September 5th 2022 , the Judgement Day: Will Rishi Sunak win the race to become UK’s next PM?

The Indian-origin UK prime ministerial candidate is in the midst of a tough battle with rival Liz Truss. As the world awaits the results of the vote that decides who will replace Boris Johnson as the next Prime Minister of the UK, we ponder over some very important questions.

Who is Rishi Sunak ?

Rishi Sunak has been an active member of the Conservative Party, serving the Richmond constituency since 2015. In 2017 and 2019 he was re-elected as the MP for Richmond. His plan to back Boris Johnson and Brexit in 2019 landed him the post of Chancellor within a short time span and if he wins this race, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer will be the first non-white British Prime Minister. His popularity rose during the lockdown in 2020 when he spearheaded the 69 billion pound furlough scheme that saved many jobs in the UK. The prime minister’s inner circle considers loyalty to be his strong suit. The idea that a young politician, from a Punjabi family that immigrated to Britain and Africa, is now making it to the top leadership of the UK, has amazed many.

What are his promises?

Sunak’s campaign mainly focuses on the urgent need for tackling inflation and attacked Truss’s statement that tax cuts are essential to address the high cost of living in the UK. He has a consistent and clear vision to cut down inflation by rolling out plans to increase trade.

Key promises

Tax and spending

1. Tax reduction after tackling the ongoing inflation
2. Reduction of the basic income tax rate by one percent by 2024

Cost of living

1. Immediate control of inflation
2. Focus on employment and skill-development

Brexit

1. Fixing the Northern Ireland Protocol to improve post-Brexit stability
2. Reforming existing EU bureaucracy and laws in the country

Climate

1. Achieving net zero by 2050 through green energy
2. Making Britain energy self-reliant by 2045

Healthcare

1. Cutting waiting lists and accelerating NHS targets
2. Better diagnostic services and speedy clinical trials

Education

1. Opening new free schools
2. Boosting vocational training and industry-oriented education

With polls closed, what are the odds of his victory?

On Friday, the votes were cast and the world awaits for the 5th of September when the outcome of this fight for the Conservative party leadership will be announced to the public.While the chances of Rishi Sunak winning this race remain slim, he has managed to stay hopeful. As we reach the final stage of the election campaign, Sunak pledged his hard work for the UK, the ‘best country in the world’. His opinion about tax-cuts has emerged to be his biggest hurdle, but Britain has not yet forgotten his tactful financial handling of the Covid crisis. With the outcome of the voting anticipated to be out soon, there are still many who think that Monday’s results might be a surprise.

What does this mean for India?

Sunak’s Indian ancestry and the fact that his wife Akshata Murthy is the daughter of Infosys founder Narayana Murthy have made him a topic of interest in India. The possibility of Indian origin British Prime Minister has triggered intense excitement in India. Sunak has expressed interest in two-way exchanges between the two nations. His campaign stressed on the importance of the India-UK relationship and the various opportunities for Indian companies and students in the UK and vice versa. Working with multiple companies from Bangalore to Silicon Valley, he sure does know what it takes to run a successful business in an international market.

His policies support innovations with which he hopes to rebuild the British economy. This historic prospect of him being the next leader of Britain has tantalized many, but his meteoric rise cannot be seen in isolation. Rather it’s an outcome of the growing strength and confidence of the Indian diaspora in the UK as a whole. Sunak’s candidacy is a new chapter in the British Indian story and adds to the promising idea that there is a lot more the two countries can achieve together. Just like Britain, India avidly watches Sunak and awaits the poll results on Monday.