British Prime Minister David Cameron (centre L) hosts the first weekly cabinet meeting in Downing Street, central London, on May 12, 2015, following the May 7 general election. (AFP Photo)
London:
Prime Minister David Cameron Tuesday held the first meeting of his cabinet since last week's surprise election win as he grapples with renegotiating Britain's relationship with the EU before a vote on leaving.
It was the first time in 18 years that an all-Conservative cabinet had gathered at Downing Street as the centre-right party, formerly part of a coalition, now has enough seats to govern alone after Thursday's poll.
At the start of the meeting, Cameron held up his party's election manifesto and stressed: "We have a mandate to deliver on all of it".
"This will be a different government," he added. "It is not a coalition government so we have proper accountability. There's no trading away of things that are in here (the manifesto)".
This includes holding a referendum on leaving the European Union which could be held by 2017 - or even earlier, if a renegotiation with European partners can be conducted in time.
Meanwhile, finance minister George Osborne - Cameron's de facto number two who will be a leading figure in the European negotiations - vowed Britain would be "constructive and engaged but also resolute and firm" in talks.
"No one should underestimate our determination to succeed for the working people of Britain, indeed the working people of the whole of the European Union," he said, in Brussels for a regular ministerial meeting.
Cameron's cabinet discussed what would be in the Queen's Speech on May 27 - a speech written by the government but read by Queen Elizabeth II outlining its legislative programme for its term of office.
As well as the EU referendum, Cameron's Conservatives promised in the election campaign to deliver a balanced budget by 2017-18 through cuts including £12 billion (17 euros, $19 billion) of welfare savings.
The Conservatives have also promised to hand more devolved powers to Scotland and face intense pressure on this issue from the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP).
The SNP is now the third-biggest party in the House of Commons and has 56 out of the 59 seats in Scotland.
Cameron has vowed to make his government about "blue-collar Conservatism" - reaching out to middle- and low-income Britons who some critics say he struggles to connect with due to his own privileged background.
As if to emphasise his point, he visited a tea factory in northeast England following the cabinet meeting.
He urged staff at the firm to keep exporting their products "because, as we all know, as soon as you cross the Channel, it's almost impossible to get a decent cup of tea."
It was the first time in 18 years that an all-Conservative cabinet had gathered at Downing Street as the centre-right party, formerly part of a coalition, now has enough seats to govern alone after Thursday's poll.
At the start of the meeting, Cameron held up his party's election manifesto and stressed: "We have a mandate to deliver on all of it".
"This will be a different government," he added. "It is not a coalition government so we have proper accountability. There's no trading away of things that are in here (the manifesto)".
This includes holding a referendum on leaving the European Union which could be held by 2017 - or even earlier, if a renegotiation with European partners can be conducted in time.
Meanwhile, finance minister George Osborne - Cameron's de facto number two who will be a leading figure in the European negotiations - vowed Britain would be "constructive and engaged but also resolute and firm" in talks.
"No one should underestimate our determination to succeed for the working people of Britain, indeed the working people of the whole of the European Union," he said, in Brussels for a regular ministerial meeting.
Cameron's cabinet discussed what would be in the Queen's Speech on May 27 - a speech written by the government but read by Queen Elizabeth II outlining its legislative programme for its term of office.
As well as the EU referendum, Cameron's Conservatives promised in the election campaign to deliver a balanced budget by 2017-18 through cuts including £12 billion (17 euros, $19 billion) of welfare savings.
The Conservatives have also promised to hand more devolved powers to Scotland and face intense pressure on this issue from the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP).
The SNP is now the third-biggest party in the House of Commons and has 56 out of the 59 seats in Scotland.
Cameron has vowed to make his government about "blue-collar Conservatism" - reaching out to middle- and low-income Britons who some critics say he struggles to connect with due to his own privileged background.
As if to emphasise his point, he visited a tea factory in northeast England following the cabinet meeting.
He urged staff at the firm to keep exporting their products "because, as we all know, as soon as you cross the Channel, it's almost impossible to get a decent cup of tea."
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