If Rishi ticks off his to-do list he can be re-elected

THE FIRST 100 days in Franklin office is rather an arbitrary landmark for a politician. It was first given significance in the 1930s by US President Roosevelt, who D rolled out no fewer than 15 key pieces of legislation, making up his New Deal programme, before that deadline passed.

- Patrick O'Flynn

This early productivity saw him surging in the opinion polls.

It can safely be said that Rishi Sunak, who reached the 100day milestone on Thursday, is no Roosevelt. That's because this Prime Minister hasn't done all that much and isn't very popular. There have been as many U-turns- over issues like house-building and targets onshore wind energy as eyecatching initiatives.

Mr Sunak certainly calmed financial markets following the turbulence of the brief Liz Truss era. That has fed through into lower projections over where interest rates will peak, to the relief of many borrowers.

But aside from that - and one bold decision to block the SNP's ludicrous transgender law there is not a lot to note in any ledger of early achievements.

And yet Mr Sunak already earned himself some more time by setting out his five key early priorities in a straightforward fashion in a New Year speech.

HIS PLEDGES halving inflation, reducing the national debt, kickstarting growth, cutting NHS waiting times and stopping the migrant boats - are well chosen and reflect the anxieties of those who voted Conservative in 2019.