132-714: Rishi Sunak (born 12 May 1980) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2022 to 2024. He was Leader of the Conservative Party from October 2022 to November 2024. Following his defeat to Keir Starmer ’s Labour Party in the 2024 general election , he became Leader of the Opposition , serving in this role from July to November 2024. The first British Asian to hold those offices, he previously held two Cabinet positions under Boris Johnson , latterly as Chancellor of
264-472: A Labour Party MP, tabled an opposition day motion on the subject of fracking . Truss pledged as part of her leadership campaign to lift the moratorium on fracking, yet some Conservative MPs had expressed concern about the change as it went against their 2019 manifesto. The motion was a Programme Order, which, if carried, would have bound the House to consider and hold a vote on a Bill banning fracking, under
396-588: A Master of Business Administration from Stanford University in California as a Fulbright Scholar . During his time at Oxford University, Sunak undertook an internship at Conservative Central Office , and joined the Conservatives. After graduating, Sunak worked for Goldman Sachs and later as a partner at the hedge fund firms the Children's Investment Fund Management and Theleme Partners . Sunak
528-510: A first in 2001. During his time at university, he undertook an internship at Conservative Campaign Headquarters and joined the Conservative Party . In 2006 Sunak earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Stanford University as a Fulbright Scholar . Sunak's paternal grandfather was from Gujranwala (in present-day Pakistan), while his maternal grandfather was from Ludhiana (in present-day India); both cities at
660-463: A no lobby, and an unnamed Conservative MP described this part of the process as "chaos". In claims that were undermined by a subsequent Speaker's inquiry, Conservative whips were accused of manhandling and bullying backbenchers into voting against the motion; Labour MP Chris Bryant said that he saw MPs "physically manhandled through the voting lobby", mentioning deputy prime minister Thérèse Coffey and business secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg . During
792-448: A second referendum on any withdrawal agreement . May's withdrawal agreement was rejected by Parliament three times, leading to May announcing her resignation in May 2019. Sunak supported Boris Johnson 's successful bid to succeed May in the 2019 Conservative Party leadership election and co-wrote an article with fellow MPs Robert Jenrick and Oliver Dowden to advocate for Johnson during
924-531: A shorter duration than the total for any preceding UK prime minister. Truss had been elected as leader of the Conservative Party on 5 September at the culmination of a seven-week process, and was duly appointed as prime minister by Queen Elizabeth II on the following day. Political activity was greatly reduced during the period of national mourning following the death of the Queen , between 8 and 19 September. On 23 September, Kwasi Kwarteng delivered
1056-597: A Ministerial Statement entitled "The Growth Plan" to the House of Commons that was widely referred to as the mini-budget. This prompted significant negative market reaction, including the pound sterling falling to a record low against the US dollar and a sharp increase in the cost of government borrowing. On 14 October, Kwarteng returned early from meetings in the United States and Truss dismissed him as chancellor . He
1188-548: A ceasefire in the Gaza Strip . He did not avert further unpopularity for the Conservatives, reflected in the party's poor performances in the 2023 and 2024 local elections . Sunak called a general election for July 2024 despite 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 leaving office, Sunak became Leader of
1320-499: A constitutional anomaly in the 21st century. Both contend that such powers lack direct democratic legitimacy due to not being regulated by parliamentary statutes and raise concerns over accountability. Elliot and Thomas have pointed out that judicial intervention in cases such as Miller I and Miller II , where the Supreme Court exercised scrutiny over the use of prerogative powers by the government to prorogue parliament during
1452-430: A constitutional monarchy in which the monarch "reigns but does not rule". According to Brazier, the prime minister advises the monarch on matters such as the dissolution of parliament and appointments to the House of Lords, but these decisions are often made with the consent of parliament. The prime minister leads the executive in directing government policy and maintaining coordination between government departments which
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#17327720662951584-470: A full ceasefire as he argued that this would only benefit Hamas. Israel used British-supplied weapons in the war. However, Sunak later condemned the high number of civilian casualties in Gaza and called for a "sustainable ceasefire" in which all Israeli hostages were returned to Israel, attacks against Israel ceased and humanitarian aid was allowed into Gaza. His government supported the two-state solution as
