DAILY MAIL COMMENT: A speech to calm the party… and country

DAILY MAIL COMMENT: A speech to calm the party… and country

In his inaugural speech as Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak had two key objectives.

The first was to galvanise and unite the fractured and rudderless Tory party.

The second was to reassure the country he had a credible plan to repair Britain’s battered economy as millions face hardship.

On both counts this was a statesmanlike and eloquent performance.

Speaking in Downing Street, Mr Sunak left his audience in no doubt about the daunting challenges ahead.

But with Labour 37 points ahead in the polls and increasingly seen by voters as more competent on every issue, he exuded an urgency and sense of purpose that has been sorely lacking in recent months.

In his inaugural speech as Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak had two key objectives. The first was to galvanise and unite the fractured and rudderless Tory party

You could almost hear the collective sigh of relief that the madness which has engulfed the Government may finally be over. The calm after the storm – we hope.

While praising Liz Truss, Mr Sunak made clear his determination to fix the ‘mistakes’ of her botched mini-Budget. But the truth is, this economic crisis has been at least 20 years in the making. Even before Covid the country was living way beyond its means.

So it’s imperative to put the public finances on a stable footing. It would be immoral, he said rightly, to ‘leave your children and grandchildren with a debt to settle that we were too weak to pay’.

Clearing up the mess will be no easy task. Mr Sunak deserves credit for looking the nation squarely in the eye and admitting there are ‘difficult decisions to come’.

Spending cuts are unavoidable, and there will be howls of protest from the public sector over every attempt to economise.

But the state has become more bloated than ever since the pandemic and there is plenty of waste to cut.

Bringing back Suella Braverman as Home Secretary is welcome evidence Mr Sunak wants to get a grip on the Channel migrants

Mr Sunak should be wary of putting an even greater squeeze on hard-pressed families. The tax burden is already at a 70-year high, having risen with inexorable speed during his own stint as Chancellor.

And while he hailed key Tory values of growth, enterprise and job creation, how that squares with pushing corporation tax to a stifling 25 per cent is anyone’s guess.

The new PM’s promise of safer streets, unwavering support for our armed forces and controlled immigration tick the right boxes. But voters want action, not words.

His reshuffle merits immense praise. Not only is the best talent being promoted, it is being done in a spirit of reconciliation. In an attempt to defactionalise the febrile party, his Cabinet reflects every strand of it.

Bringing back Suella Braverman as Home Secretary is welcome evidence Mr Sunak wants to get a grip on the Channel migrants. It was wise keeping Ben Wallace at the MoD as we support Ukraine’s fight against Putin’s illegal invasion. And there was even a comeback for plotting addict Michael Gove to drive through Boris Johnson’s levelling up agenda.

Speaking in Downing Street, Mr Sunak left his audience in no doubt about the daunting challenges ahead

Labour is calling for an election, but that is the last thing Britain needs in these parlous days (and they never complained when Gordon Brown was gifted power).

As Mr Sunak said yesterday, this government has a clear mandate after winning a landslide in 2019 and its manifesto pledges have not changed.

With rank hypocrisy, Labour has resorted to smear tactics over his wealth, suggesting he’s out of touch with struggling families.

But Sir Keir Starmer himself is a multi-millionaire and Emily Thornberry (aka Lady Nugee) positively rolls in money.

Mr Sunak’s grandparents came to Britain with nothing. The exalted position he now holds is down to hard work and education.

To most people, he is an inspiration. That Labour derides him simply proves they are the enemies of aspiration.

While they fight arcane class war battles, the Government must focus on persuading voters it has their best interests at heart.

After the tumult of recent months, we must hope calm and common sense prevails.

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