Conservative leadership race: Who is Rishi Sunak? – “Ready or Rishi”
He’s so far proven to be the most popular amongst Tory MPs and the clear front runner to make it to the final two. But who is Rishi Sunak? What are Rishi Sunak’s policies? and what are Rishi Sunak’s election results so far?
The former chancellor Rishi Sunak is by far the best know MP still in the race to become the next leader of the Conservative party – and therefore PM.
Mr Sunak spent most of his time in Boris Johnson’s cabinet as the frontrunner to eventually succeed the prime minister. But over the past few months, he had been rocked by scandals and decisions not well received by MPs.
They introduced a number of politics – such as a national insurance rise – which was poorly received by Tory MPs.
He received a fine for attending the PM’s birthday party during lockdown – connecting him publicly to the scandal that was Partygate.
Then came the non-dom status scandal – his wife, the multimillionaire Akshata Murty held non-dom status and therefore did not have to pay UK tax on her sizable international income. It was a scandal that knocked Rishi’s standing.
Following the backlash, she confirmed she would start paying UK taxes on her non-UK income, saying it had “become clear that many do not feel it is compatible with my husband’s role as chancellor.”
Rishi Sunak had been in No 11 since early 2020 after Sajid Javid’s shock resignation. Sunak had gone from a junior ministerial post to one of the most powerful cabinet positions.
Sunak had only been in the role for a matter of weeks when Covid hit and the Sunak became a household name – announcing a raft of measures to support workers and business.
Sunak is MP of Richmond in North Yorkshire having been elected in 2015.
He backed Brexit in 2016, telling his constituents at the time it was the “toughest decision” of his political career.
What are Rishi Sunak’s policies?
Rishi was one of the first to announce his bid – just one day after the prime minister announced his resignation. Mr Sunak launched his bid with a slick video on social media and pledged to rebuild voters’ trust after Boris Johnson’s tumultuous turn in office.
Rishi Sunak is continuing to resist tax cuts (unlike the other contenders) saying it would fuel rising prices he has further warned against telling voters “comforting fairy tales.”
In his campaign speech he said he would lower the tax burden, it is just a question of “when not if.”
He told the Mail on Sunday he would reverse “recent trends to erase women via the use of clumsy, gender-neutral language” and said that “we must be able to call a mother a mother and talk about breastfeeding”.
For his government, he’s promised a “better, smaller, 21st-century government.”
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Rishi Sunak election results – so far
Round 1 results
Round 2 results
Round 3 results
