RISHI IS READY

Sunak treads in a treacherous environment of prowling enemies and harsh economic conditions. His biggest asset is the awareness that his coronation comes with a crown of thorns

- ANITA PRATAP

MAN OF THE MOMENT Britain's newly appointed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak delivers a speech outside 10 Downing Street on October 25

The early bird catches the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. Rishi Sunak lost to early bird Liz Truss in the September Tory race to become party leader and British prime minister. But in the second race to the top to replace her, Sunak became the clever mouse that got the cheese—the tempting, to-die-for trophy that British politicians covet. He became the 57th prime minister of the United Kingdom, with much broader party and public support than his predecessor. “Grown-ups have returned to the table,” said Tory MP Alicia Kearns.

Sunak is sharp, but he also got lucky. Truss created a history, of the wrong kind. Scandalously imploding in 44 days to crash as Britain’s shortest-serving prime minister, she torched the economy as she flamed out. Sunak created history—of the right kind. At 42, he is the youngest prime minister in more than 200 years; the first Indian-origin and Hindu to attain the post. He became an MP only seven years ago. Seven weeks ago, his party members defeated him. Now he makes a stunning comeback. His opponents bow out of the race and the crowning glory is not his election, but his coronation as prime minister.