When British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak took to the podium at this year’s Conservative Party conference, the slogan “Long-term decisions for a brighter future” was emblazoned across it. However, the conference, held in Manchester, a city with a rich industrial history, was full of party members planning their own futures, some without Sunak. This meeting was particularly significant as it is likely to be the last one before the next general election, offering Sunak a chance to rally his party after the tumultuous tenures of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss.
Despite Sunak’s laudable efforts to stabilize British politics in less than a year in office, many in the party spent the conference settling scores and preparing for defeat. Sunak is fighting for a historic fifth consecutive term for the Conservative Party, which has been in power since 2010. Those 13 years have seen some of the most shocking events in modern British politics, including Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic and controversies. around Johnson and Truss. Sunak inherited a party in disarray, and opinion polls suggest a bleak future.
However, Sunak and his team remain hopeful that they can unify the party before the next election, scheduled for January 2025. Their strategy appears to involve leaning further to the right, with policies and rhetoric designed to attract Conservative members more than the general public. . This change was made evident by the presence of Nigel Farage, a prominent Brexiteer, at the conference. Farage, who was instrumental in pushing through the 2016 EU referendum, was warmly received by Tory members, signaling Sunak’s strategy.
Sunak has recently announced a controversial reversal of green policies, criticized the Labor Party for passing lower speed limits and hinted he will abandon the European Convention on Human Rights to curb immigration. He also abandoned a costly high-speed rail project in the north of England, promising to reinvest the savings in other transport projects. Although these policies appealed to conservative members, the conference was marked by a lack of unity.
The Conservative Party is known for its various factions, and those factions seem more divided than ever. High-profile rebellions, such as that of Sunak’s predecessor Truss, who called for a complete overhaul of the tax system, further highlighted these divisions. Other factions of the party idolize former prime minister Boris Johnson, particularly “red wall” voters, who find Truss’s tax cuts for the wealthy offensive and out of touch.
Sunak’s allies remain optimistic about his chances in the upcoming election, citing improving poll numbers and high personal approval ratings. However, many factions in the party have already conceded defeat in the upcoming elections, bracing themselves for the blame game that will follow. Despite this, Sunak could consider this year’s conference a success compared to previous years. He has improved the party’s prospects since taking office, and the sense of impending doom that loomed at last year’s meeting was absent. However, the party appears tired, confused and desperate, with a mix of populist rhetoric and policies that appear to be more about appeasing party members than addressing the needs of the general public.
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