Rishi Sunak said on Tuesday he was not daunted by the scale of the challenge as he became Britain's third prime minister in two months, pledging to restore trust, rebuild confidence and lead the country through an economic crisis.
The 42-year-old former hedge fund boss, who has only been in elected politics for seven years, has been tasked with bringing an end to the infighting and feuding at Westminster that has horrified investors and alarmed international allies.
"I fully appreciate how hard things are," he said outside the prime minister's residence at Downing Street where he shunned the normal tradition of standing with his family and political supporters.