By Mia Bains, Features
Contact: 18mbains@wghs.org.uk
“I will unite our country not with words but with actions”
Rishi Sunak
Key events
-Following the resignation of Liz Truss on Oct 22, a vote was held among Conservative MPs to determine the new prime minister.
-This vote did not include Conservative party members, and the outcome was that Rishi Sunak would become the new PM on October 25th.
-He has made history as the youngest prime minister since 1783, the richest, and as the first British Asian prime minister.
Political Timeline
2015: Sunak is elected as MP for Richmond, North Yorkshire
2016: Sunak votes in favour of Brexit in the referendum
2018: He becomes the Under-Secretary of State for Local Govt
2019: Sunak supports Boris Johnson in his campaign to become Prime Minister
2019: Sunak becomes Chief Secretary to the Treasury
2020: He becomes Chancellor of the Exchequer
2021: Sunak resigns citing that “the public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously”
September 2022: Sunak runs for Prime Minister, following the resignation of Boris Johnson and loses the vote to Liz Truss
October 2022: Sunak runs again for Prime Minister and this time succeeds, following the resignation of Liz Truss
Key Policies and Actions
Rishi Sunak pledges to “unite” the country with his “actions”- but what exactly are these proposed actions? Listed below are the key changes that he’ll make in hopes of uniting both the people and his party amid an economic and political crisis:
-Reinforcing the 2019 Fracking Ban- Sunak has pledged to reinstate this ban which Liz Truss controversially removed during her one-month prime ministership. This has been met largely with support, due to the widely known negative repercussions of fracking.
-Offshore Wind- Instead of onshore wind, Sunak is opting to promote offshore wind largely due to complex planning permissions for onshore wind power stations. This has been met with opposition as wind power could help balance out the strain we are facing as a result of the energy crisis.
-Tax cuts – Sunak wants to cut taxes by 2024, however unlike Truss his path is to wait until inflation has declined. He planned to only cut income tax by 1p, then rising to 3p, taking a more cautious approach.
-Planning – Whereas Liz Truss aimed to create “investment zones” suitable for new housing, Sunak has taken a different angle, supporting the use of brownfield sites, which will be met with both support and resistance. Some argue that brownfield sites will be a more expensive and long-winded route, whereas others want to protect the thinning green belt.
(1/11/22)
