Readers’ letters reveal anti-Sunak sentiment
WHY EX-CHANCELLOR IS LIKELY TO LOSE LEADERSHIP RACE TO LIZ TRUSS
ON JULY 5, when I heard that Rishi Sunak had resigned as chancellor, I instantly knew he had made a mistake.
Since Boris Johnson had made him chancellor, I feel he should have stayed loyal to the prime minister. But perhaps Rishi was in a Catch-22 situation, and would have been pilloried had he remained in the cabinet.
It is claimed most Tory party members voted without listening to the candidates. Nevertheless, in hustings after hustings, any fair person would acknowledge Rishi has been usually the more impressive candidate. But as the contest drew to a close, the bookies put Liz Truss on 91 per cent to Rishi’s nine per cent, according to the live tracker of the Tory leadership odds published in the Daily Telegraph. It is the readers’ letters in the comments section that provide an insight into the psychology of at least a section of the Conservative membership. If the party is to be modernised, it would be wise for British Asians to become members, something that they should also do with Labour and Lib Dems, depending on their personal inclinations, of course.
To be sure, there are letters supporting Rishi, but it is the tone of the comments against him which are much more interesting because they reflect an almost pathological hatred of the man. This is odd, because most people who know Rishi in parliament say he is an affable chap.
This is a sample of some of the letters. “I first wanted Ben Wallace to run, then Jacob [Rees-Mogg] but followed their lead and voted for Liz Truss. I didn’t see a millionaire Indian running our country, sorry if this is offence [sic] but in a free open society one says what one believes.”
“If slippery Sunak had any decent obligations to Britain he would admit defeat and gracefully step down and let the absolute leading opponent step in. The man horrifies me.”
“…thank God, the British have seen through the deceit of the schoolboy debating champion.”
“He can afford to desert this country (not his) because he has a green card to work in the USA. No real commitment to the UK.”
“If Sunak becomes PM then I am leaving the Conservative party. Full stop !!!! ”
“My view would be that in India most wealthy people are not trustworthy as per a documentary on Netflix. These millionaires/ billionaires are able to be above the law by bribing government officials for contracts, being able to pay off the police for crimes such as rape and murder.”
“The membership will never vote Sunak in to power, they know it would be political suicide, he will forever be known as a billionaire, high tax, backstabber.”
“Sunak should quit now and then be available to oversee the £400,000 swimming pool/ gym project at his home. He will certainly be more useful there than what he is doing at the moment.”
“The words ‘competent’ and Sunak just do not do together after his disastrous tenure as chancellor. He has been truly found out and I am just so thankful that he didn’t get anywhere near possessing the keys to number 10.”
In the circumstances, perhaps Rishi has done amazingly well to get to nine
per cent.