Sunak’s Tory compromises work for now

For more moderate Tories, the last few days have been the best politically since 2015. Despite being a Brexiteer who has planted himself on the Party’s Right on issues such as immigration, Sunak is about as good as it gets!

Grounds for optimism...?

Truss’s ‘libertarian’ premiership hit a brick wall with significant collateral damage whilst the unedifying attempted return of Johnson ended in humiliation. His cringe worthy statement saying he could have been PM again but, for unity reasons in parliament decided to pull back, was breath taking in its hubris. This really should be it for him.

Never mind. Sunak is PM now and not a moment too soon. To be certain of closing the deal he has had to compromise on ministerial appointments, and it will work for now but probably not for long.

The most notable appointment was Suella Braverman as Home Secretary. Having just resigned a few days ago for sending confidential material from a personal email address, she is back in the same post. The price for her support in the leadership race. Understandable but the cost may be too great in the medium-term. The only saving grace is that if she storms off to the back benches again that will be it for her too!

Otherwise, a more continuity Cabinet than one might have guessed. Hunt is probably not Sunak’s choice for Chancellor. He is his own man and notably, for example, only gave Braverman’s appointment tepid support but ‘he will do for now’ in the midst of an economic crisis. They are sufficiently agreed on what needs to be done and should, will have to work closely together. Maintaining the likes of Cleverly, Coffey and Wallace as Truss/Johnson supporters is just good politics, whilst the return of loyalists such as Raab and Gove makes sense too.

The danger for Sunak is that continuity today may not impress the electorate tomorrow. Same old, same old Tories voters might think. In fact, there is some evidence to suggest they have now tuned out like they did in 1992/93 and nothing can rescue the Tories’ electoral prospects from here.

What is certain is that Sunak will have to stamp his authority on the Cabinet with another reshuffle closer to the General Election. Tensions are running high and if Sunak actually governs as a moderate, that reshuffle may be sooner than expected.

Sunak’s compromises work for now, but the Tories’ addiction to further political drama may be hard to cure…