As a likely Tory loss in the general election draws ever closer, Rishi Sunak faces fresh challenges from within his own party. The PM must be getting battle-weary by now…
Defection by a Former Ally
For Rishi Sunak, it doesn’t rain – it pours. Over the last two weeks former Tory Chair Lee Anderson left the Tory party and joined Reform, having had the whip suspended following comments about Muslims.
Racism, Cash and Unwanted Headaches
Anderson’s defection came as Tory donor Frank Hester’s comments about Dianne Abbott caused Sunak unwanted major headaches. He had to tread a fine line – condemning Hester’s comments, whilst resisting calls to return the donation.
Polling Shows Tories Set for Destruction
Whilst the Tory MPs are largely on board with Sunak keeping hold of Frank Hester’s £10m donation to the party, despite his comments, the public aren’t. Frequent calls for a return of the money have been dismissed.
MPs Pay – Sunak Facing Criticism
Although Sunak isn’t responsible for setting MP pay, he was subject to further criticism for accepting a 5.5% pay rise whilst many families are struggling with rising costs and stagnant wages.
Public Defence, Private Defiance
As usual in these circumstances, many MPs are publicly defending their boss, but the rumors around Westminster are that there’s a growing unhappiness with Sunak’s leadership of the party.
Sunak’s Popularity Is Sliding
Polling company Yougov is showing that Sunak’s popularity is low, and getting lower. In December 2022, 36% of people polled described him as ‘unlikeable’, whereas 52% of people have that opinion now.
‘Dishy Rishi’ Is a Thing of the Past
Sunak’s popularity exploded in 2020, where he gave away over £30 billion of government to people struggling during the pandemic. For a short period, he was the nation’s favorite politician.
When the Spotlight Shines, It Highlights the Darkness
Sunak found that being the Prime Minister brings about a whole new level of scrutiny. His popularity began to slide when it was discovered his vastly wealthy wife, Akshata Murthy had non-dom status, saving her huge amounts of tax every year.
Out of Touch, Out of Favor
Several other PR disasters occurred, such as . Sunak tried his hardest to be a ‘man of the people’, but has consistently failed to shake the ‘posh boy’ image. The public see him as wooden and insincere.
The Long Goodbye of a Turbulent Tory Party
Public opinion suggests that come the election, Labour will win by a stretch. A decade of divisive politics has finally caught up with the Tories. Opinion polls shared by the BBC show support for the Conservatives is at its lowest in a long time.
From Catastrophe to Disaster
Whilst Sunak didn’t cause many of the problems facing the government, few people trust him to lead the country out of them. Public finances are struggling, having been dealt severe blows from Brexit, COVID and the Russian invasion of Ukraine causing global supply jolts.
The Budget Hasn’t Helped
Some Tory MPs hoped that a giveaway budget would help to improve their party’s chances of winning the next election, but that seems wishful thinking. Even the National Insurance cuts seem to have done little to stem the bleeding.
Rebel MPs Stuck Between Rock and a Hard Place
Whilst support for Sunak is dwindling, even the biggest Tory rebels realize now isn’t the time to replace the party leader. There’s simply too little time left before the election for a leader to make any real difference.
Was Sunak Doomed From the Start?
A failed leadership bid prior to his Premiership was a clue perhaps all wouldn’t be rosy for Rishi. If it wasn’t for Liz Truss’ disastrous spell in charge, he wouldn’t have had the job so quickly. If his party wanted him to lead them, they would have voted for him originally.
The Final Months of Leadership for Sunak?
To almost everyone, this feels like the march to the end of the Conservative government, and if the polls are to be believed, the country is ready for it. With the election almost a foregone conclusion, Sunak is having to fend off one PR disaster after the other.
A Moment of Change for the Tories
As of today, 62 Conservative MPs have announced their intention to stand down at the next election. The party will have to undergo radical change to rid themselves of the reputation for chaos they’ve earned.
Sunak Tried His Best…but Failed
To many observers he had an impossible job. The reputational damage to the government was already done before he arrived, but he did very little to repair it. His leadership will likely be remembered only for a cost of living crisis and a huge defeat at the ballot box.
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The post Sunak Scrambles for Survival as Election Jitters Grow in the Tory Ranks first appeared on Edge Media.
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