PM outlines plans for transparent Government

The Prime Minister has outlined plans to make Government more transparent and allow people to hold ministers and public services to account.

In his first podcast, David Cameron said he would “rip off the cloak of secrecy” surrounding Government information and help to rebuild trust in politics.

As a first step, details of public spending over the past 12 months, information about hospital infections and some of the salaries of senior Whitehall officials will be published next week.

The PM said:

“If there’s one thing I’ve noticed since doing this job, it’s how all the information about government; the money it spends, where it spends it, the results it achieves; how so much of it is locked away in a vault marked sort of private for the eyes of ministers and officials only.

“I think this is ridiculous. It’s your money, your government, you should know what’s going on. So we’re going to rip off that cloak of secrecy and extend transparency as far and as wide as possible. By bringing information out into the open, you’ll be able to hold government and public services to account.”

“We are getting to grips with the deficit” – PM

The Prime Minister has spoken about the Government’s plans to cut the deficit during a live interview on Radio 4’s Today programme this morning.

Speaking to presenter Evan Davis, the PM said there could only be a “sustained recovery” with real growth and jobs if ministers tackled the Budget deficit.

Earlier this week, Chancellor George Osborne outlined where £6.2 billion of savings will be made in government spending during this tax year and the plans were a key part of the Queen’s Speech on Tuesday.

The PM said:

“The key thing is we promised £6 billion of spending reductions; we have delivered £6 billion of spending reductions. That is good for our economy, it shows us getting to grips with the deficit, it will enhance international confidence in the economy.”

He added:

“I think it is an important point, though, that reducing the deficit and getting the economy to grow, they’re not alternatives, they go together. We’re only going to get a sustained recovery with real growth, real jobs [and] the wealth we want to see in our country, if we get to grips with the fact that we have an 11 per cent budget deficit.”

Conservatives Abroad Dubai - Executive Committee Meeting

Capital Club, The Gate Village, DIFC, Dubai
26 May 2010 at 5:30pm

The Executive Committee ("EC") of Conservatives Abroad Dubai and Northern Emirates met yesterday at the Capital Club for the first time since Prime Minister David Cameron was elected to office.

The EC discussed a number of subjects including ways in which the supporter base could be grown.

The EC also agreed to increase frequency of meetings and decided to start inviting supporters to join for post meeting drinks.

Conservatives Abroad Dubai and Northern Emirates EC Members:
David Haigh
Zulfi Hydari
Darren Davis
Peter Gray
John Belsey

www.conservativesme.blogspot.com

www.twitter.com/uktorymideast

Queen’s Speech 2010

The Queen has outlined the Government’s priorities for the coming Parliamentary year in the Queen’s Speech following the official state opening of Parliament.

Reducing the deficit and continuing to ensure economic recovery was one of the major areas covered by the speech.

The Queen said:

“The first priority is to reduce the deficit and restore economic growth. Action will be taken to accelerate the reduction of the structural budget deficit.”

Twenty20 champions visit Number 10

England’s world-beating Twenty20 cricket team has visited Number 10 for a reception celebrating their success.

Prime Minister David Cameron welcomed team members including captain Paul Collingwood and player-of-the-tournament Kevin Pietersen to Downing Street.

England won the ICC World Twenty20 for the first time earlier this month after beating Australia in the final in Barbados.

The PM said:

“It really was a fantastic result and you made the whole country incredibly proud. As a cricket fan myself, you always remember where you are for the great England victories and everyone will remember what you all achieved in the Twenty20.”

He added that although it was a team victory, he especially wanted to praise Mr Collingwood, Mr Pietersen and Craig Kieswetter for their “inspirational” performances during the tournament.

Government unveils Ministerial Code

The Government has today published three documents to ensure greater accountability and transparency for Ministers.

The Ministerial Code, published by the Prime Minister, sets out the standards of conduct expected of Ministers.

The Code bars former Ministers from lobbying Government for two years; tightens controls on government cars and numbers of special advisers; and requires the regular publication of Ministerial meetings, hospitality, gifts and travel.

The Ministerial Code covers all aspects of ministerial life from access to official papers and appointments to the use of Government resources and the handling of Ministers’ private interests.

The Government has also published a list of Cabinet Committees which shows the membership of each committee and shows a significant reduction in the total number of Committees.

