Is a path to victory opening up for Rishi Sunak?
Spectator (UK)MAY 2023
UK Tory Conference: PM Sunak Cancels Major Rail Link
Image copyright: Prime Minister's Office/Flickr [via Wikimedia Commons]
The Spin
Right narrative
Sunak is more than aware of his party's decline in the polls and is now keen to focus on long-term decision-making to regain the public's trust. While essential long-term reforms to various public institutions are often synonymous with failure in the UK political sphere — predominantly down to a lack of will by politicians to withstand short-term criticism to achieve their goals — Sunak must pursue what he knows to be correct.
Left narrative
The scrapping of the HS2 link between Birmingham and Manchester is a historic betrayal of the North and the perfect demonstration of incompetency within the Tory party. While Sunak may purport to prioritize the nation's long-term health over short-term gains, this decision achieves the exact opposite as Sunak looks to shore up support ahead of next year's election — a clear indication of where his priorities truly lie.