 Official portrait, 2022 | |
| Premiership of Rishi Sunak 25 October 2022 – 5 July 2024 | |
| Monarch | Charles III |
|---|---|
| Cabinet | Sunak ministry |
| Party | Conservative Party |
| Seat | 10 Downing Street |
_(Tudor_Crown).svg) Coat of Arms of HM Government | |
Rishi Sunak's tenure as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom began on 25 October 2022 when he accepted an invitation from King Charles III to form a government, succeeding Liz Truss, and ended upon his resignation on 5 July 2024. He is the first British Indian and the first Hindu to hold the office.[1] His premiership was dominated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas war, the cost-of-living crisis, and the Rwanda asylum plan. As prime minister, Sunak also served simultaneously as First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union.
Sunak stood in the July–September 2022 Conservative Party leadership election to succeed Boris Johnson, who resigned amidst a government crisis. He received the most votes in each of the parliamentary ballots, but lost the members' vote to the foreign secretary, Liz Truss. After spending the duration of her premiership as a backbencher, he was elected unopposed in the October party leadership election to succeed her, Truss having resigned in another government crisis; at 42 he was the youngest prime minister since Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool in 1812.
Sunak took office amidst the cost-of-living and energy-supply crises that began during his tenure as Chancellor of the Exchequer, as well as during industrial disputes and strikes. In 2023, Sunak outlined five key priorities: halving inflation, growing the economy, cutting debt, reducing NHS waiting lists, and stopping the illegal small-boat crossings of the English Channel (by enacting the Rwanda asylum plan). Sunak negotiated a proposed agreement with the European Union (EU) on Northern Ireland's trading arrangements which was published as the Windsor Framework.
On foreign policy, Sunak authorised foreign aid and weapons shipments to Ukraine in response to the Russian invasion of the country, and after the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel which began the Israel–Hamas war, Sunak pledged the UK's support for Israel and declared that Israel "has an absolute right to defend itself", but later condemned the high number of civilian casualties during the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip and called for a sustainable ceasefire.
During his premiership, Sunak attempted to improve the economy and stabilise national politics, although many of his pledges and policy announcements ultimately went unfulfilled.[2] He did not avert further unpopularity for the Conservatives, which was reflected in the party's poor performances in the 2023 and 2024 local elections. Sunak called a snap general election for July 2024 while being widely expected to call the election in the autumn; the Conservatives lost this election in a landslide to the opposition Labour Party led by Keir Starmer, ending 14 years of Conservative government. After Starmer succeeded Sunak as prime minister, Sunak became Leader of the Opposition and has remained Conservative leader while the leadership election to replace him is taking place, forming a shadow cabinet.
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Chancellor of the Exchequer
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Post-premiership
Electoral history
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- ^ "Rishi Sunak: A quick guide to the UK's new prime minister". BBC News. 25 October 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
- ^ Reuben, Anthony (17 June 2024). "Rishi Sunak's five promises: What progress has he made?". BBC News. Archived from the original on 17 June 2024. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
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