ADVERTISEMENT

Rishi Sunak’s Speedy UK Leadership Start Raises Tory Eyebrows

Rishi Sunak’s slick video detailing his vision for Britain as Conservative leader and prime minister has raised eyebrows among potential supporters after the speed with which it was released prompted accusations of treachery against Boris Johnson.

Rishi Sunak’s Speedy UK Leadership Start Raises Tory Eyebrows
Rishi Sunak’s Speedy UK Leadership Start Raises Tory Eyebrows

Rishi Sunak’s slick video detailing his vision for Britain as Conservative leader and prime minister has raised eyebrows among potential supporters after the speed with which it was released prompted accusations of treachery against Boris Johnson. 

Sunak, whose shock resignation along with Health Secretary Sajid Javid on Tuesday kick-started Johnson’s downfall, released the video on Twitter pledging to “rebuild the economy” and “reunite the country.” MPs privately said they were shocked by the timing of its release. 

Sunak sought to paint himself as a serious, responsible candidate, referencing his stewardship of the economy during the pandemic and refusing to bow to “fairy tales” on how to solve the country’s problems.

But the three-minute video, with high-end production values suggesting months in the planning, drew an immediate backlash from Conservative MPs questioning how long Sunak had been plotting against Johnson. It was a question brushed off by one of Sunak’s supporters, Cabinet minister Mark Spencer.  

“Rishi has been at the center of government for a very long time; as chancellor of the exchequer he was always going to promote himself and promote the Conservative party and the Conservative government,” Spencer told BBC News on Saturday. “So he would have had access to lots of those snippets of video, and you can pull those things together pretty quickly.”

Newspapers including the Daily Mail reported that Sunak’s campaign website was registered on Dec. 23, demonstrating that his plans for a leadership campaign had been hatched months ago.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, initially seen as a favorite to succeed Johnson, said Saturday that he decided not to run.

Tax Cuts

Sunak’s challenge will be winning over Conservative MPs unimpressed with his record on increasing taxes. Sunak has pushed the nation’s tax burden to its highest level since World War II to fund pandemic-era spending, which sits uneasily with Tory ideology.

Chaos-Weary Tories May Now Put a Safe Pair of Hands Into No. 10

He spent months resisting Tory calls for faster tax cuts to ease the cost-of-living crisis, saying he had to be responsible with public finances and avoid stoking inflation. He also faced a major setback when he was fined, alongside Johnson, over the illegal parties in Downing Street during the pandemic.

Even so, there was an early boost for Sunak when an Opinium poll for Channel 4 News published Friday showed he was the top choice of the Tory grassroots, who will pick from the final two candidates whittled down by their MPs. The poll of Conservative Party members found he was backed by 25% of those asked, just ahead of Foreign Secretary Liz Truss with 21%. 

The Inside Story of the Week of Boris Johnson’s Downfall

Sunak is the most high-profile figure yet to enter the contest, following pro-Brexit Attorney General Suella Braverman. On Saturday, Tory MP and serial rebel Steve Baker, who had been toying with the idea of standing, said he was supporting Braverman. Ex-soldier Tom Tugendhat, chair of the House of Commons foreign affairs committee, is also running.

Also on Saturday, Tory minister Kemi Badenoch launched her campaign with an article in The Times vowing to cut the size and influence of the state and run a “limited government focused on the essentials,” low taxes and “tight spending.”

With no clear front-runner and limited time to find a winner, the race is likely to be fractious.

Quicktake’s Alex Webb looks at possible contenders to replace UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.Source: Bloomberg
Quicktake’s Alex Webb looks at possible contenders to replace UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.Source: Bloomberg

The Times reported Saturday that Javid, who’s yet to formally declare his candidacy, had been asked by Sunak’s allies to stand aside to give him a clear run at the leadership. 

Meanwhile, Johnson will stay on until his successor is announced, which the party said will be in September. He’s appointed a caretaker government which he insists will not “make major changes of direction.” 

The 1922 Committee of rank-and-file Tory MPs is drawing up plans for an accelerated leadership contest, and wants to whittle down candidates to a final two by July 21. The finalists will then do a six-week tour of the UK and Conservative party members will make the final choice, with the next premier to be in place by September.

There is likely to be a wide field of candidates so the barrier to entry is expected to be raised -- such as requiring candidates to have a certain number of backers to get on the ballot paper.

Others tipped to stand include Trade Minister Penny Mordaunt, ex-health ministers Javid and Jeremy Hunt, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, and the new chancellor, Nadhim Zahawi.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

©2022 Bloomberg L.P.