The Prime Minister did indeed give a good chuckle at the initial statement by the Opposition Leader. Jokes about the opposing side were all too familiar to the previous holder of his position, even if it contributed to his succession, but the follow-up definitely took on a more serious tone. Another sip of the tonic water and Vangelis finally took a look at his notes to answer Venizelos.
"Mr Venizelos, I can and do assure the House of Commons, and the people of Selene that I intend to focus on the economy in the remainder of the term as Prime Minister. There is nothing more that I, and indeed, everyone else here, would like to see than a thriving and prosperous economy, however, this government does not intend to forget the workers that will bring us to that point, nor have we forgotten about them until now. When a new Interior Minister has been appointed, we will work on growing the economy and protecting the rights of the workers who will take on the brunt of the work.
In addition, congratulations on your retirement at youthful 74. Your service to the nation, as a Member of Parliament and as the Leader of the Opposition, is a model for anyone and everyone who looks upon the grand figures of our modern time and sees the dedication and persistence in life as necessary traits to master, and you have mastered them very well indeed. Thank you for your service, Mr Venizelos!" The buzz in the room erupted in a dull roar of support, and Vangelis took the time to gulp out of the microphone's usual range and take a drink of the seltzer that was very close to being finished off.