FORMER prime minister Rishi Sunak bowed out as leader of the Conservative party last week, two years after he took charge at Downing Street on Diwali day. Eastern Eye asked senior Tory politicians, such as Michael Gove, and those who worked closely with the former chancellor and prime minister, including Claire Coutinho, as well as independent experts for their views on his legacy.
Diwali warmth shines at PMQs as Starmer hails Sunak’s historic role
By Sunder Katwala
PERHAPS it was the spirit of Diwali – but there was much more light than heat in an unusual edition of Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons on budget day last Wednesday (30).
The final exchange across the dispatch box, between prime ministers past and present, saw Keir Starmer pay a warm tribute to Rishi Sunak.
“Last Diwali, the leader of the opposition and his family lit the diyas outside No 10 Downing Street. It was a significant moment in our national story. The first British Asian prime minister is a reminder that this is a country where people of every background can fulfil their dreams, and it makes us all proud to be British”, the prime minister said, going on to thank Sunak for “his hard work, commitment and decency in everything he has done,” and wishing the Sunak family well for the future.
Sunak noted that he had become party leader during Diwali and stood down during that festival too. “I am proud to have been the first British Asian prime minister, but I was even prouder that it was not that big a deal,” he told the Commons.
Sunder KatwalaThose exchanges echo the grace and dignity with which Sunak spoke on election night and the morning after, speaking of how “power will change hands peacefully with goodwill on all sides”.
Neither Sunak nor Starmer is ever likely to be mistaken for former US president Donald Trump in their political voice and instincts. These democratic civilities take on a deeper importance when we see how far they can be disregarded in America’s troubled and polarised democracy.
The Diwali references were a reminder too that Sunak was party leader for just two short years exactly – and prime minister for just 20 months. In electoral terms, this was a political career that ended in stark failure. The Conservatives secured their lowest share of votes and seats in a century of democratic politics. The party faced reputational challenges to recover after former prime minister Boris Johnson’s downfall, over rule-breaking during Covid, and the spectacular implosion of Liz Truss’s government.
It was always odds-on that Sunak would be a caretaker prime minister, unless he could be a political miracle worker. Hence the contrast between Starmer’s warmth towards Sunak’s character and public service and Labour’s determination to remind the public about Truss at every opportunity.
Could things have been different if Sunak had been able to persuade Conservative members with his warnings about the economic consequences of Truss during the summer 2022 leadership contest, rather than trying to repair the damage afterwards? Perhaps – but persuading voters to experiment with the fifteenth to nineteenth year of Conservative-led government could still have been to stretch the democratic elastic too far.
The public, when Sunak took office, wished the new prime minister well, but was much more sceptical about his party. Though Sunak spoke of taking decisions for the long-term, the looming election and a fractious, divided party crowded out long-term ambitions.
The public preferred the new prime minister to his party – but political gravity pulled Sunak down in office, particularly as he tended to concede to the vocal right of his party on key issues: most notably asylum, where he championed a Rwanda policy that he had always doubted could work.
Sunak’s most important policy innovation came as a novice chancellor, rather than prime minister. His furlough scheme gave economic security to millions during the Covid pandemic when there was so much else to worry about. It is one of the most publicly valued things any modern government has done. It made Sunak – briefly – the most popular inhabitant of 11, Downing Street in modern times, though he knew that would change once he had to rebalance the books by raising taxes afterwards.
His time as prime minister was more frustrating. With the feeling baked in that the next election would be time for a change, it became ever harder for the incumbent government to get a hearing.
Like Starmer last week, history will be kinder to Sunak than the electorate were in July. The primary legacy of his short premiership will be the symbolically important confirmation that the recent “new norm” of ethnic diversity in public life could reach the very top.
Asian and black home secretaries, chancellors and foreign secretaries were unknown before 2018 – yet went in volatile times from pioneering moments to almost ridiculously frequent. But the prime minister – the leader of the nation – is symbolically different. A British Asian prime minister becomes possible only once there is a broad, settled consensus that the role of ethnic minorities in politics is not confined to just representing minority citizens. That takes a shared confidence that black, Asian and mixed-race Britons can govern for everybody.
Sunak representing the United Kingdom as prime minister quietly began a new chapter in our country’s long history. One in which citizens of any colour or creed can and will continue to lead our increasingly diverse nation and speak for who we, the British, are today.
‘A man of decency, intelligence and grit’
By Claire Coutinho
I FIRST met Rishi in 2018, when he came to speak to my Conservative association. He spoke about the power of the British education system to change lives, just as it had changed his.
