I am pleased and honoured to have been appointed as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice.

Together with my ministerial team, I look forward to working with the hardworking and dedicated staff in our prisons and probation services, in our courts and tribunals and with people right across the justice system.

Democracy and freedom are built on the rule of law, and are protected by a strong and independent judiciary. I look forward to taking my Oath as Lord Chancellor, and to working with the Lord Chief Justice and his fellow judges in the months ahead, to ensure that justice is fairly administered and robustly defended.

Prime Minister Theresa May spoke on the phone to Taoiseach Enda Kenny today. The Prime Minister explained that she is working towards a confidence and supply deal with the DUP which would provide stability and certainty for the UK going forward.

They confirmed their joint commitment to restoring a Northern Ireland Executive as soon as possible and agreed that both countries would continue to engage closely to bring about political stability in Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister reiterated that the government’s approach and objectives in the forthcoming talks to re-establish the Northern Ireland Executive remained unchanged.

The 2 leaders spoke about their willingness to continue close cooperation as the UK embarks on leaving the European Union, with no return to a hard border.

The Prime Minister thanked Mr Kenny for helping to make UK-Ireland relations stronger than ever, wished him well for the future and said she looked forward to continuing a close relationship with his successor.

A Downing Street spokesperson said:

The German Chancellor Angela Merkel called the Prime Minister earlier today to offer her congratulations.

The Prime Minister confirmed her intention for Brexit talks to begin as planned in the next couple of weeks and that we would be looking for a reciprocal agreement on the rights of EU citizens and British citizens abroad at an early stage.

The Prime Minister has taken two further telephone calls today from other world leaders.

The Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called to congratulate the Prime Minister. They agreed the UK and Australia were close partners, and would continue to stand together, particularly in the fight against terrorism which was a shared threat facing us all. The Prime Minister offered her sincere condolences over the two Australians killed in the London Bridge attack, and over the police injuries sustained in the recent Melbourne attack.

New Zealand’s Prime Minister Bill English called the Prime Minister to offer his congratulations. The Prime Minister said she was very sorry that a New Zealander had been injured in the London Bridge terrorist attack. They agreed they looked forward to continuing to work together as close partners.

The Prime Minister has taken two telephone calls today from other world leaders.

The French President Emmanuel Macron called to congratulate the Prime Minister, and said he was pleased that she would continue to be a close partner. The President invited the Prime Minister to visit France at the earliest possible opportunity, and they agreed that the strong friendship between our two countries was important and would endure.

The US President Donald Trump called the Prime Minister to offer his congratulations. Both sides agreed they look forward to continuing the close cooperation between our two countries.