Calm and capable Rishi is ready to prove his detractors wrong in 2024

AT a Westminster party last July, the Prime Minister was in a downbeat mood, very different to his usual enthusiastic demeanour.

- Leo McKinstry

He “kept saying how difficult everything was”, according to one guest.

Rishi Sunak’s despondency was understandable, given the struggles of his Government this year.

Mounting unpopularity has been compounded by policy failings like the inability of ministers to get a grip on soaring immigration and NHS waiting times.

The smack of firm government has been missing in the face of the endless disruption caused by pro-Palestinian protesters, environmental demonstrators and massive public sector turmoil.

Sunak’s authority has also been battered by a string of scandals in his party’s ranks, like the departure of chairman Nadhim Zahawi after an investigation into his tax affairs. Sunak is frequently condemned as a geek who is too immersed in the details of issues to see the big picture.

Strategy

During the summer, as Labour cemented a huge poll lead of over 20 points, he recognised his technocratic approach was not working. So he decided that in the autumn he would change the political narrative through bold measures revealed at a succession of major, set-piece events.