He shared his optimism that, having campaigned all around Teesside, or ‘his backyard’ as he always referred to it, we would be able to win seats in the Red Wall at the next election, and he spoke about his belief that Britain was one of the greatest countries because of the opportunities it had offered his family and so many like them.
When he got his first cabinet role, as chief secretary to the Treasury under (prime minister) Boris Johnson, I was his special adviser. We became friends. I can tell you that his belief in Britain never faltered.
Rishi did two huge jobs in incredibly difficult times. I was by his side when he was the covid chancellor.
It was Rishi’s forensic attention to detail which meant that our furlough scheme was up and running quickly, saving millions of livelihoods. He also took the call to end furlough to prevent a larger hit to the public finances when the economy turned.
I saw the extent of his political courage in the winter of 2021. I was a Treasury PPS – a plum role for junior MPs – and I had told the whips that I would resign, rather than vote for more lockdowns.
I had looked at the modelling and believed it was wholly unjustified and would cost lives and livelihoods in the long run.
After being sent in to see the chief whip and speak to No 10 – the standard procedure for a rebellious MP – I was eventually dispatched to see Rishi, who was my boss at the time. I went into No 11 on a Sunday, clutching my research. Like all of us, he was exhausted, having worked day in and day out throughout the pandemic, but he gave me a fair hearing and at the end he reassured me that had seen the same papers that I had and he shared my concerns.
That Christmas he didn’t see his family. He tirelessly fought the entirety of the Whitehall system against an unnecessary lockdown that would have caused huge damage to people. He won that fight, but he didn’t tell anyone about it. Instead, he moved straight on to the next problem on his desk. That is the Rishi that I’ve always known.
He warned against the threat of inflation, framing his leadership election around the premise of being honest with the public about the risks to the economy. In the general election earlier this year, he spoke time and time again about the devastating tax rises that were coming down the track if Labour won a majority. He was right on both counts.
Rishi Sunak (left) with Claire CoutinhoHe never made a big deal about being the first British Asian prime minister, and I believe it is a great credit to Britain that for most people it simply wasn’t a big deal. However, I know it was a personal point of pride for him that this country, which he loves so much, gave his two young daughters the chance to light Diwali candles on the doorstep of 10, Downing Street.
No prime minister leaves office without their mistakes held up in sharp relief, but I hope that the history books will judge Rishi Sunak’s time in government kindly. He may be remembered as something of a political Cassandra, but I hope he is also remembered as a man of great decency, intelligence and dedication who steered us though some of our most difficult times.
Departing prime minister ‘reshaped’ politics
By Ameet Jogia MBE
LAST week signified the end of the era, as we marked the end of Rishi Sunak’s tenure as leader of the Conservative party. It has been a rollercoaster journey, which included his time as prime minister and a historic general election in between. A journey that spectacularly started and ended on Diwali.
For me, it has been the greatest honour to work with Rishi as prime minister and party leader. Throughout that time, Rishi has been a great friend, mentor and inspiration. Someone I have witnessed work day in, day out for the British people. Rishi has spent every minute working to serve our country and mankind.
There was never an ordinary day at No 10. From travelling up and down the country, meeting scores of people, chairing high level meetings, to hosting receptions – all often on the same day – no day was ever the same at Downing Street. The adrenaline was contagious and some days you would forget that you’d not eaten lunch or dinner. Knowing you were making a difference was sustenance enough.
In office, Rishi played a key role in stabilising the economy in October 2022 and reinstating trust. He brought inflation back at target, saw interest rates fall and left office with the fastest growing economy in the G7. He steered the UK through the biggest challenges we have faced since the Second World War.
During his historic appointment as chancellor back in 2020, he was faced with the global pandemic in over 100 years. Rishi was one of the most pioneering chancellors this country has ever seen. With the introduction of the furlough scheme which provided a vital lifeline to thousands of businesses, the UK was able to stay afloat, while also delivering the fastest vaccine roll out in the world. Even with the return of war in the European continent, which saw the biggest spike in global energy prices in half a century, Rishi left office with four million more people in work. That’s four million people who had their lives transformed, by knowing the confidence, security and purpose that a job brings.
Ameet Jogia (centre) with Rishi Sunak (right) and Akshata Murty (left)However, what has always moved me – is that Rishi has always been proud of his faith and background as a British Asian. As he said at Eastern Eye’s Asian Business Awards, Rishi’s faith was always at the centre of his work. His Lord Ganesh deity was proof of this, which proudly sat on his desk at No 10 – witness to everything that went on and it was a reminder of the importance of civic duty and selfless service. This is something I know Rishi will continue to promote.