The third document is the Coalition Agreement for Stability and Reform which sets out the practical and operational arrangements for how the Parties will work together in coalition.

PM meets Chancellor Merkel in Berlin

Prime Minister David Cameron has held talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin.

In his first visit to Germany as PM, Mr Cameron visited the Chancellery, where the two leaders discussed EU cooperation and the ongoing economic situation in Europe.

Speaking at a joint press conference after their meeting, the Prime Minister said he wanted a “strong and positive partnership” with Germany.

He added that although the UK would not be joining the euro, it was in the UK’s interests to have a strong eurozone.

The PM said:

“I want Britain to be a positive player in Europe. I want us to work together to achieve the economic stability, the growth and action on European deficits that we know is very much in the interest of all our countries and in the interests of a strong, stable economy which we very clearly need. Britain is not a member of the euro, nor are we likely to become a member, but we want a strong and stable eurozone. That is where 50 per cent of our trade goes and it’s our interest that that takes place.”

The two leaders also discussed Afghanistan and the prospect of further sanctions against Iran.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister also held talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris and met Northern Ireland’s First Minister and Deputy First Minister at Stormont.

The Coalition: our programme for government

The Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister have launched the government’s five-year policy programme.

David Cameron, Nick Clegg and members of the Cabinet announced details of The Coalition: our programme for government.

The government said the agreement will help rebuild the economy, unlock social mobility, mend the political system and give people the power to call the shots over the decisions that affect their lives.

It includes radical plans for reform, particularly in areas such as schools, welfare and the political system.

The PM said the coalition government had agreed an “extensive and detailed reform agenda”.

He added:

“The more that we talked, the more we listened, the more we realised that our visions for the future and the values that inspired them are strengthened and enhanced by each of the two parties coming together.”

The Deputy PM said:

“This document sets out, page by page, line by line, detailed changes that will make your life better. From now on, we get down to work.”

PM holds talks with President Sarkozy

David Cameron has travelled to France for talks with President Nicolas Sarkozy in his first overseas visit as Prime Minister.

The PM met President Sarkozy at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Thursday evening where he was greeted with a guard of honour.

During his ”fruitful and focused” meeting with the President they discussed issues ranging from Iran and Afghanistan to the European Union and Anglo-French relations.

In a joint press conference following their talks, the PM said the two countries could have a “partnership that has a real purpose”.

He said:

“From all the things we have discussed tonight, I think we can have a partnership that has a real purpose, that is very focused, that is very practical, that actually leads to results in the things that we both care about.”

Discussing the eurozone and the economy, the PM said the UK would “work well” with France and other nations playing its own part by sticking to a stability pact agreed by the previous administration.

The PM also said the UK and France had a “shared agenda” with the forthcoming G8 and G20 meetings and looked forward to the President and his wife visiting London on 18 June.

The PM is travelling from Paris to Berlin for talks with German Chancellor Merkel.

Her Majesty’s Government

The Queen has been pleased to approve the following Ministerial appointments:
Cabinet

Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service

* The Rt Hon David Cameron MP

Deputy Prime Minister, Lord President of the Council (with special responsibility for political and constitutional reform)

* The Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

* First Secretary of State, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs – The Rt Hon William Hague MP
* Minister of State – Jeremy Browne MP
* Minister of State – David Lidington MP
* Minister of State – The Rt Hon Lord Howell of Guildford*
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Henry Bellingham MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Alistair Burt MP

HM Treasury

* Chancellor of the Exchequer – The Rt Hon George Osborne MP
* Chief Secretary to the Treasury – The Rt Hon David Laws MP
* Financial Secretary – Mark Hoban MP
* Exchequer Secretary – David Gauke MP†
* Economic Secretary – Justine Greening MP†
* Commercial Secretary – Sir James Sassoon‡

Ministry of Justice

* Lord Chancellor, Secretary of State for Justice - The Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke QC MP
* Minister of State – The Rt Hon Lord McNally (and Deputy Leader of the House of Lords)
* Minister of State – Nick Herbert MP (jointly with the Home Office)
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Crispin Blunt MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Jonathan Djanogly MP

Home Office

* Secretary of State for the Home Department; and Minister for Women and Equalities – The Rt Hon Theresa May MP
* Minister of State (Minister for Immigration) – Damian Green MP
* Minister of State (Minister for Police) – Nick Herbert MP (jointly with the Ministry of Justice)
* Minister of State (Minister for Security) – Baroness Neville-Jones
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – James Brokenshire MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Equalities) – Lynne Featherstone MP