1716-413: A function of the office of prime minister. Despite this, the exercise of the prime minister's prerogative powers in these matters is under the oversight of parliament. It is often by convention that a prime minister must seek the approval of parliament before committing the nation to military action. In addition to this, the prime minister also exerts informal influence over public policy. Brazier notes this
1848-404: A government crisis , triggering a leadership contest . On 22 October, it was reported that Sunak had the required number of supporters—100 members of the House of Commons—to run in the ballot on 24 October. The total number of MPs who publicly declared support passed 100 on the afternoon of 22 October. On 23 October, Sunak declared that he would stand for election. After Johnson ruled himself out of
1980-493: A live stream of a lettuce dressed as Truss to see whether she would resign before the lettuce wilted. She did. On 19 October, after Suella Braverman 's resignation, the lettuce was filmed with a plate of tofu to mock the statement she had made the previous day which attacked climate-protest groups as " Guardian -reading, tofu-eating wokerati ". The lettuce became well known; in an interview with Sky News , Labour MP Chris Bryant said that "the lettuce might as well be running
2112-590: A majority of 19,550 (36.2%). During the 2015–2017 Parliament he was a member of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee . Sunak supported the successful campaign to leave the European Union in the 2016 European Union membership referendum , criticising the EU's immigration laws: "We are discriminating against countries with whom we have ties of history, language and culture" That year, he wrote
2244-480: A new economic ministry led by Sunak might be established, to reduce the power and political influence of the Treasury. By February 2020, it was reported that Javid would remain in his role as Chancellor and that Sunak would stay on as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, in order to "keep an eye" on Javid. On 13 February 2020, the day of the reshuffle, Javid resigned as Chancellor, following a meeting with Johnson. During
2376-407: A pandemic and began rapidly spreading across the country, Sunak became prominent in the government's response to the pandemic and its economic impact . On 20 March 2020, Sunak gave a statement on COVID-19, saying: Now, more than any time in our history, we will be judged by our capacity for compassion. Our ability to come through this, won’t just be down to what government or businesses do, but by
2508-712: A partner in September 2006. He left in November 2009 to join former colleagues in California at a new hedge fund firm, Theleme Partners, which launched in October 2010 with $ 700 million under management (equivalent to $ 978 million in 2023). At both hedge funds, his boss was Patrick Degorce . Sunak was also a director of the investment firm Catamaran Ventures, owned by his father-in-law, the Indian businessman N. R. Narayana Murthy of Infosys , between 2013 and 2015. Sunak
2640-427: A plan, it’s a fairytale.” A spokesperson for Sunak later said: “The reality is that Truss cannot deliver a support package as well as come good on £50bn worth of unfunded, permanent tax cuts in one go. To do so would mean increasing borrowing to historic and dangerous levels, putting the public finances in serious jeopardy and plunging the economy into an inflation spiral." In the membership vote, Truss received 57.4% of
2772-513: A programme providing £330 billion in emergency support for businesses, as well as the Coronavirus Job Retention furlough scheme for employees. This was the first time a British government had created such an employee retention scheme. The scheme was introduced on 20 March 2020 as providing grants to employers to pay 80% of a staff wage and employment costs each month, up to a total of £2,500 per person per month. The cost
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#17327720662952904-547: A reliable majority of MPs who vote in support of the government's priorities. Another essential part of the parliamentary powers possessed by the prime minister is determining the composition of the Cabinet. According to Professor Robert Hazell, the prime minister not only chooses cabinet members but also dictates the collective decision-making process of members as well. The prime minister most often would chair cabinet meetings and may determine their frequency, thereby controlling
3036-499: A report for the Thatcherite think tank Centre for Policy Studies supporting the establishment of free ports after Brexit , and the following year wrote a report advocating the creation of a retail bond market for small and medium-sized enterprises . Following Cameron's resignation, Sunak endorsed Michael Gove in the 2016 Conservative Party leadership election , and later endorsed successful candidate Theresa May after Gove
