LONDON - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has often presented himself as a careful, evidence-led politician who weighs facts before acting. But over the past five weeks, his general election campaign has exposed something his earlier political career never did: a startling lack of political instinct. Since he called the July 4 election in the pouring rain in late May, Sunak has repeatedly stumbled in ways that have reinforced the Labour Party's commanding lead in opinion polls and raised doubts about his ability to rescue the Conservatives from what looks like a heavy defeat.
Sunak entered Downing Street in October 2022 with a reputation for competence. He had been a popular chancellor during the pandemic, known for rolling out a massive jobs retention scheme that shielded millions of workers from the economic shock of COVID-19. He was seen as the stable, safe pair of hands needed to restore credibility after the disastrous 49-day premiership of Liz Truss, whose unfunded tax cuts sent financial markets into turmoil. Yet the campaign has revealed a politician who struggles to connect with ordinary voters and who often appears out of step with the mood of the country.
A series of self-inflicted wounds
The most damaging moment of the campaign came on June 6, when Sunak left the 80th anniversary D-Day commemorations in Normandy early to return to Britain. He skipped the international ceremony that brought together President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Keir Starmer, the Labour leader who is now the clear favourite to replace him as prime minister. Sunak later apologised, calling his decision a mistake, but the political fallout was immediate and severe.
Critics said that leaving the event early, especially on such a solemn anniversary, showed disrespect to the veterans who fought and died in the Second World War. The episode also allowed Starmer to look statesmanlike, standing alongside other world leaders while the British prime minister was not there. For a conservative leader who often invokes patriotism and national pride, it was a particularly painful error. Political analysts noted that the image of Sunak missing the ceremony reinforced his problem of appearing out of touch and unable to perform on the national stage when it matters most.
The D-Day misstep was not an isolated incident. Sunak's campaign has also been overshadowed by a gambling scandal within his own party. Several Conservative candidates and officials were accused of placing bets on the timing of the election before the date was publicly announced. Sunak initially resisted calls to act, but he eventually suspended the candidates involved, a week after Starmer pressed him to do so. The delay gave the impression that the prime minister was not in full control of his party and that he only responded under pressure.
Polling pain for the Conservatives
Throughout the campaign, opinion polls have consistently given Labour a double-digit lead over the Conservatives. If those numbers are borne out on election day, Labour would return to power for the first time since 2010, and the Conservatives would face one of their worst defeats in modern history. The last time the party lost a general election was in 1997, when Tony Blair led Labour to a landslide victory over John Major.
The roots of the Conservatives' current predicament go back further than Sunak's campaign struggles. Boris Johnson was forced to resign as prime minister in 2022 after being found to have misled Parliament about parties held in Downing Street during coronavirus lockdowns. That scandal severely damaged public trust in the Conservative Party. Then Liz Truss's brief premiership destroyed the party's reputation for economic competence. Her plan for sweeping unfunded tax cuts caused the pound to crash, sent government borrowing costs soaring and forced the Bank of England to intervene in the bond market. Truss lasted only 49 days, but the damage to the Conservative brand was lasting.
Sunak took over with a promise to restore stability, and he did calm the markets. But he has been unable to repair the party's image with voters. His 20 months in office have been marked by internal Conservative divisions over immigration, tax and the future direction of the party. One wing of the party wants harsher immigration policies and deeper tax cuts, while another pushes for a more centrist approach. Sunak has struggled to satisfy either side, and his campaign has failed to move public opinion in his favour.
Rob Ford, a political scientist at the University of Manchester, observed that the Conservatives badly needed to boost Sunak's approval ratings. Instead, he said, the clumsy and error-strewn campaign has simply reinforced the party's weakness. Voters who were already inclined to distrust the government have seen little reason to change their minds.
From chancellor to campaigner
Sunak's political career has been remarkable by any measure. Born in 1980 in Southampton to parents of Indian descent, he was educated at Winchester College, one of Britain's most expensive private schools, before studying politics, philosophy and economics at Oxford University. He later earned an MBA at Stanford University as a Fulbright scholar, where he met his wife, Akshata Murty, the daughter of Indian billionaire Narayana Murthy, founder of the IT giant Infosys. Sunak went on to work for Goldman Sachs and later became a hedge fund manager before entering politics.
He was elected to Parliament in 2015 for the safe Conservative seat of Richmond in Yorkshire. In 2016 he backed Brexit, and after the Leave victory he rose quickly through the party ranks. In February 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic was about to hit Britain, he was unexpectedly appointed chancellor of the exchequer. Within weeks he had unveiled one of the largest economic rescue packages in British history, including the furlough scheme that paid the wages of millions of workers. His calm, polished television performances during the pandemic earned him the nickname Dishy Rishi and made him one of the most popular figures in the government.
But that popularity did not survive the broader Conservative collapse. Sunak also faced criticism over his personal wealth. The Sunday Times's 2024 Rich List estimated that he and his wife had a fortune of around 651 million pounds, more than King Charles III. Labour leader Starmer and other opponents have used this to argue that Sunak is out of touch with the everyday struggles of working people.
His defenders point out that he warned Conservative members about Truss's reckless economic plan during the leadership contest to replace Johnson. He has reminded voters of that warning on the campaign trail, saying, I was right then, when I warned about Liz Truss. That is why all of you can trust me now. He has also highlighted his record as chancellor, arguing that he understands how to run the economy and keep taxes down.
Struggling with the political touch
However, the campaign has not given Sunak the chance to reset the narrative. He often appears stiff in public, and his attempts to engage with voters have sometimes backfired. In one awkward moment, he asked workers at a factory whether they had tried to get on a plane during the pandemic, a comment that seemed to ignore the reality of lockdown restrictions. He has also been accused of delivering policy announcements that are muddled or lacking in detail.
Sunak is not used to losing. His political career has been one of unexpected success and rapid advancement. At 44, he is the youngest prime minister Britain has had in more than 200 years, and the first Hindu to hold the office. He has achieved more in politics than most people ever will. But the July 4 election now looks set to define him in a very different way. Unless he can produce a miraculous turnaround in the final days of the campaign, he will likely become the Conservative leader who lost power after 14 years of Tory rule.
The final stretch of the campaign may not change the outcome. Sunak's team insists that the polls are narrowing and that there is still a fight to be had, but most independent analysts see little sign of momentum. The prime minister's personal ratings remain weak, and the Conservative Party is still haunted by the controversies that drove its previous leaders from office.
For Sunak, the election has been a brutal lesson in the difference between governing and campaigning. He has shown that he can handle the details of policy and manage a crisis, but the intuitive ability to read the public mood has eluded him. His early departure from the D-Day ceremony, the betting scandal, and his difficulty in shaking off accusations of being out of touch have all contributed to a portrait of a politician who is working against his own party's history. As voters prepare to go to the polls, Sunak faces the very real prospect of becoming the leader who could not hold the Conservatives together. He has never been through a defeat like this, and he is not used to losing.
Source:KSAT News