Diminished and drenched, Rishi Sunak seems impatient for his own demise

London: If George Orwell was correct when he wrote that every joke is a tiny revolution, then the widespread mockery of Rishi Sunak’s election announcement might be enough to overthrow him.

Standing sans umbrella outside Downing Street’s famous black door, it was like the rain-soaked Sunak was re-enacting the infamous scene from the end of that classic British rom-com Four Weddings and a Funeral.

The UK papers respond to Sunak’s announcement.Credit: Jamie Brown

All it lacked was Andie MacDowell’s character asking: “Is it raining? I hadn’t noticed.”

He tried to speak of sunny days ahead despite the grey skies above. And as water dripped from his lapels he was drowned out by a protester’s speaker blaring D:Ream’s classic Things Can Only Get Better.

It was, of course, the iconic campaign tune for Tony Blair’s landslide 1997 Labour victory – a rather dated but significant cultural reference. Perhaps it could have been “Things Can Only Get Wetter”?

From a country that gave us Yes, Prime Minister and The Thick of It, this was perhaps one of the most bonkers scripts imaginable.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in the rain. Credit: Getty

Meanwhile, at “Drowning Street”, as one newspaper front page screamed, he told a nation he’d been to visit the King to seek his approval to prorogue the House of Commons and hold an election.

The only problem was that only every second word was audible, thanks to that pop hit.

“World … dangerous … COVID… Putin … migration … future … inflation … debt … pensions … NHS … boats.”

‘The Spectator’s’ take on Sunak’s announcement.Credit: The Spectator

Somehow, we were supposed to make sense of it all.

Sunak has seemingly gambled on an election six months before he had to because Britain is out of recession, and the latest inflation figures, released on Wednesday, were statistically within “normal” levels – down to 2.3 per cent in April – the lowest in nearly three years.

He has not been renowned for taking risks as prime minister but is better known for calming nerves and restoring stability after Liz Truss’s disastrous 49-day tenure.

All of which makes his decision, even to some of his colleagues, to call a general election in about six weeks seem rather inexplicable.

Parliament will be dissolved on May 30, and the election will take place 25 working days later. Rarely has one man been so impatient to meet his demise.

Rishi Sunak speaks to delegates and party members, as he launches the Conservative Party general election campaign in London on Wednesday.Credit: Getty

The latest YouGov polling for The Times conducted last week showed the Tories languishing 27 points behind Labour in the polls, with no evidence that their position is improving.

Earlier this month they lost hundreds of council seats, and one of their only two metro mayors – despite his personal popularity – in local elections.

Sunak is attempting to pull off a turnaround that would be unique in modern political history. He and his brains trust had clearly made the calculation that July 4 is, if not the best election date, then the least worst.

The campaign is likely to come down to whether voters are tired of the Conservatives after 14 years in power and want change.

A former Goldman Sachs banker, Sunak has struggled to win over his colleagues with his more technocratic style, and several have defected recently to other parties.

Riddled with venom and bitterness, a Conservative Party at civil war had been threatening to overthrow him if things went on. Some of his colleagues are already briefing to the press that they might do it before parliament is dissolved.

While Tory MPs anonymously badmouthed their boss instead of updating their LinkedIn profiles, you can be assured that many everyday Britons will be breathing a sigh of relief.

For too long, the UK has felt like a country adrift. Politics has been stalled by the fact that its government and revolving round of leaders seem to be living on borrowed time.

In British politics, it never rains, but it pours.

Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for the weekly What in the World newsletter here.