‘Ready For Rishi’: Sunak’s Announces Bid, Aims To Strike A Chord With A UK Reeling From Inflation

Rishi Sunak fired the starting pistol for the prime ministerial race as he announced his campaign to become the UK’s next prime minister.

Sunak claims he has the support of more than 80 to 100 MPs.

Sunak also released his campaign video where he sheds light on his background, how his parents worked hard to give him a better life and how the UK offered them the opportunity to achieve their dreams.

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The video showed pictures of Usha and Yashvir Sunak, Rishi Sunak’s parents and glimpses of his childhood. But one part of the campaign video stood out more than the other – the picture of Sunak Pharmacy.

The pharmacy was owned by Sunak’s mother in the UK’s Southampton.

The pharmacy’s inclusion in the video was symbolic and gave two messages. Firstly, an immigrant could become successful in the UK and be a pillar for the community and secondly, it sends a message to businesses in the UK that Sunak understands how troubled they are in the wake of the war in Ukraine and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Rishi Sunak also announced his slogan – ‘Ready For Rishi.’

His readiness also saw support from fellow conservatives Mark Harper, the former chief whip, Oliver Dowden, the former party co-chair, and Mark Spencer, the leader of the House of Commons.

Sunak’s video also cast light on the role he played in the pandemic in helping reshape the economy. Though he was equally lauded and criticized for his Covid-19 policies, in the video he banked on his tenure as UK’s finance minister to support the idea that he can even be a better leader to steer the UK from the crises it faces.

“Do we confront this moment with honesty, seriousness and determination, or do we tell ourselves comforting fairy tales that might make us feel better in the moment but will make our children worse off tomorrow,” Rishi says, highlighting there are bigger challenges ahead.

Rishi Sunak is seen as a “Disney prince” version of a politician compared to most Tories in the UK’s political establishment. But this would be hard to impress UK’s voters and especially at a time when they cannot understand how to heat their homes and how to manage to eat.

Former prime minister Gordon Brown criticized Sunak for being unable to help low-income families and not taking strong steps to secure the UK’s energy needs.

“Much more will have to be done to prevent another harsh, cruel winter of austerity if we are not to hear the slogan “Starve and shiver with Sunak”,” Gordon wrote in a column for the Guardian. Sunak’s £20 a week cut to universal credit did not go down well with Britishers. Most hoped the former chancellor would spend more.

However, Rishi Sunak will bank on the popularity he gained in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic through the financial support extended to the British businesses, including the furlough scheme.

Bookmakers are expecting a tight race between Penny Mordaunt, Rishi Sunak and Ben Wallace. Whether Rishi will be able to command the support of the Conservative Party remains to be seen.

(with inputs from the Guardian)

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