Rishi Sunak’s first Prime Minister’s Questions: unoriginal, unimpressive… unconvincing
Rishi Sunak underwent a baptism of fire in his first Prime Minister’s Questions – and it didn’t go well.
On the ropes just minutes in, Sunak was forced to rely on stock answers from Boris Johnson’s time as prime minister – that nobody really believed even then. Fewer still believe them now.
His excuses about the reappointment of Suella Braverman as Home Secretary, and his evasions on policy matters including the cost of living and energy generation, were painful to hear.
Watch for yourself if you can bear it:
This Writer was commentating on Twitter and I provide my insights (such as they are) as a guide to the issues until such time as wiser heads can offer their own:
#RishiSunak starts his first #PMQs by saying the Tory energy plan remains to provide more renewables, offshore wind and nuclear energy. So no immediate answers, then. #PoliticsLive
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) October 26, 2022
Will #RishiSunak reaffirm his commitment to #LevellingUp? He says yes. #PoliticsLive #PMQs
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) October 26, 2022
#KeirStarmer wants to know if #SuellaBraverman was right to resign last week for a breach of security. #RishiSunak says she accepted her mistake and he welcomed her back into the Cabinet. He says she'll crack down on criminals. #PoliticsLive #PMQs
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) October 26, 2022
Ironic?
#KeirStarmer points out that #RishiSunak's first act was to appoint someone who had admitted breaching Parliamentary security. He said a #HomeSecretary's "integrity and professionalism" must be beyond question. Have officials raised concern about her? #PoliticsLive #PMQs
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) October 26, 2022
Oh dear – #RishiSunak is on the ropes already. Asked if his officials had raised concern about #SuellaBraverman, he went off on a tangent. #KeirStarmer says it's clear he has put party before country. #PoliticsLive #PMQs
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) October 26, 2022
Responding to "party first, country second", #RishiSunak falls back on attacking #KeirStarmer for supporting #JeremyCorbyn years ago. It's an old, silly argument and evidence that the new prime minister is already out of his depth. #PoliticsLive #PMQs
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) October 26, 2022
#KeirStarmer reminds #RishiSunak he was recorded boasting that he changed funding formulas to move money from deprived areas to rich places instead. The new PM splutters. He's on the ropes. He tries to say there are deprived areas elsewhere – but he didn't put money there. #PMQs
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) October 26, 2022
Here’s that recording:
The only time #RishiSunak was in a competitive election he was trounced by #LizTruss, who was then beaten by a LETTUCE, says #KeirStarmer. Why not let the nation have the #generalelectionnow that it wants? #PoliticsLive #PMQs
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) October 26, 2022
#IanBlackford reminds #RishiSunak he promised to bring compassion to the challenges facing people today. Will he guarantee that benefits will rise in line with inflation in his upcoming budget? #PoliticsLive #PMQs
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) October 26, 2022
#RishiSunak says he has always acted to protect the most vulnerable – but stops short of saying he'll raise benefits in line with inflation. #PoliticsLive #PMQs
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) October 26, 2022
#IanBlackford reminds #RishiSunak that he slashed #UniversalCredit and presided over the greatest fall in living standards in the developed word. #PoliticsLive #PMQs
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) October 26, 2022
That should be “in the developed world”.
#IanBlackford also wants #SuellaBraverman sacked. #RishiSunak evades. #PoliticsLive #PMQs
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) October 26, 2022
Will #RishiSunak reinstate the moratorium on #Fracking? NO. #PoliticsLive #PMQs
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) October 26, 2022
Responding to a question on the #costoflivingcrisis – that wages aren't enough – #RishiSunak says "inflation is the enemy" and he'll attack it. So he does not intend to force wage increases. Prices aren't going to come down so he's telling us to get stuffed. #PoliticsLive #PMQs
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) October 26, 2022
Tory #HelenWhately urges #RishiSunak to get about "unblocking the NHS". He waffles while patients wait… and wait… and wait for treatment. #PoliticsLive #PMQs (A friend of mine had a stroke yesterday and was left waiting 4 HOURS for an ambulance. He was eventually SENT HOME.)
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) October 26, 2022
#StephenKinnock asks about #GavinWilliamson's security leaks, several years ago – with reference to "swapping ministerial red boxes for party loyalty". #RishiSunak falls back on his stock answer about Labour MPs supporting #JeremyCorbyn, with falsehoods about what he'd do. #PMQs
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) October 26, 2022
Former Chief Whip and #NIMBY #WendyMorton complains about homes being built in her constituency. #RishiSunak promises to protect #GreenBelt land. #PoliticsLive #PMQs
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) October 26, 2022
What is #RishiSunak's plan for #LevellingUp? asks #MichaelFabricant. He seems not to have one. #PoliticsLive #PMQs
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) October 26, 2022
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His ideals are to put donors and international companies first and to let the poor, disabled and elderly starve and freeze. In other words a Tory. That said, he was a better bet than any of the alternatives which shown just how bad the rest were..