I was particularly proud to support Rishi’s work with faith and communities. He recognised the important role faith played in society and in bringing people together. During our time in No 10, we were proud to host events to celebrate the beauty of the UK’s diversity. We hosted receptions for Eid, Channukah, Vaisakhi, Christmas, Easter and Black History Month. For the first time, No 10 held an Iftar, Thai Pongal and Nepalese receptions – a tradition I hope will long continue.
Rishi has left behind a fantastic legacy – one which I have no doubt will be further appreciated in years to come. More so than being Britain’s first British Asian prime minister, Rishi shattered the glass ceiling by making it so normal. This was referenced several times during Prime Minister’s Questions last week, where even Keir Starmer acknowledged that Rishi represented the success of diversity in the UK.
At his last appearance at the dispatch box in the Commons, Rishi reiterated that the biggest success of tenure was the fact that his background was never an issue. This spoke volumes he said about the values of the British people, our great country and parliament.
The fact that Britain’s first British Asian political leader has been replaced by Kemi Badenoch, Britain’s first black political leader shows just how progressive our party really is. This is something no other party has achieved, with Labour still waiting to appoint their first female leader. I have no doubt that the Conservative party has a bright future ahead.
‘Candour cost him votes, but earned respect’
By Michael Gove
IN POLITICS, there are many qualities that bring success – hard work, intelligence, empathy and eloquence. But there is one quality above all that counts, that will determine how history judges a leader, that all those who worked with them will remember – integrity. And few politicians have demonstrated that more than Rishi Sunak.
Rishi made history as the first non-white prime minister of the United Kingdom. His place in the story of these islands is assured for that reason. But the most significant thing about his time in politics is not the shattering of that particular glass ceiling, it is the character he demonstrated through difficult times. He demonstrated a courage in defence of what he knew to be right, often at personal cost, in a way which reflects so well on his family, upbringing and values.
When he ran for the Tory leadership in 2022 he told the party what it needed to hear, not what it wanted to hear. He explained why the first duty of any incoming prime minister must be to repair the public finances, not offer crowd-pleasing tax cuts. His candour lost him votes. But it won him respect. And he was proven right when the victor in that leadership election, Liz Truss, lost the confidence of both the markets and then Conservative MPs with her misjudged mini-budget.
In another testing contest, the 2024 general election, Rishi again told economic home truths while his opponent preferred to offer voters promises they could never fulfil. Labour, of course, won.
Given the political and economic events of 2022, they probably were always likely to. But, in making clear that if Labour did win they would raise taxes, ramp up borrowing and slow our economic recovery, Rishi was proven right. And his vindication has enhanced the credibility of the Conservatives on the economy at a crucial moment.
Akshata Murty (second left), wife of Rishi Sunak, with his parents, Usha (centre) and Yashvir Sunak, alongside Michael Gove (left)That commitment to always doing the right thing, and resisting the lure of the easy option, has been the hallmark of Rishi’s career. I saw it when he decided in 2016, as a new backbencher, to follow his heart and back Brexit – even when he was told by the Tory leadership at that time it would blight his career. I also observed it when he was chancellor of the exchequer and he could have won the support of political allies by going easy on their weak arguments or indulging their pet projects.
He chose to put the public first, not other politicians, by carefully guarding taxpayers’ money and refusing to let follies go unchallenged.
The characteristics Rishi displayed in office – strength of character, a commitment to protecting the hard-working majority who don’t have access to power, a belief that it is better to be straight than to be popular – spring, of course, from his family. Rishi’s parents brought him up in a loving home where service to others was the hallmark of everything.
As the Conservative party adjusts to opposition, with a new leader who shows every sign of taking it back into power, Rishi deserves time with the family he loves and a chance to use his talents in new fields. But for all those, like me, who had the privilege of working alongside him, the example he set in office showcases the very best of what a politician should be.
‘A symbol, yet not a saviour’
By Professor Anand Menon
I HAVE got mixed feelings about Rishi Sunak’s time as prime minister. He was dealt such a rough hand politically. I don’t see any way in which the Conservatives could have won that election, given where he started from, because the reputation of the party had been so appallingly crashed by (former leaders) Boris Johnson and Liz Truss.
He (Sunak) was almost like a sort of human pinata for the Conservative party, so that everyone could blame him from all sides of the party. I just thought it was almost impossible to see how he could recover, because the party had lost its reputation for economic competence. His inheritance was doomed from the start.
It’s absolutely the case that we should take great pride in that not only did we have a south Asian prime minister, but the fact there was so little remarked upon at the time because everyone thought it was perfectly normal.
It’s symbolic representation where you get someone who looks like you in a position of influence that is significant. For young Asian kids, seeing an Asian as prime minister is inspiring – it shows that you can do it, if you want.
