A year of Rishi Sunak – but what about the next 12 months?
Oct 25, 2023
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A discussion on Rishi Sunak's first year as Prime Minister, including his record and electability. Insights from Katy Balls, Rachel Cunliffe, and Andrew Lansley. The challenges and successes of his first year, pursuing unpopular but necessary actions, and the future of the next parliament, reshuffles, and red wall seats.
Rishi Sunak has struggled to define his identity as a Prime Minister, oscillating between being a change candidate and a sensible deliverer.
Rishi Sunak should focus on making long-term decisions and governing without being solely driven by electoral considerations.
Deep dives
Assessing Rishi Sunak's First Year as Prime Minister
The podcast discusses Rishi Sunak's first year as Prime Minister, reflecting on his performance and achievements. It mentions the challenge of trading off his competence and calming influence with the need to demonstrate more from him. The podcast analyzes how well Sunak has done in stabilizing the economy and achieving his pledges based on voter concerns, with mixed results. It highlights his struggle to define his identity as a Prime Minister, oscillating between being a change candidate and a sensible, deliverer. The podcast also mentions the decline in Sunak's favorability ratings and the importance of addressing cost of living issues and the economy to win over voters.
Navigating the Path to the Next Election
The podcast explores the challenges and strategies for Rishi Sunak to turn things around before the next election. It suggests that Sunak should accept the likelihood of not winning the election and use the time to focus on making long-term decisions and governing without being solely driven by electoral considerations. It emphasizes the importance of addressing cost of living concerns and demonstrating a commitment to improving the economy. The podcast also discusses the potential impact of a reshuffle and the need for Sunak to reshape the government in his own image and demonstrate change within the Conservative Party. It concludes with the insight that winning the election is dependent on appealing to swing voters and focusing on red wall seats.
Recommendations for Rishi Sunak's Electoral Strategy
The podcast provides recommendations for Rishi Sunak's electoral strategy. It suggests that he should aim for a head-to-head campaign against Keir Starmer to have a chance of winning the election. It highlights the importance of influencing the election's agenda by focusing on economic issues, cost of living, and taxation. The podcast mentions the possibility of a later election to utilize time advantage and recommends using a budget in September to demonstrate a vision for the next parliamentary term. It also emphasizes the need to appeal to swing voters and win seats across the Midlands and the North, rather than focusing solely on the blue wall seats. Lastly, it advises against appealing only to the base and argues for the importance of being in government to implement policies that matter.
A year after Rishi Sunak became prime minister, has he convinced the public of his competence and of his electability?
Sophy Ridge from Sky News’ Politics Hub programme takes over from Niall Paterson for this episode. She discusses Sunak’s record with Katy Balls, political editor at the Spectator, and Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor at the New Statesman.
Then, Andrew Lansley, who ran Tory national election campaigns including in 1992, joins Sophy to discuss what the PM might be able to learn from the 1992 election campaign – and whether Jeremy Hunt is or isn’t part of the plan.
Senior podcast producer: Annie Joyce Podcast producer: Emma Rae Woodhouse Interviews producer: Melissa Tutesigensi Promotion producer: Jada-Kai Meosa John Editor: Paul Stanworth
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