3168-616: A resolution to the conflict. When the International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Ahmad Khan announced that he would seek to charge Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu with war crimes, Sunak criticised the move as "unhelpful" and accused Khan of drawing a moral equivalence between Israel and Hamas. Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The prime minister of the United Kingdom
3300-450: A scandal surrounding the sexual harassment allegations against Chris Pincher , which arose after it was revealed that Johnson had promoted Pincher to the position of Deputy Chief Whip while knowing of the allegations beforehand. Sunak was the second of 61 Conservative MPs to resign during the government crisis. He was succeeded as chancellor by Nadhim Zahawi . Following the resignations of Sunak and Javid, numerous junior ministers and among
3432-686: A significant restructuring of government departments . New departments included those for Business and Trade , Energy Security and Net Zero , and Science, Innovation and Technology . The Department for International Trade and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy were split and merged into other departments. Ministers who joined the cabinet in the first reshuffle included Greg Hands took over as chairman from Zahawi, though later resigned and replaced by Richard Holden . Lucy Frazer became Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport taking over from Donelan. Rachel Maclean left
3564-512: A tightening of the definition of asylum. On 20 July, Sunak and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss emerged as the final two candidates in the contest on 20 July to be put forward to the membership for the final leadership vote. He had received the most votes in each of the series of MP votes with Sunak receiving 137 to Truss's 113 in the final round. Sunak opposed Truss' economic plans and predicted they would result in economic damage, saying "Liz, we have to be honest. Borrowing your way out of inflation isn’t
3696-552: Is based on an uncodified constitution , meaning that it is not set out in any single document. The British constitution consists of many documents, and most importantly for the evolution of the office of the prime minister, it is based on customs known as constitutional conventions that became accepted practice. In 1928, Prime Minister H. H. Asquith described this characteristic of the British constitution in his memoirs: In this country we live ... under an unwritten Constitution. It
3828-415: Is dependent upon the cooperation and consent of ministers. Foreign policy and national security are areas in which the prime minister has traditionally enjoyed more authority under what are known as prerogative powers. Vernon Bogdanor argues that the abilities to declare war, negotiate treaties and deploy the armed forces have historically been part of the monarch's royal authority but have slowly evolved into
3960-475: Is developed by constitutional conventions and therefore it is defined by precedent and tradition. Bogdanor notes that the prime minister's power in parliament is exhibited by their control of the executive (the Cabinet) and their ability to influence the legislative agenda. The ability of the prime minister to influence legislation, according to academic Philip Norton , is often through party discipline and having
4092-475: Is due to the prime minister often being the leader of the largest party in government, therefore having a direct impact in initiating policy both in government and during election campaigns. In the House of Commons, the prime minister guides the law-making process with the goal of enacting the legislative agenda of their political party. In an executive capacity, the prime minister appoints (and may dismiss) all other Cabinet members and ministers , and co-ordinates
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4224-424: Is further solidified through their ability to shape policy before it reaches parliament. King further argued that the shaping of legislation, on many occasions, involves the collaborative efforts of cabinet ministers and civil servants, but the prime minister's approval is needed in order to initiate the legislative agenda. King's analysis of contemporary politcs showed that some prime ministers often bypass or overrule
4356-625: Is the head of government of the United Kingdom . The prime minister advises the sovereign on the exercise of much of the royal prerogative , chairs the Cabinet , and selects its ministers . As modern prime ministers hold office by virtue of their ability to command the confidence of the House of Commons , they sit as members of Parliament . The office of prime minister is not established by any statute or constitutional document, but exists only by long-established convention , whereby
4488-550: Is therefore best understood from a historical perspective. The origins of the position are found in constitutional changes that occurred during the Revolutionary Settlement (1688–1720) and the resulting shift of political power from the sovereign to Parliament. The prime minister is the head of the United Kingdom government . As such, the modern prime minister leads the Cabinet (the Executive). In addition,
