After months of party squabbles, the appointment of Rishi Sunak has, for some, signified the beginning of more stable times for the conservative party. However, I argue that the sudden rush of support for Sunak is neither surprising nor impressive when frankly, there were few viable options left after the six-week stint of ‘Team Truss’. Sunak’s moderate persona and economic experience may be momentarily sufficient as the country faces threat of recession but is not exactly inspiring for long-term leadership.
Many have expressed optimism over Sunak’s leadership as our first Asian prime minister – and rightly so. However, he has also quickly become a token for inclusive change within the Conservative party. Yet, beyond appearances and on closer inspection, his newly appointed cabinet is even less diverse than before, with a particularly striking gender disparity where less than a quarter of cabinet are women.
It is abundantly clear that the Conservatives have been in survival mode for so long, that new ideas have bled dry – and it appears the British public have caught on. Over the past fewmonths of Tory turmoil, polls show a significant and consistent increase for Labour that skirts around the majority. Something is certainly building. With new ideas to tackle energy, living costs and the economy emerging from September’s conference, the Labour Party has come back with a plan in hand. With MPs like Angela Rayner and Zarah Sultana gaining more traction, Labour’s women are becoming increasingly prominent figures in the party – this is key to Labour’s revival.
Exciting times lie ahead for those who want change; a Labour government may come sooner than expected, as the party shows signs of a renaissance.