On the eve of the last general election, no one was debating what to do in the event of a pandemic, or if Russia invaded Ukraine, or the Middle East exploded. If the recent past contains clues about the near future, Britain’s next prime minister will soon be grappling with some as yet unforeseen global emergency. Plus the already visible crises.
Where most people see dangers amassing on the horizon, Rishi Sunak reads simplistic campaign slogans. For want of a domestic legacy to celebrate, the prime minister has decided to put global volatility at the centre of his pitch for re-election. He rehearsed the line in a speech on Monday. The world is a scary place, he said. Only the Tories can keep you safe.