4620-730: Is true that we have on the Statute-book great instruments like Magna Carta, the Petition of Right, and the Bill of Rights which define and secure many of our rights and privileges; but the great bulk of our constitutional liberties and ... our constitutional practices do not derive their validity and sanction from any Bill which has received the formal assent of the King, Lords and Commons. They rest on usage, custom, convention, often of slow growth in their early stages, not always uniform, but which in
4752-421: Is why I am resigning. It has become clear to me that our approaches are fundamentally too different. I am sad to be leaving Government but I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that we cannot continue like this. On 8 July 2022, Sunak announced his candidacy in the leadership election to replace Johnson. Sunak launched his campaign in a video posted to social media, writing that he would "restore trust, rebuild
4884-444: The 2024 general election , Sunak won the seat of Richmond and Northallerton , which replaced his former seat of Richmond (Yorks), with a majority of 23,059 (51.4). Sunak was appointed to a junior ministerial position in May's second government as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Local Government in the 2018 cabinet reshuffle . Sunak voted for May's Brexit withdrawal agreement on all three occasions , and voted against
5016-538: The House of Commons over a parliamentary motion to ban fracking , ultimately resulting in the loss of support of Conservative members of parliament (MPs). The mini-budget was a ministerial statement entitled "The Growth Plan" delivered by the Chancellor of the Exchequer , Kwasi Kwarteng , to the House of Commons on 23 September. It was received negatively by global financial markets and ultimately led to
5148-513: The Institute for Fiscal Studies about the statement's impact, as well as its cost-effectiveness, while at least one major retailer declined to take advantage of a financial bonus scheme intended for rehiring employees placed on furlough during the pandemic. In his March 2021 budget, Sunak emphasized the effect the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the economy, with 700,000 people losing their jobs,
5280-585: The OECD signed an accord to join the tax reform plan. Later that month, Sunak attended COP26 in Glasgow. During his speech given on 3 November, he said that he felt optimism despite daunting challenges and that by bringing together finance ministers, businesses and investors, COP26 could begin to deliver targets from the Paris Agreement . On 5 July 2022, Sunak and Javid resigned almost simultaneously amid
5412-634: The UK stood with Ukraine from the very beginning. And I am here today to say the UK and our allies will continue to stand with Ukraine, as it fights to end this barbarous war and deliver a just peace." Sunak visited Ukraine on 12 January 2024 to sign a new U.K.-Ukraine Agreement on Security Cooperation with Zelenskyy promising £2.5 billion in military aid to Ukraine, including long-range missiles, artillery ammunition, air defence and maritime security, in addition to £200 million to be spent on military drones, making
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5544-556: The United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union , was successful in keeping check over the authority of both the prime minister and the government. The evolving usage of prerogative powers also has signalled tension between tradition and accountability. Authors Paul Craig and Adam Tomkins state that the absence of a written constitution gives a prime minister greater leeway in employing their given prerogative powers without limits that in turn would create uncertainty although
5676-548: The Universal Credit system by increasing the work allowances by £500 a year, and reducing the post-tax deduction taper rate from 63% to 55%. £560 million of investment was announced for the Levelling Up White Paper . Many of the announcements to be made in the budget were previewed before budget day, drawing criticism and anger from the House of Commons. In response to the criticism, Sunak said
5808-422: The chief whip and deputy chief whip, had resigned, and by allegations, later refuted, that some Conservative MPs had been manhandled in the division lobby . Truss resigned as prime minister on 25 October, having announced her intention to do so on 20 October. Rishi Sunak won the ensuing Conservative Party leadership election unopposed to become party leader and prime minister. Truss was in office for 49 days,
5940-416: The hospitality industry . The government subsidised food and soft drinks at participating cafes, pubs and restaurants at 50%, up to £10 per person. The offer was available from 3 to 31 August on Monday to Wednesday each week. In total, the scheme subsidised £849 million in meals. Patrick Vallance and Chris Whitty were not informed of the scheme. Some considered the scheme to be a success in boosting