Ministry of Defence

* Secretary of State for Defence – The Rt Hon Dr Liam Fox MP
* Minister of State (Minister for the Armed Forces) – Nick Harvey MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Gerald Howarth MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Andrew Robathan MP
* Peter Luff MP – Parliamentary under Secretary of State
* Lord Astor of Hever DL – Parliamentary under Secretary of State ‡

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

* Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, and President of the Board of Trade – The Rt Hon Dr Vincent Cable MP
* Minister of State (Minister for Universities and Science) – David Willetts MP**
* Minister of State – John Hayes MP
* Minister of State – Mark Prisk MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Edward Davey MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – The Hon Ed Vaizey MP (jointly with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Baroness Wilcox

Department for Work and Pensions

* Secretary of State for Work and Pensions – The Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith MP
* Minister of State – Chris Grayling MP
* Minister of State – Steve Webb MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Maria Miller MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Welfare Reform) – Lord Freud*

Department of Energy and Climate Change

* Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change – The Rt Hon Chris Huhne MP
* Minister of State – Gregory Barker MP
* Minister of State – Charles Hendry MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Lord Marland*

Department of Health

* Secretary of State for Health – The Rt Hon Andrew Lansley CBE MP
* Minister of State – Paul Burstow MP
* Minister of State – Simon Burns MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Anne Milton MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Earl Howe

Department for Education

* Secretary of State for Education – The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP
* Minister of State – Sarah Teather MP
* Minister of State – Nick Gibb MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Tim Loughton MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Jonathan Hill

Department for Communities and Local Government

* Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government – The Rt Hon Eric Pickles MP
* Minister of State – Greg Clark MP
* Minister of State – Grant Shapps MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Andrew Stunell OBE MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Bob Neill MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Baroness Hanham CBE

Department for Transport

* Secretary of State for Transport – The Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP
* Minister of State – Theresa Villiers MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Norman Baker MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Mike Penning MP

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

* Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – The Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP
* Minister of State – James Paice MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Richard Benyon MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Lord Henley

Department for International Development

* Secretary of State for International Development – The Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP
* Minister of State – Alan Duncan MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Stephen O’Brien MP

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

* Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport – The Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – John Penrose MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Hugh Robertson MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – The Hon Ed Vaizey MP (jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills)

Northern Ireland Office

* Secretary of State for Northern Ireland – The Rt Hon Owen Paterson MP
* Minister of State – Hugo Swire MP

Scotland Office

* Secretary of State for Scotland (and providing ministerial support to the Deputy Prime Minister in the Cabinet Office) – The Rt Hon Danny Alexander MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – David Mundell MP

Wales Office

* Secretary of State for Wales – The Rt Hon Cheryl Gillan MP
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – David Jones MP

Minister without Portfolio (Minister of State)

* The Rt Hon Baroness Warsi*

Office of the Leader of the House of Lords

* Leader of the House of Lords, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster – The Rt Hon Lord Strathclyde

Office of the Leader of the Commons

* Leader of the House of Commons, Lord Privy Seal – The Rt Hon Sir George Young Bt MP**
* Parliamentary Secretary (Deputy Leader) – David Heath CBE MP*

Cabinet Office

* Minister for the Cabinet Office, Paymaster General – The Rt Hon Francis Maude MP**
* Minister of State (providing policy advice to the Prime Minister in the Cabinet Office) – The Rt Hon Oliver Letwin MP**
* Parliamentary Secretary – Mark Harper MP
* Parliamentary Secretary – Nick Hurd MP

Law Officers

* Attorney General – Dominic Grieve QC MP***
* Solicitor General – Edward Garnier QC MP
* Advocate General for Scotland – The Rt Hon Lord Wallace of Tankerness QC

Whips – House of Commons

* Chief Whip (Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury) – The Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP**
* Deputy Chief Whip (Treasurer of HM Household) – John Randall MP
* Deputy Chief Whip (Comptroller of HM Household) – Alistair Carmichael MP
* Government Whip (Vice Chamberlain of HM Household) – Mark Francois MP

