The UK’s third and final prime minister of 2022 was swept into Downing Street by Tory MPs as the party searched for stability after the chaotic and brief tenure of Liz Truss.
Having seen off rival Penny Mordaunt and a rumoured Boris Johnson comeback, Sunak stood outside Number 10 promising “integrity” and to fix the “mistakes” of his predecessor. Making history as the UK’s first Hindu PM, the first of Asian heritage and the youngest for more than 200 years, Sunak nonetheless inherited a series of challenges including soaring inflation, sky-high energy bills and industrial disputes.
Those challenges and more have dominated his premiership’s first 100 days, a milestone he will hit on Thursday (February 2), while, like his old boss Johnson, he has also been buffeted and badly damaged by missteps, controversies and scandals.