6072-487: The parliamentary private secretary (PPS) also resigned, most of whom cited a lack of honesty and integrity on the part of Johnson. In the following 24 hours, 36 MPs resigned from their roles in government and Johnson announced his resignation. In his resignation letter Sunak said: The public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously. I recognise this may be my last ministerial job, but I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that
6204-466: The world's sixth largest economy , the prime minister hold significant domestic and international leadership alongside being the leader of a prominent member state of NATO , the G7 and G20 . 58 people (55 men and 3 women) have served as prime minister, the first of whom was Robert Walpole taking office on 3 April 1721. The longest-serving prime minister was also Walpole, who served over 20 years, and
6336-456: The 1930s. In March 2021, Sunak announced that the scheme had been extended once more until September 2021. In July 2020, Sunak unveiled a plan for a further £30 billion of spending which included a stamp duty holiday, a cut to value-added tax (VAT) for the hospitality sector, a job retention bonus for employers and the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, aimed at supporting and creating jobs in
6468-555: The British and Rwandan Parliaments. The government also introduced the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill , emergency legislation giving ministers the power to disapply sections of the Human Rights Act 1998 and certain aspects of international law in order to allow them to declare Rwanda a safe country according to UK law. The bill was criticised by many on the right of the party for not going far enough, resulting in
6600-585: The Channel in small boats to the UK in 2023. Long-term net migration to the United Kingdom (the number of people immigrating minus the number emigrating) reached a record high of 764,000 in 2022, with legal immigration at 1.26 million and emigration at 493,000. Of the 1,218,000 legal migrants coming to the UK in 2023, only 10% were EU Nationals. Sunak continued the Rwanda asylum plan to have asylum seekers and illegal immigrants sent to Rwanda for processing. After
6732-460: The Exchequer from 2020 to 2022. Sunak has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Richmond and Northallerton , previously Richmond (Yorks) , since 2015. Sunak was born in Southampton to parents of Indian descent who immigrated to Britain from East Africa in the 1960s. He was educated at Winchester College , studied philosophy, politics and economics at Lincoln College, Oxford , and earned
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#17327720662956864-604: The Leader of the Opposition, questioned why Truss had not resigned, to which Truss responded: "I am a fighter and not a quitter." The next day, Truss announced that she would resign. A YouGov survey of Conservative Party members published on 18 October reported that a majority of them wanted Truss to resign. Boris Johnson was the most popular potential replacement, followed by Ben Wallace , Rishi Sunak , Penny Mordaunt , Kemi Badenoch , Jeremy Hunt and Suella Braverman . As of mid-October, bookmakers were taking odds for
6996-558: The Opposition and remained Conservative leader for nearly four months while the leadership election to replace him took place, and formed a shadow cabinet . He was succeeded by Kemi Badenoch , his Shadow Housing Secretary . He also intends to remain as a backbench MP for the next five years. Rishi Sunak was born on 12 May 1980 in Southampton General Hospital in Southampton , Hampshire, to East African-born Hindu parents of Indian Punjabi descent. His father
7128-865: The Sunak Pharmacy in Southampton between 1995 and 2014, and has a degree from Aston University . Sunak is the eldest of three siblings. His brother is a psychologist and his sister works in New York as chief of strategy and planning at Education Cannot Wait, the United Nations Global Fund for Education in Emergencies and Protracted Crises. Sunak worked as an analyst for the investment bank Goldman Sachs between 2001 and 2004. He then worked for hedge fund management firm The Children's Investment Fund Management (TCI), becoming
7260-514: The Treasury by Johnson in 2019. In 2020, Sunak was promoted to Chancellor of the Exchequer. During his time in the position , Sunak was prominent in the government's financial response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impact , including the furlough and Eat Out to Help Out schemes, and was also prominent in the government's response to the cost-of living crisis . As chancellor, Sunak received high approval and popularity ratings in
7392-490: The UK in 1966. While in the UK they eventually met and would get married in 1977. Sunak attended Stroud School, a preparatory school in Romsey , and later studied at Winchester College as a dayboy, becoming head boy of the college. He worked as a waiter, at the curry house Kuti's Brasserie in Southampton, during his summer holidays. He read philosophy, politics and economics at Lincoln College, Oxford , graduating with
