Sir Keir Starmer talked of the country's "huge respect" for the Queen at Camden's proclamation of a new monarch.
Dignitaries gathered in Russell Square on Sunday (September 11), where mayor of Camden Cllr Nasim Ali read the proclamation of the new monarch, King Charles III, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
The mayor introduced speakers Rev Anne Stevens, from St Pancras Church; Rabbi, Shlomo Levin, from South Hampstead Synagogue; Natasha Sibal, from Buddhist Soka Gakkai UK; Imam Abdul Jalil, from Al Rahman Mosque; and Major Neil Weddell, co-chair of Humanists And Non-religious in Defence (HAND) network.
Jerusalem was sung by the St Pancras Church Choir.
Sir Keir, Labour Party leader and MP for Holborn and St Pancras, told the Ham&High: “This is a huge moment in history. It's the coming together of the whole nation to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II, a remarkable monarch. It's the whole nation coming together to show their commitment to and support for King Charles III.
“But I think on top of that, there is this human instinct to come together in times of uncertainty, in times of change.”
He added: "I was really struck by the images this morning of the coffin going from Balmoral on its way to Edinburgh. Almost everybody who could get out of their homes was out lining the streets and talking to each other.
"It is that combination of sadness - the outpouring of grief, because there is huge, huge respect for the Queen - and the proclamation of the King yesterday and then locally, here today.”
Although the period of mourning has interrupted parliamentary business, the government is bringing in support for families, and Sir Keir said "maximum support" is needed for people this winter.
"I think there is uncertainty because of the change of prime minister, a new monarch, but there is all the surrounding uncertainty: the conflict in Ukraine is continuing - that brings uncertainty; huge concern about the cost-of-living crisis, whether that's energy bills going up, food or fuel going up; and real concern about things like the National Health Service," he said.
“So there's a wider uncertainty here as we go into the winter as well."
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