the general election. UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage also resigned but later withdrew his resignation when his party refused to accept his decision.

Liberal Democrat ministers in former coalition government have also stepped down and been replaced with Conservative members of Parliament (MPs). Endit