Sunak ‘plotting since Christmas’
IT HAS been Westminster’s worst-kept secret – that the man Boris Johnson promoted out of nowhere into the second biggest job in government has his sights on Number 10.
MPs have reported being privately courted by former Chancellor Rishi Sunak for months.
There was talk of invitations to barbecues at Mr Sunak’s Yorkshire pile, as well as regular contact between the then Chancellor and his allies among backbench MPs, particularly the 2019 intake.
Mr Sunak said privately months ago that he had secured campaign offices outside Westminster and was well ahead of other leadership contenders.
His leadership ambitions were damaged by news of the non-dom tax status of his wife until this April, and that, as Chancellor, he had a US Green Card – as well as his handling of both stories. MPs said he was ‘politically naive’.
But after keeping a low profile, reports emerged once again of Mr Sunak reaching out to MPs and considering a run. One Cabinet source said last night: ‘He has had a snazzy, jazzy campaign, and has spent the last year and a half getting ready.’
Last week, eyebrows were raised when Mr Sunak launched his leadership bid with a slick campaign video and a website that linked to a domain name registered in December 2021.
His team insisted the video was filmed two days before it came out on Friday.
The Cabinet source, referring to the former Chancellor’s focus on building ‘Brand Rishi’ since he entered No11, said: ‘People didn’t expect anything less.’ Mr Sunak had made headlines during Covid by hiring Cass Horowitz, son of author Anthony Horowitz, to boost his brand. However, until last week Mr Sunak appeared to focus on his image but wouldn’t grasp the nettle and quit. At several points after allegations of breaking lockdown rules with parties engulfed the Government, there were rumours that he might resign.
MPs expected him to jump after he was fined by the police for briefly attending the Prime Minister’s birthday as a way of drawing a line between them. Expectations of a move after Sue Gray’s report into Partygate also fell flat.
An ally said: ‘Five days ago, people were questioning whether he would even run. Obviously there are going to be knives out for him.’
Yesterday, a video surfaced of a young Mr Sunak telling a BBC documentary in 2001: ‘I have friends who are aristocrats, I have friends who are upper class, I have friends who are, you know, working class, but… well, not working class.’ His spokesman declined to comment on the footage.
His Cabinet resignation last week helped to trigger the Prime Minister’s downfall. Days later he became the first big-hitter to go for the top job.
One Tory insider said: ‘He has been supporting MPs where he can. He’s done quite well to interest new and old school MPs.’ But, referring to the hardline Brexiteer wing of the party, the insider added: ‘He isn’t cutting through with the Spartans.’
A Conservative donor said Mr Sunak had not sought funding from Tory backers like some of his rivals. Speaking of Mr Sunak’s own fortune and that of his tycoon father-in-law, the donor added: ‘When you have a billion quid behind you, it’s quite easy to pull these things together.
‘He doesn’t depend on donors to fund his campaign. His focus is to woo MPs, get his name on the ballot paper then approach people.’
But another insider said former Tory treasurer Michael Spencer was expected to back him.
A source close to Mr Sunak said: ‘Rishi has been loyal through a very difficult period. He values loyalty above everything.’ The source added that the ex-Chancellor quit because the handling of the Chris Pincher scandal ‘was just a step too far’.
‘Obviously there are going to be knives out for him’