Joe Biden pledges to be a president ‘who seeks to unify’

Joe Biden has pledged to be a president “who seeks not to divide, but to unify” in his maiden address as President-elect of the United States.

Speaking in Wilmington, Delaware, Mr Biden said his election win was a victory for “the people”.

He said: “The people of this nation have spoken. They’ve delivered us a clear victory, a convincing victory, a victory for you the people.

“I’m humbled by the trust and confidence you’ve placed in me.

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris took to the stage first, commencing the proceedings by reflecting on civil rights leader John Lewis.

She said: “Congressman John Lewis, before his passing, wrote ‘Democracy is not a state. It is an act’. And what he meant, was that America’s democracy is not guaranteed.

“It is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it. To guard it and never take it for granted.”

“Because we the people have the power to build a better future. And when our very democracy was on the ballot in this election, the very soul of America at stake, the world watching, you ushered in a new day for America.”

Ms Harris also said she was thinking of her mother and “the generations of women, black women, Asian, white, Latina, native American women who throughout our nation’s history have paved the way for this moment tonight”.

She added: “While I may be the first woman in this office, I won’t be the last.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, speaking on Sunday, congratulated Mr Biden and Ms Harris and urged the two nations to work together on climate change, trade and international security, adding that there was “far more that unites” than divides the UK and the US.

“The United States is our closest and most important ally, and that has been the case president after president, prime minister after prime minister – it won’t change,” he told broadcasters.

Former president Barack Obama said he “could not be prouder” to congratulate Mr Biden and Ms Harris, while former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton hailed the pair as “a history-making ticket, a repudiation of Trump, and a new page for America”.

In his speech, Mr Biden made a point to reach out to those who voted for President Donald Trump as he called for an end to the “harsh rhetoric” that plagued the election campaign.

“But now let’s give each other a chance. It’s time to put away the harsh rhetoric, lower the temperature, see each other again, listen to each other again.”

With coronavirus still surging throughout the country, Mr Biden said one of his priorities would be to tackle the pandemic.

He said: “We cannot repair the economy, restore our vitality, or relish life’s most precious moments – hugging a grandchild, birthdays, weddings, graduations, all the moments that matter most to us – until we get it under control.”

He closed his speech by calling on the nation to come together to “restore the soul of America”.

“We will lead not only by the example of our power but by the power of our example.”

They added the Trump administration is following all statutory requirements that govern government transitions.