Junior Lords of the Treasury

* Government Whip (Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury) – Michael Fabricant MP
* Government Whip (Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury) – Angela Watkinson MP
* Government Whip (Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury) – Jeremy Wright MP
* Government Whip (Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury) – Brooks Newmark MP*
* Government Whip (Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury) – James Duddridge MP

Assistant Whips

* Assistant Government Whip – Philip Dunne MP*
* Assistant Government Whip – Stephen Crabb MP
* Assistant Government Whip – Robert Goodwill MP
* Assistant Government Whip – Shailesh Vara MP
* Assistant Government Whip – Bill Wiggin MP
* Assistant Government Whip – Chloe Smith MP
* Assistant Government Whip – Norman Lamb MP (and Chief Parliamentary and Political Adviser to the Deputy Prime Minister)
* Assistant Government Whip – Mark Hunter MP

Whips – House of Lords

* Lords Chief Whip (Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms) – The Rt Hon Baroness Anelay of St Johns DBE
* Deputy Chief Whip (Captain of The Queen’s Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard) – The Rt Hon Lord Shutt of Greetland OBE

Baronesses and Lords in Waiting

* Baroness in Waiting – Baroness Northover*
* Baroness in Waiting – Baroness Rawlings
* Baroness in Waiting – Baroness Verma
* Lord in Waiting – Earl Attlee
* Lord in Waiting – Lord Astor of Hever DL
* Lord in Waiting – Lord De Mauley TD
* Lord In Waiting – Lord Taylor of Holbeach CBE*
* Lord in Waiting – Lord Wallace of Saltaire*

* unpaid
** attends Cabinet
*** attends Cabinet when Ministerial responsibilities are on the agenda
† paid as a Parliamentary Secretary
‡ unpaid Parliamentary Secretary

The Queen has been pleased to signify Her intention of conferring a peerage of the United Kingdom for Life on:

* Jonathan Hill
* Sir James Sassoon

PM backs England’s 2018 World Cup bid

Prime Minister David Cameron has telephoned the FIFA president Sepp Blatter to back England’s bid to host the World Cup in 2018.

The PM said the new government is “absolutely behind England’s 2018 bid”.

He spoke to the FIFA president ahead of England’s 2018 World Cup bid presentation in Zurich.

A Downing Street spokesman said:

“The Prime Minister spoke to FIFA President Sepp Blatter yesterday afternoon, on the eve of England’s bid presentation for the 2018 World Cup.

“The PM stressed the new government was absolutely behind England’s 2018 bid. He reminded Mr Blatter that football was the national sport and people in England were extremely passionate about football. He said that this country has great infrastructure and facilities and has a history of delivering great major sporting events like Euro 96; he said people in England were fully behind the bid.

“The PM also passed on his best wishes for the World Cup in South Africa. Mr Blatter thanked the PM and congratulated him on his appointment.”

David Cameron hails 'seismic shift' in politics

David Cameron and Nick Clegg promised a "new politics" that would transform the political landscape yesterday as they launched their coalition government.

The new Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister issued their policy prospectus for a full five-year parliament as they promised to bury the past differences between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats in a move that could create a permanent realignment in British politics.

With the hopes of Blairites for a Lib-Lab "progressive alliance" in ruins, some Tories said Mr Cameron saw his partnership with the Liberal Democrats as the next stage of his crusade to modernise the Conservative Party.

His close allies believe the Tories' failure to win an overall majority in last week's general election shows they have not yet "detoxified" the party's brand – and hope that the unexpected alliance with the centrist third party will enable him to complete his project.

But such views will anger Tory traditionalists, who are blaming the Cameron inner circle for a campaign which they claim lacked a cutting edge and failed to inspire the voters.

Although some Tory MPs have misgivings about the coalition, Cameron allies believe the agreement to legislate for five-year, fixed-term parliaments will ensure the coalition lasts. Another safeguard is to raise the threshold for a dissolution of Parliament to 55 per cent of MPs, making it hard for either coalition partner to walk away and provoke a general election. Privately, senior Tories believe they could enjoy an advantage at the next election because it will be difficult for the Liberal Democrats to criticise the coalition's record.

But the Liberal Democrats are jubilant about their surprise return to the Cabinet after almost 70 years in the wilderness. They trumpeted Mr Clegg's role as Deputy Prime Minister in charge of a programme of wide-ranging political reform including changes to the voting system for the Commons and an elected House of Lords. Some Liberal Democrats hailed as a victory the coalition's initial programme published yesterday and praised the team that negotiated it with the Tories. Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay, a Liberal Democrat peer, said: "You see why Chris Huhne and David Laws were gold dust in the City. Thank God I've never had to negotiate against them. They've taken the Tories to the cleaners."

