A series of embarrassing gaffes have accompanied Rishi Sunak on the campaign trail so far. This has left many wondering if the Tories can get anything.
Comms Team Didn’t Anticipate Issues Very Well
When making the most anticipated election announcement in a couple of decades, you’d think the comms team would think things through. What could go wrong? The weather, perhaps?
Announced Election in the Pouring Rain
Sunak announced the election standing outside in the pouring rain. There was no umbrella, gazebo, or raincoat—just the Prime Minister at his lectern, getting increasingly wetter and less comfortable.
Pictures Can Break a Candidate
Remember the picture of Ed Miliband eating a bacon sandwich? A bad picture can kill an election chance. The shots of a soaked Rishi Sunak, looking increasingly downbeat as he tries to paint a picture of optimism in his party, will haunt this campaign.
Dream Caused a Nightmare
The 1994 D:Ream single ‘Things Can Only Get Better’ was played at full blast just outside Downing Street, clearly audible throughout the speech. The song accompanied Tony Blair to a huge win in 1997.
Briefing Room Leftused
The worst of it all? These issues could have been avoided if they’d used the £2.6m Downing Street briefing room, which was built in 2021 and designed for purposes similar to this.
Staged Events Go Wrong
At an event in Erewash, Derbyshire, Rishi Sunak took questions from several people in a warehouse. While it was inferred that the questions came from workers, it turns out two of the questions came from Tory councillors.
Planted Questions From Tories
When you plant Tory councillors to ask questions, you create an obvious problem for yourself. The world is a fast-moving place, and within minutes, the truth was exposed, causing a few red faces at the party.
Football Fan, Rishi?
In Barry, South Wales, Sunak visited a brewery and met workers, chatted, and asked questions. One was whether the Euro’s football in the summer would be good for revenue. He was shortly informed that Wales hadn’t qualified, so it’d be unlikely!
Comms Not Communicating
You’d think the comms teams who are supposed to stage manage such appearances would almost give him a series of questions and topics to stick to, especially when you know your boss isn’t a naturally charismatic man.
Sometimes, the Jokes Write Themselves
For his campaigning in Northern Ireland, Rishi Sunak headed for the Titanic Quarter to take questions from journalists. In a somewhat obvious move, one asked if he was in charge of a sinking ship.
No Rwanda Flights
As Prime Minister during an election, you’re supposed to enthuse voters and assure them you’re the right person for the job—the one to get things done. Imagine planning an election BEFORE you can deliver on a flagship policy you’ve pushed for two years.
Surprise Election Causing a Backlash
One thing that surprised everyone was the timing of the election announcement. Not only was it a surprise to everyone in the media – it was a surprise to everyone in the cabinet!
No Time to Prepare
Official government trips were cancelled or cut short. The Foreign Secretary, David Cameron, was one of those who had disrupted travel plans. If even the highest profile ministers were uninformed, you can imagine the shock it caused in the rank and file.
Stories of the Party Turning on Sunak
There are strong reports that the far right of the Tory party is rounding on Sunak ahead of the election. Members of the Conservative Democratic Organisation (CDO), an activist group, have taken to WhatsApp groups to announce their anger at him.
Sunak Unable to Unite the Party to Fight the Election
In-fighting has been a common feature of the Tory party over the last decade. Still, you’d think they’d put their differences aside to fight the election. It turns out they’d rather not!
High Profile Losses
The last thing any Prime Minister seeking re-election needs is high-profile walk-outs from his MPs. So far, Rishi Sunak has lost 80 MPs, including Theresa May, Michael Gove, Graham Brady, and Andrea Leadsom.
Long Way to Go, but Even Further to Fall
So far, Rishi Sunak’s campaign has started disastrously. You could say that means there’s plenty of time to get it right. The comms and planning teams have done a disastrous job, so it could mean there’s plenty of time for more to go wrong.
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