Wnytime a British drama comes to an end, and again one wonders if it really is the ending. The Tories have chosen the most able candidate in Rishi Sunak, and yet his prime ministership begins in the shadow of numerous unresolved issues, not just economic ones.
The call for new elections, which came from the disappointed Johnson camp on Monday, also got Sunak in the mood for turbulent times within the party.
Even if his party, which has become neurotic, lets him rest for a while, he faces enormous tasks. In normal times, a 100-day grace period awaited him, not least in recognition of the fact that an Indian immigrant was ruling the kingdom for the first time. This is indeed a turning point, not only for Great Britain but for all western immigration countries.
But there is hardly any time for such considerations in London. The British economy is in a downward spiral, to which, depending on your point of view, Brexit, the debt-financed corona policy, the Ukraine war or the amateurish “mini-budget” of the Truss government have contributed. Emergency measures can be expected as early as Monday, when the budget is presented.
Sunak cannot rely on the faction
Sunak, who proved himself as Chancellor of the Exchequer during the Johnson years, can be trusted to do the right things to protect the faltering economic engine from further damage. In view of the massive problems – inflation, labor shortages, weak productivity – it is uncertain whether it will get it going again.
Despite the “crowning” that Sunak experienced on Monday, he cannot rely on his group’s support, whether on economic issues, nor on decisions on migration policy or the Northern Ireland Protocol. He can only be sure of approval when it comes to Russia policy. Sunak wants to continue the course of vigorous support for Ukraine, which is good news for Western countries, at least for the time being.