Britain's first coalition government since the Second World War got off to an impressive start when Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg held a press conference in the Downing Street rose garden. The new Prime Minister said: "It can be a historic and seismic shift in our political landscape. It can demonstrate, in government, a new progressive partnership." He added: "It will be an administration united behind one key purpose: to give our country the strong, stable and decisive leadership we need. We have a shared agenda and a shared resolve, to tackle the challenges that Britain faces."

Mr Clegg acknowledged that there would be "bumps and scrapes" as they were different parties with many different ideas, but insisted: "This is a Government that will last because despite those differences, we are united by a common purpose for the job we want to do in the next five years." He added: "Until today, we have been rivals, now we are colleagues. That says a lot about the scale of the new politics now beginning to unfold."

Mr Cameron handed five cabinet posts to Liberal Democrats – including David Laws as Chief Treasury Secretary, Vince Cable as Business Secretary, Chris Huhne as Energy and Climate Change Secretary and Danny Alexander as Scottish Secretary.

Theresa May becomes Home Secretary, only the second woman to hold the post, after Labour's Jacqui Smith – a surprise move aimed partly at heading off criticism that the Government was composed of "men in suits". But women took only four of the Cabinet's 23 posts. The others are Caroline Spelman, the Environment Secretary; Baroness Warsi, the new Tory chairman and Cheryl Gillan, Welsh Secretary.

There was a return to the front line for Iain Duncan Smith, the Tories' former leader, who becomes Work and Pensions Secretary in a move designed to reassure the party's right-wingers and a clear sign that the Government will pursue radical welfare reform. Kenneth Clarke, the former Chancellor, became Justice Secretary.

Despite the smooth start, the practical problems that are bound to arise in the double act were highlighted soon after the full Cabinet line-up was announced. Liberal Democrat sources claimed only Mr Clegg could remove the ministers from his party who serve in the Government. But Tory aides contradicted their new partners, insisting Mr Cameron enjoyed a veto over every member of his administration.

The new National Security Council met for the first time last night to discuss the conflict in Afghanistan and counter-terrorism measures in Britain.

United we stand: What they said about working together

"It will be an administration united behind three key principles: freedom, fairness and responsibility. And it will be an administration united behind one key purpose and that is to give our country the strong and stable and determined leadership that we need for the long-term."

David Cameron

"In other political cultures it would not be even a faintly radical thought that parties might co-operate with each other in government for the good of the country, but campaign against each other at election time. That is precisely the kind of thing that you will see now. I hope people will find it relatively unsurprising relatively quickly. As David has quite rightly said, we can only help bring that about by being successful in delivering the good government that we've negotiated in this coalition agreement... It's a new kind of government, a radical, reforming government... a source of reassurance at a time of great uncertainty."

Nick Clegg

"He has the Deputy Prime Minister's office in the Cabinet Office. We haven't yet explored all each other's offices, but [they are] pretty close together. This is not going to be a partnership where we have to book meetings."

David Cameron

"There is a corridor that links No 10 to where I am but I have no idea where I am. It's a rabbit warren."

Nick Clegg

"If [making the partnership] work means swallowing some humble pie, and it means eating some of your words, I can't think of a more excellent diet."

David Cameron

President's seal of approval

David Cameron seems to have made a good impression on his new deputy, and he also appears to have a fan in Barack Obama, too.

When the US President was asked in Washington last night – during a joint press conference with his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai – whether he had received any assurances from Mr Cameron about British commitment to the war in Afghanistan, Mr Obama replied: "I have found Mr Cameron to be a smart, dedicated, effective leader and somebody who we are going to be able to work with very effectively. He reaffirmed, without me bringing it up, his commitment to our strategy in Afghanistan. We also both reaffirmed the special relationship between the United States and Great Britain that outlasts any individual party, any individual leader. It is built up over centuries and is not going to go away."

Source: The Independent

A new politics: cutting Ministerial pay

Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg have made a clear commitment to cutting the cost of government, including urgent action to begin reducing the deficit this year.

