London: He failed to fulfill key promises, bad polls and even ditched the iconic Adidas logo: Britain’s Conservative leader embattled Rishi Sunak seems to be lost in the upcoming general election.
Two tax cuts and a slightly improved economy have failed to boost Sunak’s political fortunes, with criticism from former prime minister Boris Johnson and speculation about Brexit leader Nigel Farage’s intentions adding to his woes.
Political analyst Rob Ford said Sunak was “unfortunate” in the face of a seemingly unstoppable political movement away from the governing Tories.
Polls show that Britons want 14 years of Tory rule to end, and Sunak has done nothing since becoming prime minister 18 months ago.
A YouGov poll published this month found the Conservatives will win just 155 seats in the UK parliament, down from the 365 Johnson won at the last election in December 2019.
Keir Starmer’s opposition Labor Party will win 403 seats, compared with a majority of 154 seats in the same poll.
“It is now very difficult to see how the Conservatives will stay in government after the next election,” said Keiran Pedley, director of policy at polling firm Ipsos.
The bid, which replaces Liz Truss in October 2022 after Tory MPs forced her to quit after 49 days in office, has rattled financial markets with a small budget, sending pound payments and mortgages soaring.
He follows Johnson, who was protected by his colleagues after a series of scandals, including an illegal party in Downing Street during the Covid-19 pandemic.
While the leadership of the previous two administrations made Temple difficult, political analysts say it has contributed to its own troubles by failing to deliver on promises and failing to connect with voters.
Despite his promise, he did not stop migrants arriving in small boats from France. NHS waiting lists are higher than ever. Economic growth has stagnated, although inflation has more than halved.
The event has also redefined some leadership and politics, such as watering carbon-free commitments and talking about extremism in the same arena as motorists.
Britain’s right-leaning Reform Party is threatening to wrest key Conservative seats, especially if Farage performs as he has.
An Ipsos poll published in March found that 58 percent of voters view the Conservatives unfavorably, the highest percentage in parliament. Only 19 percent saw them favorably.
The poll gave Sunak a net rating of minus 38, the lowest among politicians.
Sunak in ‘doom loop’ as UK PM stares at election defeat