On the other hand, it’s not enough, because there’s substantive representation where ultimately, people are judged on what they do, not on what they look like. I think it is absolutely fair enough to judge him in part on his failures.
Anand MenonWe had a south Asian prime minister who, at a time when we saw actual race riots on the streets of Britain, basically hid. When he lost the election, having a leader of the opposition party who was a south Asian who didn’t come out and condemn the outright racism that we saw on our streets – I thought was quite sad.
People should be allowed to think what they want. You could be a woman and not sound very feminist, and you can be an ethnic minority and not sound very sensitive about issues of racism. But equally, you should be able to call these people (racists) out for it. I don’t think having a south Asian prime minister, as we have learned, means that you’ve necessarily got a prime minister who is sensitive to the needs of migrant communities and ethnic minorities. Senior (south Asian) Conservative figures have all been quite right wing on immigration and questions of race – that’s absolutely the case. Sarwar Alam
A ‘glass cliff’ for Britain’s first
By Maria Sobolewska
RISHI SUNAK’S legacy will be that he was the first non-white prime minister of this country, but I don’t think he made much of an impact in the role. He was ultimately a caretaker prime minister who inherited a government that had collapsed from the fallout of the Liz Truss era.
Sunak becoming prime minister reminds me of the ‘glass cliff’ theory, which is used to describe female politicians promoted to higher positions during times of crisis when the chance of failure is more likely. There is an argument that maybe he was one of those leaders that got the Conservative party at its worst, falling apart and it was inevitable that he would fail, he would lose the election.
He got the stewardship of a ship that was already sinking, and he didn’t manage to stop it. I really don’t think anyone else could have stopped it.
When you think about how much of a disaster the mini budget was, was there truly, any chance for any Conservative party leader turning things around?
I remember, I actually went to that party conference right after the mini budget and frankly, the Conservative party at that point was already preparing for an election loss. They were looking for someone to steady the ship, but not necessarily believing that it could be done.
Some might argue that with Sunak being so young, he could’ve bided his time and not taken the job when it offered to him and then make a leadership bid when the party was more settled.
Maria SobolewskaHowever, give it a few more election cycles and you never know where you are in politics. Politics is such a game of opportunities, the opportunity might not present itself again, if you don’t grab it when it comes. It’s very difficult to plan in those really long scenarios. You never know how quickly it will become the good time to be the leader again.
Ultimately, Sunak didn’t make much of an impact with his policies when he was prime minister. I feel he will be remembered much more of his impact as chancellor.
Him becoming prime minister will have a positive effect, especially now with the Conservative Party continuing the trend of having huge diversity at the top.
You contrast that with Labour that still refuses to diversify the front benches - to the extent that the Conservatives have done – so I think that is a huge impact.
A dignified exit, but could he come back?
RISHI SUNAK broke the glass ceiling by being the first British Asian prime minister, but faced challenges to remain in the post, a senior parliamentarian told Eastern Eye, writes Sarwar Alam.
“If we look at the circumstances of him becoming prime minister, they were difficult. He was effectively, what I would call, an end of an era prime minister at the tail end of a 14-year period of rule by the Conservatives. And he was dealt an impossible set of cards, and I think he played them as well as he could, anybody could have. He was cleaning up the mess left by his colleagues and brought a period of stability,” the senior politician said.
“It wasn’t just the financial and economic stability after the Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng budget, but also the Brexit deal was not properly completed, there were some loose ends to it. What Rishi did with the Windsor Framework agreement meant that we were in a better position of normalised relationships with the EU as a result, and we arrived at a better settlement for Northern Ireland,” the parliamentarian added.
“In terms of future facing policy areas, Rishi was early to spot the potential of AI, and what he did in terms of trying to get the government machinery prepared, but also the international leadership on hosting the first AI safety summit at Bletchley Park,” said the politician, who did not wish to be named.
“At a personal level, Rishi was almost universally respected for his hard work, his integrity, his decency, and even the way he conducted himself after the worst defeat for his party for 200 years. The way in which he was dignified and led a peaceful transition of power was noted not just in this country, but around the world. The fact that we had defeated prime minister handing over to the former leader of the opposition, as we saw between Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak, it happened in an amicable and friendly way.
“In terms of the future, it’s not common in British politics to have a second coming. But we live in an unusual world, and he’s young. There’s precedence of both William Hague returning from leader of the opposition to become foreign secretary and David Cameron returning from being prime minister to being foreign secretary. Depending on how long Rishi wants to stay in parliament, it’s not inconceivable that he could return to high office again,” the parliamentarian added.
