Sunak’s uphill fight to remain in power

THE wisdom in Westminster is that the Tories have a mountain to climb if they want to win the next general election.

If only the party’s task was so simple. A devastating new poll today suggests the route to victory is more like scaling the north face of the Eiger… in carpet slippers.

Lord Ashcroft’s findings make sobering reading indeed. If they prove accurate, the Conservatives may be heading for a historic, even existential, defeat.

The survey illustrates just how badly the Tories have lost voters’ confidence.

On every major policy issue – from the economy to defence and immigration – the party now trails Labour.

So what can Rishi Sunak do to shift the dial? The Prime Minister must focus on the public’s priorities. The NHS seems in a permanent state of crisis, the broken asylum system needs fixing and our military is in a precarious state.

Voters also want Mr Sunak to get the Rwanda scheme up and running, creating a deterrent to those coming to Britain illegally.

There is, though, good news for Mr Sunak on the economy. Inflation is falling. Interest rates could soon follow. With the significant reductions in National Insurance contributions taking effect, people will soon feel the difference in their pockets.

The other crumb of comfort for Rishi Sunak is that there is no excitement for a Starmer government. Sir Keir’s constant reneging on policy pledges have also made him appear deeply untrustworthy. So does this apparently forensic barrister’s incuriosity over Angela Rayner’s tax affairs.

For the Tories, retaining power will be a daunting challenge. But by focusing on delivering traditional Tory policies, Mr Sunak can at least start leading his party out of the electoral foothills.