Rishi Sunak’s election campaign is experiencing turmoil, with internal strife, strategic missteps, and controversial policies casting doubt on his leadership and the Conservative Party’s stability. Here’s the full story.
Cloud of Discontent
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s election campaign, which began under a literal cloud of discontent, has continued to stagger rapidly towards the cliff edge, as even Conservative MPs have begun to rebel.
Embarrassing Setbacks
Amidst a string of humiliating failures, Sunak faces mounting discontent within the Conservative Party regarding the campaign’s management. As a result, he is finding it increasingly challenging to keep a grip on a party that is becoming increasingly divided.
A Series of Unfortunate Events
Since the campaign began, Sunak has had to deal with a drenched campaign launch, a visit to the Titanic Quarter in Belfast that led to him being compared to the captain of a sinking ship, the defection of Lucy Allan, the Conservative MP for Telford, to Reform UK, and a public rebuke from Northern Ireland Minister Steve Baker over Sunak’s poorly thought-out and seemingly poorly researched proposal for mandatory national service.
“Dreamed up by Advisers”
Steve Baker described the policy as an ill-conceived idea “dreamed up by advisers and sprung on candidates.”
No Clear Answers
The confusion surrounding the policy’s implementation further exacerbated the issue. Sunak struggled to provide clear answers on how the policy would work, particularly regarding fines for those who refused to answer the call to national service.
“Damaged the Party”
The situation has become so untenable that Conservative peer Zac Goldsmith spoke out, accusing Sunak publicly of having “damaged the party almost beyond repair”.
“Some Decent MPs Left”
He continued, “The hope is that when Sunak disappears off to California in a few weeks there are at least some decent MPs left around which to rebuild.”
“I’m Surprised”
Sunak, campaigning in Amersham, responded angrily to Goldsmith’s comments, stating, “I’m surprised at Lord Goldsmith, who I don’t think I’ve spoken to in a very long time, has some intimate knowledge of my family’s arrangements.”
“This Is My Home”
Upon further questioning, journalists asked if he planned to leave. Sunak replied curtly, “Of course not. My kids are at school; this is my home, and as I said earlier, my football team just got promoted to the Premier League.”
Campaigning Amidst Chaos
Despite his attempts to put a brave face on the situation, Sunak’s campaign efforts were further hampered by logistical and strategic missteps, leading one Conservative insider to tell the Guardian, “The operations side of things has not really been ready; the media and messaging have been all over the place.”
Increasingly Unwieldy Campaign
In an apparent attempt to distance themselves from Sunak’s increasingly unwieldy campaign, Conservative candidates up and down the country have increasingly adopted a discreet approach to branding their campaign materials.
Minimal Mention
Leaflets distributed by volunteers in battleground seats prominently featured local images and neutral branding, with minimal mention of Sunak or the Conservative Party.
Neutral and Local-Focused
The material, branded in green or pink rather than the traditional Tory blue, looks as though it was designed to appear as neutral and local-focused as possible, an attempt to distance itself from Sunak’s rapidly declining popularity.
Leaked Memo
As if all of this was not bad enough, the Conservative campaign’s internal discord was exposed thanks to a leaked internal memo revealing concerns about the lack of engagement from Conservative ministers and MPs.
Funds Low
The memo, accidentally sent to party MPs, criticised them for focusing too much on ministerial duties rather than campaigning and highlighted financial difficulties in key marginal seats such as Bury and Thurrock, where funds were reportedly running low.
Fraught With Mismanagement
The memo’s accidental release and subsequent recall added to the perception of a campaign fraught with mismanagement.
Tempted by Reform UK
To regain lost ground, Sunak announced a new policy to win back older Conservative voters tempted by the Reform Party.
“Triple Lock Plus”
The “triple lock plus” policy promised a new £100-a-year tax break for pensioners, estimated to cost £2.4 billion annually by 2029/30.
Risking Losses
Despite this tempting offer to voters, concerns persisted among some Conservative MPs that focusing too heavily on potential Reform voters might jeopardise their standing in traditionally strong Conservative areas, risking losses to the Liberal Democrats.
“Any Campaign Is Difficult”
Some within the Conservative Party stepped up to defend Sunak. Johnny Mercer, a Tory minister, told Times Radio, “I think any campaign is difficult. I think that any political party is a broad church and you’re going to have people within that organisation at that time unhappy with aspects of what’s going on. That’s completely normal.”
Strategic Blunders
Despite some ministers rallying to Sunak’s side, the campaign has been marked by strategic blunders, internal divisions, and controversial policy proposals that overshadow his leadership.
Overcoming Challenges
As the election campaign continues, it remains to be seen whether Sunak can overcome these challenges and restore the confidence of his party and, most importantly, the electorate.
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Sean Aidan Calderbank.