As part of this process of cutting costs, the Prime Minister is today announcing that new Ministers will be paid five per cent less than Ministers received in the previous administration.

In addition, the Government will impose a subsequent Ministerial pay freeze for the lifetime of the Parliament – effectively a further pay cut when inflation is taken into account.

The five per cent reduction in Cabinet Minister salaries alone will save taxpayers approximately £50,000 this year – and approximately £300,000 will be saved this year when all government ministerial positions are taken into account.

Over the lifetime of the Parliament, the Ministerial salary cut and subsequent pay freeze will save approximately £3 million.

PM hosts first Cabinet meeting

Prime Minster David Cameron has chaired the first meeting of his new coalition Cabinet.

The PM and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg opened the 9am meeting by emphasising their commitment to working together and highlighting the strong shared agenda.

New Chancellor George Osborne then updated ministers on the economy, stressing the priorities of tackling the deficit, and demonstrating that the UK was “open for business”.

He added that he would be working closely with Business Secretary Vince Cable on banking reform.

There were discussions on foreign policy, including the situation in Afghanistan, and the parliamentary timetable.

The meeting ended with the Cabinet agreeing to a five percent pay cut for all ministers and a ministerial pay freeze for the lifetime of the Parliament.

Last night the PM, Mr Clegg and other senior Cabinet ministers attended their first meeting of the Government’s new National Security Council.

Nick Clegg appointed Deputy Prime Minister

Her Majesty The Queen has been pleased to approve the appointment of Nick Clegg as Deputy Prime Minister.

It has been agreed that five Cabinet posts will be filled by Liberal Democrats, including the appointment of Nick Clegg.

Establishment of a National Security Council

The Prime Minister is to establish a National Security Council (NSC), which will oversee all aspects of Britain’s security.

The Prime Minister has appointed Sir Peter Ricketts (Permanent Undersecretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office) as his National Security Adviser, a new role based in the Cabinet Office. Sir Peter will establish the new National Security Council structures, and coordinate and deliver the Government’s international security agenda.

The Council will coordinate responses to the dangers we face, integrating at the highest level the work of the foreign, defence, home, energy and international development departments, and all other arms of government contributing to national security.

The Council will be chaired by the Prime Minister. Permanent members will be the Deputy Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the Home Secretary, the Secretary of State for Defence, the Secretary of State for International Development and the Security Minister.

Other Cabinet Ministers, including the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, will attend as required. The Chief of the Defence Staff, Heads of Intelligence Agencies and other Senior Officials will also attend as required.

The inaugural meeting of the NSC will be chaired by the Prime Minister this afternoon. The Council will discuss the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and review the terrorist threat to the UK.

New PM Cameron promises 'better times'

Press Association/ The Independent

David Cameron entered 10 Downing Street as Prime Minister tonight promising to lead Britain through to "better times ahead".

Arriving from his audience at Buckingham Palace where he formally "kissed hands" with the Queen, the Conservative leader said he intended to form a "full and proper" coalition with the Liberal Democrats.

President Barack Obama calls David Cameron

The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the UK-US special relationship during a phone conversation tonight.

In a statement following the call, President Obama said:

“Today, I was pleased to call David Cameron to extend my personal congratulations for the successful campaign that he ran and for becoming the new British Prime Minister. As I told the Prime Minister, the United States has no closer friend and ally than the United Kingdom, and I reiterated my deep and personal commitment to the special relationship between our two countries – a bond that has endured for generations and across party lines, and that is essential to the security and prosperity of our two countries, and the world. I look forward to meeting with the Prime Minister at the G8/G20 meetings in June, and Michelle and I invited Prime Minister Cameron and his wife Samantha to visit Washington this summer.

“I also send my best wishes to Gordon Brown, and thank him for his friendship and his distinguished service as Prime Minister. He provided strong leadership during challenging times, and I have been grateful for his partnership. This historic election has been closely followed by the American people, and I have no doubt that the ties between our two countries will continue to thrive in the years to come.”

A Downing Street spokesman said:

“The Prime Minister, David Cameron, took a call from President Obama shortly after arriving in Downing Street. The US President offered his congratulations to Mr Cameron on his appointment as Prime Minister. He also invited the Prime Minister to visit the United States in July and said he was looking forward to seeing him in June at G8 and G20 meetings. They also discussed Afghanistan, the Middle East Peace Process and Iran.”