The UK Conservatives expected Rishi Sunak to stabilize both the party and the nation when they appointed him as leader after the tumultuous tenures of his predecessors. However, he has steered them towards the precipice of electoral disaster. In October 2022, the party's MPs, desperate for stability, installed the 44-year-old ex-financier, following Liz Truss's brief 49-day premiership which collapsed due to market reactions against her aggressive tax-cutting agenda.
Sunak partially succeeded in stabilizing the economy but failed to quell internal Tory disputes or to erode the consistent polling advantage of the opposition Labour Party. Encouraged by sporadic positive economic news, Sunak announced the July 4 election in late May, well ahead of the scheduled 2025 date. He anticipated that this surprise move would catch the right-wing Reform UK off guard and potentially reduce Labour's commanding 20-point lead in the polls.
However, Sunak's campaign has been marred by a series of mishaps. The most significant was his premature departure from D-Day commemoration events in France, which sparked widespread outrage and alienated the right-wing voters he desperately needs. This has likely driven these voters to support Reform UK, led by Brexit figurehead Nigel Farage. Additionally, Sunak had to apologize when Conservative candidates and the party's campaign chief were investigated for allegedly placing bets on the election date prior to its announcement.
These issues have left Sunak increasingly frustrated, lacking the confident rhetoric of earlier in the campaign but still maintaining that the election outcome is uncertain. Sunak, who is privately wealthy, has struggled to resonate with ordinary voters affected by the cost-of-living crisis. He was widely ridiculed for implying he had a frugal upbringing because his family did not own a satellite TV, and his interactions with voters often appeared strained.
Sunak's current challenges starkly contrast with his meteoric rise to power, becoming the youngest modern British prime minister at 42 and the first of South Asian descent. Born in Southampton on May 12, 1980, to a family doctor father and a mother who managed a local pharmacy, Sunak's grandparents emigrated from Punjab, India, to Britain in the 1960s with very little. Educated at prestigious institutions like Winchester College, Oxford, and Stanford, Sunak's early life was marked by diverse social connections, though he quickly corrected himself when describing his working-class friends.
After amassing wealth in finance, Sunak secured a safe Conservative seat in Richmond, Yorkshire, in 2015. Known for his Instagram-worthy profile, he was dubbed 'Dishy Rishi'. An early supporter of Brexit, he became finance minister in February 2020, facing the COVID-19 pandemic head-on. His meticulous approach led to the rapid creation of a substantial economic support package, which he often cites as a political highlight. However, his reputation suffered after receiving a police fine for violating COVID rules at a birthday gathering for then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Sunak also faced scrutiny over his wife Akshata Murty's tax affairs, particularly her non-domiciled status which exempted her from UK taxes on her Infosys earnings. This news negatively impacted Sunak's approval ratings, prompting Murty to commit to paying UK taxes on her worldwide income. The Sunaks, who met while studying in California, have two daughters and a photogenic dog. Sunak emphasizes that his and his wife's backgrounds embody a 'very Conservative' narrative of hard work and ambition.
In July 2022, Sunak resigned as finance minister, contributing to Johnson's resignation amid multiple scandals and public discontent over the government's COVID response. Many Tories have not forgiven him and have criticized his leadership. Despite insisting that only he has a 'clear plan' supported by 'bold action' to transform Britain, voters seem poised to limit his tenure to less than two years.
