If Liz Truss’s mantra was “move fast and break things”, then Rishi Sunak’s is “move slow and leave things where they are, and pray no one will notice”. It has been exactly three weeks since he was sent into Downing Street on a wave of relief and hope. But it has taken only those three weeks to expose Sunak as yet another underqualified and overpromoted prime minister. There is now no doubt that he does not have the mandate, the appetite or the nerve to deliver what was expected of him.
A brief look at his performance so far shows a failure to meet the goals set for him. A break with the volatile right of the party, who left a crater in the economy? Instead, Suella Braverman is back in the cabinet presiding over an asylum system collapse and protest crackdowns. A return to firm decision-making after a month of dizzying U-turns? His very first international effort as Britain’s leader was to reverse his decision not to go to Cop27. Restoring some semblance of decency to political office? The now yet-again-disgraced Gavin Williamson had to resign after allegations of bullying, despite Sunak being informed of the claims by the former chair of the Conservative party.
