Rishi Sunak is a huge Star Wars fan and it’s been said that he looks to the films for inspiration, both personally and politically. The power of The Force in Star Wars can be seen as a metaphor for faith that resonates and inspires from within. Our Prime Minister does need to look to his inner Jedi in the coming days, as he will need both boldness and extraordinary energy to do what he believes is right for the country.
How he proceeds with the Northern Ireland Protocol over the next week will be the deciding factor of his premiership. Boris Johnson knows it. It’s why he’s aggravating from the sidelines.
It’s a tough conundrum for our beleaguered PM. Does he push ahead for his Protocol revisions, and risk Tory infighting, even his removal? And having annoyed the Democratic Unionist Party further, Northern Ireland could continue with no functioning government if they refuse to end their boycott.
If Sunak does back off, he will prove the Tories are incapable of government, Number 10 held hostage by hardline Brexiteers and the DUP.
Really, there is no choice: if Sunak doesn’t fix the current problems left by Brexit, the outcome for Britain and our economy would be terrible. Waiting two years for a rapprochement with the EU under a Labour government will only hold us back and stymie both growth and investment by creating further uncertainty. His moment is now.
The conciliatory mood has never been better. The EU has admitted it was too harsh in its border checks. The green and red channel system is viable — goods from Great Britain for Northern Ireland will pass through green with minimal inspections while only those destined for the Republic pass through the red channel with full controls. And the EU has compromised further over the European Court of Justice. In practice it has agreed disputes will be settled without it.
We urgently need a more productive relationship with our biggest trading partner and Northern Ireland could end up with the best of both worlds, free trade with both the UK and the EU. Let’s not forget the DUP even voted against the Good Friday Agreement — it is not in their nature to compromise but they will be weakened as a party if they don’t find a way through this mess and return to power sharing.
Sunak can and should take risks. He will have a fighting chance of success in 2024 if he completes the negotiation and pushes on. It will also help the situation with the small boats, and that matters on the doorstep. Otherwise, he and the Tories will continue to drift towards certain defeat at the election.
The timing is further helped as the ERG has less power in Westminster than it did. Support for and interest in Brexit is waning, and they know it. Plus, another rupture within the party and the ERG members understand it would be oblivion at the next election, not just defeat — would they risk it?
The Tories are 28 points behind in the polls and Sunak’s personal ratings have also been steadily dropping since October. The Tory party is without doubt terminally floundering, radical action is required. It doesn’t matter if Keir Starmer’s five ‘missions’ for Britain yesterday amounted to more empty verbiage, Labour look competent and increasingly ready for power. Fresh ideas will emerge.
The ‘dark side’ of choosing the Boris path — drop the negotiations, pass the bill, embrace his inner fundamentalist and have the right of his party cheer him — is probably tempting. Those around him may be advising this, fearful of pushing the Tories to the precipice before the May elections. But he needs to be ruthless, create an enduring legacy, otherwise what will his premiership have stood for? Healing this wound with the EU and Northern Ireland will be a huge achievement and demonstrate his strength and political skill, which many right now doubt he possesses.
Sunak must draw his lightsaber, complete the negotiation, dare the DUP and the ERG to oppose it and demonstrate that he, not Starmer, is the right person to lead the Rebel Alliance. As when Labour are in Number 10 they will likely engage in a sweeping new deal with the EU, as faith in Brexit will have fallen further. Already 54 per cent say it was wrong to leave the European Union.
Sunak was an early Brexit backer. He can and should take control of the economic mess Brexit created with Johnson’s desperate 2020 deal. He needs to confront his fear and choose his destiny.
‘Levelling up’ is a disaster for the ENO
Last night I was fortunate enough to see Wagner’s Rhinegold at the English National Opera at the Coliseum. Fortunate for many reasons, not least the beautiful performances and sets (although two hours and 40 minutes with no interval is a bit of stretch) but also because from April the ENO loses most of its funding, if not all.
Arts Council England has said it will cut the company’s £12.6 million annual grant, instead giving it £17 million over three years, but only on the condition that it moves away from London, possibly to Manchester. It has demanded this, however, without checking in with Andy Burnham, Manchester’s mayor, or consulted Opera North, or, ENO alleges, the new home that the Arts Council said it had earmarked for the ENO — Manchester’s new arts venue, Factory International.
The Leeds-based Opera North is an excellent company and already tours to Manchester. Similarly, Birmingham gets regular opera from Welsh National Opera.
Levelling up the arts is admirable, but taking a wrecking ball to great music just because it is considered highbrow is plain stupidity.
J Lo proves true love can fire again
I’ve got to admit, when I saw the reunion between J Lo and her former love Ben Affleck I had my reservations — another celebrity match played out on yachts and private planes, destined to fail when reality hit six months later. But as their wedding last July and J Lo’s recent Instagram posts of their blended family prove, including one of her twin children asleep in the arms of their new stepfather, true love can be rekindled. It’s what Hollywood dreams are made of.
