Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox
Get our free View from Westminster email
The new Work and Pensions Secretary has said he wants to bring "the same passion and thoughtulness" his predecessor, Iain Duncan Smith, brought to the role.
Stephen Crabb was appointed to the role after Mr Duncan Smith quit the Cabinet on Friday evening and launched an attack on the "indefensible" cuts to disabled benefits in the latest Budget.
Mr Crabb, 43, previously served as Welsh Secretary and has been an MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire since 2005.
He told Radio Pembrokeshire: "The job of Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is always one that I thought maybe in the future it's a job I'd like to do.
"I am passionate about issues to do with welfare reforms, supporting people back into work, supporting people who need assistance from the state.
"Perhaps not in these circumstances, but it's obviously a huge privilege to take on the job."
7 ways the Tories have ‘helped’ disabled people
Show all 7
When asked if he will adopt a different approach to his predecessor, he said: "Well what I hope to bring is the same passion and thoughtfulness that Iain brought to the job.
He added: "As a country when we've still got such a big budget deficit as we do still have at the moment.
"Even though we've made progress on that, difficult decisions continue to be about how best we restore this country back to balanced finances."
In his resignation letter, the Mr Duncan Smith said the latest planned cuts to disability benefits were "indefensible" in a Budget which benefited higher-earning taxpayers.
He also complained cuts to disabled benefits in the Budget were "politically driven" and suggested the Chancellor had abandoned the austerity principle of "all in this together".
The Government is reportedly preparing for a major U-turn over plans to cut Personal Independence Payments by £4.4 billion.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies