By Mahek Bhatia
Rishi Sunak’s arrival in Downing Street is an undeniable step away from Britain’s former narrative of imperial white supremacy. However, his cabinet choices, extreme wealth, vague policies, involvement in the ‘Partygate’ scandal, and views on human rights legislation bring into question just how ‘progressive’ his appointment really is.
On 20th October 2022, Liz Truss resigned as Prime Minister, becoming the shortest-serving PM in British history. She spent a meagre 45 days in Parliament, still enough time for her mini-budget to crash the markets. Rishi Sunak was the next Conservative Party choice for leader, a devout Hindu, and became PM on Diwali of all days. It seems, on the surface, as if it's the dawn of a new progressive era for Britain - a country recovering from its racist history. The United Kingdom looted and exploited India for two centuries. Winston Churchill famously called Indians a ‘beastly class’ and supposedly said: “…all Indian leaders will be of low calibre & men of straw”. 75 years later, Britain has placed trust in a man of Indian origin. This did not come without racist protest, with a Tory party member saying he ‘isn’t even British’. Yet, the majority of the conservatives have placed their faith in him to lead Britain amidst a cost of living crisis. A British Indian becoming PM is a moment we must celebrate, and a step in the right direction.
'This creates a confusing picture of progressiveness'
Some, however, question whether this is truly progressive or evidence of social mobility. The Guardian reminded its readers that he is a strong supporter of Priti Patel’s draconian Rwanda policies. As a child of immigrants, it isn’t wrong for citizens to expect Sunak to show some sympathy for fellow immigrants. Despite this, he remains a vocal advocate for laws that would have resulted in his own parents being denied entry into the country. His choice of Suella Braverman as Home Secretary is perhaps his most controversial cabinet choice. She has stated that she is “proud of the British Empire” and that the empire did have some "bad things", but that she would not "apologise" for them. It is common for the Conservatives to rewrite colonialism: a dark story of slavery, torture, genocide, massacres and forced resettlement - into a moment of pride for the country, stained by a few unfortunate accidents. This presents a confusing picture of progressiveness - as whilst we celebrate this moment as a beacon of equality and the ‘Indian son rising over the empire’, the son appoints a Home Secretary who thinks colonial exploitation is a source of pride.
The discussion also turns to Rishi Sunak’s wealth. The new Prime Minister and his wife have a combined net worth of £730 million according to the Sunday Times Rich list. The sum is greater than the estimated net worth of the Queen before she passed away. There are some genuine concerns and fears regarding his highly privileged roots, and whether he will aptly represent the interests of the British people. Matt Hancock, in July, argued that Rishi is not from a privileged background and could only go to Winchester (a private boarding school) due to a scholarship. This was entirely untrue: he missed out on a scholarship and his parents had to pay the hefty fees themselves. A resurfaced clip also captured Rishi Sunak suggesting he doesn't have 'working class' friends. These are a huge question mark on his legitimacy amidst rising inflation- whose interests will Sunak protect?
There are also fears as to whether he will bend the rules for himself, particularly given some of his actions taken to guard his personal wealth. Speaking to The Washington Post, Robert Ford, a professor of politics at the University of Manchester, commented on some of these: “It’s non-dom status for your wife while you are the chancellor, it’s green cards in the U.S. in case things go south, it’s family tax numbers being massaged down. People are like, ‘Well, I don’t mind so long as you pay your taxes, but it really annoys me if you don’t.’”
So, what exactly are Sunak’s promises amidst the current economic crisis? In his failed campaign running against Liz Truss, he promised that he will run the economy like Thatcher if he wins. He recently announced that he has delayed his economic plan to deliberate on the right decisions. As the finance minister, he orchestrated the biggest tax burden since the 1950s. He also allocated higher public spending but simultaneously promised more discipline and to cut waste. According to Reuters, Sunak ‘backed the independence of the Bank of England and stressed the importance of government policy working alongside the central bank to tame inflation, not exacerbating it.’ Such policies are in stark contrast to those of his successor as Chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng. And after his disaster, the burden rests on the new Prime Minister’s shoulders to restore England’s international financial credibility.
'Sunak also previously stated that human rights law was a problem was a "problem".'
His opinions on Human Rights are dangerous. He has refused to rule out Britain's withdrawal from the European Court of Human Rights. Sunak also previously stated that human rights law was a “problem” that was acting as an obstacle to government, and voted to repeal the Human Rights Act of 1998.
Rishi Sunak becoming the first Indian-origin Prime Minister is a moment to be celebrated, indeed. It is inspiring to have a person of colour hold the highest office in the country. However, his choice of cabinet, economic policies, and draconian stances on Human Rights, alongside his exuberant lifestyle and wealth, makes people question whether he’s the right man for the role - and rightfully so.