Theresa May: 'UK will be dependable partner' despite Brexit

The UK will be remain a "confident, strong and dependable partner internationally" despite voting to leave the European Union, the Prime Minister has told the United Nations.

In her first address to the general assembly, Theresa May said it was "a great honour" to be speaking at the summit.

She said that when Britons backed Brexit, "they did not vote to turn inwards or walk away from any of our partners in the world".

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Discussing issues such as migration, terrorism and globalisation, she said politics needed to change, with people wanting a system "that is more in touch with their concerns; and bold action to address them".

Speaking about migration, Mrs May told the assembly: "By ensuring a managed and controlled international migration response - and at the same time investing to tackle the underlying drivers of displacement and migration at source - we can reject isolationism and xenophobia, achieving better outcomes for all of our citizens - and particularly
for the most vulnerable."

Tackling the challenge of globalisation, the Prime Minister said leaders should acknowledge growing concerns felt around the world.

"We must never forget that we stand here, at this United Nations, as servants of the men and women that we represent back at home," she said.

"And as we do so, we must recognise that for too many of those men and women the increasing pace of globalisation has left them feeling left behind."

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Mrs May also used the address to speak about climate change, saying the UK would continue to play its part in the international effort to combat the problem.

She said the UK would begin the process of ratifying the global climate change agreement reached in Paris within weeks.

"And in a demonstration of our commitment to the agreement reached in Paris, the UK will start its domestic procedures to enable ratification of the Paris agreement, and complete these before the end of the year," she said.

She also spoke about terrorism, saying the threats the world faces today "do not come from just one country, but exist in a different space".