‘The misery is priced-in’ - the noise is as distracting as ever, but the real problems remain for Sunak as they do for the rest of the country
Recovering from his party’s local election drubbing, Sunak was keen to try and placate despondent MPs by sending them letters inviting them to No. 10 to help them understand CCHQ’s current strategy.
Or ‘the plan’ - Sunak’s grand scheme to turn the polls in the Conservatives’ favour against all odds and go on to win the next election.
'The plan is... working?' - with equal parts desperation, delusion and denial, the Conservative Party shuffles on
Many, I suspect, will look at Rishi Sunak’s political tombstone and it will read ‘detached from reality’ carved into the granite. Think back: the date was April 23. The day after holding a press conference designed to put pressure on the Lords to pass the government’s post-truth
For many of the MPs used to away days and hog roasts at Sunak’s expense, it was probably not the most generous way to encourage them to believe in Sunak.
Downing Street's optimism hinges on the assumption that the economic fortunes of Britons will improve in time for the election, forming the cornerstone of their 'plan.' Sunak himself is poised to capitalise on this hypothetical improvement when he heads to the ballots, currently aiming for the 'second half' of the year. However, there's little indication that the trajectory of events is likely to change, casting doubt on the feasibility of this strategy.
Many MPs are not convinced either - mainly those on the far right of the party, or those who have opportunistically seized on the far right agenda for the purposes of pursuing their own self-serving goals.
It was, for instance, Newark MP Robert Jenrick who emerged on last week with what seemed like his own plan, and what also seemed like a not-so-subtle leadership bid.