7524-538: The UK the largest deliverer of drones to Ukraine out of any nation according to Downing Street. In October 2023, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel that devolved into a war and a growing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip . Sunak pledged the UK's support for Israel and declared that Israel "has an absolute right to defend itself". Sunak backed calls for humanitarian pauses to allow for aid to be brought into Gaza, although he initially rejected calls for
7656-481: The UK's lowest income households, a further £650 payment was announced. Additionally, pensioners or those with disability would qualify for extra payments, on top of the £550 that every household gets, and the £650 they would receive if they had a low income. Sunak presented his first budget, Delivering on Our Promises to the British People, on 11 March 2020. It was scheduled to be followed by another budget in
7788-574: The Union . The prime minister's official residence and office, by virtue of being the First Lord of the Treasury, is 10 Downing Street in London. Early conceptions of the office of prime minister evolved as the " Primus inter pares " or "first among equals", however that does not differentiate on status and responsibility upon whoever is holding office. Historically, the prime minister has never been
7920-663: The agenda for policy and steering decisions in their preferred direction. Additionally, the prime minister can exercise considerable control over parliamentary time. Authors Alexander Horne and Gavin Drewry state that the prime minister uses this power through the Leader of the House of Commons , by which they are able to allocate time for government bills and often ensuring access to this time over private members' bills. The prime minister's parliamentary powers also extend to foreign relations. Contemporary historian Anthony Seldon says that
8052-466: The appointment of Laura Trott as Chief Secretary to the Treasury . In February 2023, Sunak negotiated a proposed agreement with the EU on Northern Ireland 's trading arrangements which was published as the Windsor Framework . On 27 February, Sunak delivered a statement to the House of Commons, saying that the proposed agreement "protects Northern Ireland's place in our Union. On 22 March,
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#17327720662958184-403: The authenticated costs former prime ministers face in continuing to fulfil the public duties associated with being a former prime minister. Keir Starmer said "She shouldn't take that entitlement. After 44 days she has not earned the right to that entitlement, she should turn it down". Fact-checking charity Full Fact noted the commonly mis-characterised nature of the allowance, adding that it
8316-403: The autumn, but in September 2020 he announced that budget would be scrapped because of the COVID-19 pandemic, stating "now is not the right time to outline long-term plans – people want to see us focused on the here and now". Instead, additional statements were given by the chancellor in both summer and autumn . The Winter Economy Plan was delivered by Sunak on 24 September 2020. The purpose of
8448-406: The backbenches and joined the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities . Sunak's last cabinet reshuffle in November 2023 saw the return of former prime minister David Cameron to government following a seven-year absence from frontline politics, replacing James Cleverly as foreign secretary. It also saw the departures of Braverman and Coffey from government and Hands from the cabinet, and
8580-460: The budget "begins the work of preparing for a new economy". Sunak made what would ultimately be his final budget, his spring statement, on 23 March 2022. He cut fuel duty , removed VAT on energy saving equipment (such as solar panels and insulation) and reduced national insurance payments for small businesses and, while continuing with a planned national insurance rise in April, he promised to align
8712-452: The cabinet on traditional discussion and to push through their preferred agendas with notable cases such as Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair. The prime minister's influence in the Houses of Parliament is derived from longstanding conventions and statutes that have gradually evolved through the centuries. The office of prime minister itself is not explicitly mentioned in parliamentary law but
8844-412: The cabinet proposes new legislation and decide on key policies that fit their agenda which is then passed by an act of parliament . The power of the office of prime minister has grown significantly since the first prime minister, Robert Walpole in 1721. Prime ministerial power itself evolved gradually alongside the office itself which have played an increasingly prominent role in British politics since
8976-592: The campaign in June. Sunak was appointed to the senior cabinet role of chief secretary to the Treasury by Johnson, serving under Sajid Javid . He became a member of the Privy Council the next day. During the 2019 general election, Sunak represented the Conservatives in debates. In the weeks leading up to Johnson's first cabinet reshuffle in February 2020, a number of briefings in the press had suggested that
