'Rishi Sunak, like HS2, has run out of line as he can't defend Tory record'

04 October 2023 , 15:01

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Rishi Sunak has 'no trophies to display after 13 dismal seasons' (Image: Gary Roberts Photography/REX/Shutterstock)

In the end Rishi Sunak, like High Speed Two, has run out of line. The Prime Minister could not take to the conference stage to defend the Conservatives’ record in power.

Not even the silkiest of salesman could paint a picture of a flourishing country when NHS waiting lists are at a record high, living standards are falling, school buildings are crumbling and rivers are swilling with sewage.

With no trophies to display after 13 dismal seasons, he was left flailing around for excuses. According to Sunak, the nation’s woes were not down to the succession of poor Tory managers but the result of three decades of broken politics.

This excuse might have washed were it not for the fact the Conservatives have been in power for 17 of those 30 years. His speech had the panicked air of someone who has lost the confidence of the board pleading he has the skills and vision to save his team from relegation.

But voters may not be willing to give more time to someone who has the charisma of management consultant reading out the third quarter results. They would have noticed his plans to rebuild the squad did not include any mention of housing, the climate crisis and the cost of living. And they would have looked at his record and laughed at the idea he is the candidate for change.

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Jason Beattie