Economy, energy and NHS are top priorities, says new PM Liz Truss

The UK faces "global headwinds" but can "ride out the storm" Liz Truss has said as she became the country's 56th PM.

She replaces Boris Johnson who used his leaving speech to urge Conservative MPs to get behind the new prime minister.

Giving her first speech as prime minister, Ms Truss said her three early priorities would be the economy, energy and the health service.

She said her mission was to ensure "prosperity for all" and that she was "determined to deliver".

Speaking in Downing Street after an autumnal downpour nearly derailed the planned event, Ms Truss said she was "honoured" to take on the role "at a vital time for our country".

She said the country faced challenges caused by Russia's "appalling aggression" in Ukraine and the aftermath of the Covid pandemic.

However, she said the British people had "the grit and determination" to "tackle those challenges".

"As strong as the storm may be, I know that the British people are stronger."

Setting out her initial aims, she said she would grow the economy through tax cuts and reform; take action to deal with energy bills and put the health service on "a firm footing".

Ms Truss's first task will be to appoint the senior ministers who will sit in her cabinet.

Those predicted to join her cabinet include Kwasi Kwarteng as chancellor, former leadership rival Suella Braverman as home secretary, and James Cleverly as foreign secretary.

Priti Patel and Nadine Dorries have both announced they would step down from their roles as home secretary and culture secretary, while former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith told the BBC he had turned down a job offer.

The White House confirmed that US President Joe Biden will speak later to the new PM, after the president tweeted his congratulations on her appointment to the job.

And Ms Truss and her team will also be putting together their plan for helping people deal with rising energy bills.

An announcement is due on Thursday and is expected to include a freeze on energy bills worth billions of pounds.

Labour and the Liberal Democrats have previously called for a freeze on energy bills to be funded through a windfall tax on the profits of gas and oil companies.

Meanwhile in Scotland, First Minister Nicola sturgeon has announced plans to freeze rent and rail fares in a bid to ease the cost of living crisis.

During her speech, Ms Truss also praised her predecessor Mr Johnson saying he would be remembered as a "hugely consequential prime minister".

Earlier, Mr Johnson used his final speech as prime minister outside Downing Street to praise his colleagues in government.

He said they had "got Brexit done", delivered "the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe", and "organised prompt supply of weapons to Ukraine".

Mr Johnson - who was removed by his own MPs - also urged his Conservative colleagues to get behind Ms Truss saying: "It's time for politics to be over, folks."

Reflecting on his own future, Mr Johnson likened himself to "one of those booster rockets" that "has fulfilled its function".

The outgoing prime minister also compared himself to Cincinnatus, a Roman statesman and military leader, who returned to his farm having battled against an invasion. However, he later came out of retirement for a second term as leader of Rome.