9108-421: The conferral of peerages and some knighthoods, decorations and other important honours. Bagehot identifies the prime minister as the leader of the "efficient" part of government that functions within the government to steer legislation through both Houses of Parliament. Although the prime minister does not possess the power to introduce legislation directly, their control of the cabinet and their role as leader of
9240-493: The constitutional hierarchy, the premiership was given little formal recognition until the 20th century; the legal fiction was maintained that the sovereign still governed directly. The position was first mentioned in statute only in 1917, in the schedule of the Chequers Estate Act . Increasingly during the 20th century, the office and role of prime minister featured in statute law and official documents; however,
9372-410: The coronavirus mini-budget) was delivered by Sunak on 8 July 2020. The purpose of the statement was to announce measures aimed at helping to promote economic recovery following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The statement was delivered to the House of Commons, where Sunak unveiled a spending package worth £30bn. Concerns were subsequently raised by organisations including HM Revenue and Customs and
9504-438: The course of time received universal observance and respect. The relationships between the prime minister and the sovereign, Parliament and Cabinet are defined largely by these unwritten conventions of the constitution. Many of the prime minister's executive and legislative powers are actually royal prerogatives which are still formally vested in the sovereign , who remains the head of state . Despite its growing dominance in
9636-456: The date of Truss's resignation. Bookmakers placed Sunak first in their list of likely Conservative prime ministerial successors, followed by Hunt, Mordaunt, Wallace and Johnson. On 11 October, The Economist published an article criticising Truss in which they compared the length of time she had control of the country to the shelf life of a lettuce. On 14 October, the Daily Star began
9768-425: The date of the parliamentary vote, 22 Conservative MPs and six DUP MPs voted against the government legislation. The vote ultimately passed by 515 votes to 29. In 2019 the Conservative Party and Boris Johnson pledged to reduce net migration below 250,000 per year, but Sunak said in 2023 that the priority was not to reduce legal immigration but to stop illegal immigration . Nearly 30,000 undocumented migrants crossed
9900-563: The dismissal of Kwarteng on 14 October. In the following days, Truss came under increasing pressure to reverse further elements of the mini-budget to satisfy the markets and, by 17 October, five Conservative MPs had called for her resignation. On 19 October, Suella Braverman , the Home Secretary , resigned over a breach of the Ministerial Code following a disagreement with Truss over immigration reform; her resignation letter
10032-465: The duration of Truss's premiership on the backbenches, Sunak was elected unopposed in the leadership election to succeed Truss, who resigned amid another government crisis ; aged 42 at the time he became prime minister, Sunak became the youngest prime minister since The Earl of Liverpool in 1812. During his premiership , Sunak attempted to improve the economy and stabilise national politics. He outlined five key priorities: halving inflation, growing
10164-404: The early 20th century . During the premierships of Tony Blair and Margaret Thatcher , prime ministerial power expanded substantially and their leadership in the office were described as "presidential" due to their personal yielding of power and tight control over the cabinet. The prime minister is regarded as one of the world's most powerful political leaders in modern times. As the leader of
10296-518: The early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, although his popularity later declined amid the cost-of living crisis in 2022. He resigned as chancellor in July 2022 amid a government crisis that culminated in Johnson's resignation, and stood in the leadership election to succeed him. He received the most votes in each of the series of MP votes, but lost the members' vote to Liz Truss . After spending
10428-429: The economy and reunite the country". He said that his values were "patriotism, fairness, hard work", and pledged to "crack down on gender neutral language". During the campaign, Sunak pledged to included tax cuts only when inflation was under control, scrapping of the 5% VAT rate on household energy for one year, introducing a temporary £10 fine for patients who fail to attend GP appointments, capping of refugee numbers, and
10560-657: The economy shrinking by 10% (the largest fall in 300 years), and the highest borrowing outside wartime. The budget included an increase in the rate of corporation tax from 19% to 25% in 2023, a five-year freeze in the tax-free personal allowance and the higher rate income tax threshold, and the extension of the furlough scheme until the end of September. Sunak was the first Chancellor to raise the corporation tax rate since Labour 's Denis Healey in 1974. In October 2021, Sunak made his third and final budget statement, which included substantial spending promises related to science and education. The budget increased in-work support through
10692-610: The economy, cutting debt, reducing National Health Service waiting lists, and stopping the illegal small-boat crossings of the English Channel by enacting the Rwanda asylum plan . On foreign policy, Sunak authorised foreign aid and weapons shipments to Ukraine in response to the Russian invasion of the country , and pledged support for Israel after the attacks which began the Israel–Hamas war whilst later calling for
10824-430: The first among equals at any time prior to 1868. Until now, that characterisation of the prime minister is reflective of the democratic nature of their position. The power of the prime minister depends on the support of their respective party and on the popular mandate. The appointment of cabinet ministers and granting of honours are done through the prime minister's power of appointment . The prime minister alongside
10956-580: The first confirmed COVID-19 cases in January 2020, Sunak introduced advice for travellers coming from affected countries in late January and February 2020, and began contact tracing , although this was later abandoned. There were further societal restrictions on the public as the virus spread across the country in the following weeks , initially resisting more stringent measures introduced elsewhere in Europe and Asia . On 23 March 2020, as COVID-19 had become
11088-477: The granting of honours. Brazier argues that prerogative powers allow the prime minister to act within the "authority of the crown" in situations where neither convention nor statutory law applies. As noted by both Bagehot and Brazier, areas in which the prime minister authorises their given prerogative powers are matters of foreign affairs. In recent occasions, the 2003 invasion of Iraq saw Prime Minister Tony Blair deploying British troops to Saudi Arabia without
11220-547: The hospitality industry, whilst others disagreed. A 2020 study found that the scheme contributed to a rise in COVID-19 infection, which Johnson acknowledged but the Treasury rejected. It was later said by Vallance during the COVID-19 Inquiry that Sunak had not informed medical advisers of the scheme until it was announced, whereas written evidence from Sunak said that the scheme had been discussed with medical advisers, including Vallance, and they had not objected. Amid
11352-471: The immediate consent or approval of parliament. Brazier says the rise of parliamentary and public scrutiny has led to calls for reform and checks on the use of prerogative powers. The only prime minister who did not seek parliamentary or legal consent for military action was Anthony Eden during the Suez Crisis in 1956. Professors Mark Elliot and Robert Thomas argue that prerogative powers present
11484-486: The individual acts of kindness that we show each other. When this is over, we want to look back on this moment and remember the many small acts of kindness done by us and to us. We want to look back on this time and remember how we thought first of others and acted with decency. We want to look back on this time and remember how, in the face of a generation-defining moment, we undertook a collective national effort - and we stood together. It’s on all of us. Sunak introduced
11616-523: The investigation concluded that while the atmosphere had been "tense" during the fracking vote, there was no evidence of "undue influence" on MPs. Charles Walker called the Truss ministry "a shambles and a disgrace... utterly appalling", commenting of its supporters that he had "had enough of talentless people" for whom "it’s in their own personal interest to achieve a ministerial position". During Prime Minister's Questions on 19 October, Keir Starmer ,
11748-434: The largest political party in the House of Commons enables them substantial influence over any legislative agenda. Bagehot points out that this power is based on the prime minister's ability to operate the "machinery of government" that allows them to guide legislation that align with their party's political and ideological priorities. Brazier argues that the legislative power of the prime minister has greatly expanded following
11880-499: The meeting, Johnson had offered to allow Javid to keep his position on the condition that he dismiss all his advisers at the Treasury and replace them with ones selected by 10 Downing Street. Upon resigning, Javid told the Press Association that "no self-respecting minister would accept those terms". Sunak was promoted to chancellor to replace Javid as part of Johnson's first cabinet reshuffle later that day. In response to
12012-575: The monarch appoints as prime minister the person most likely to command the confidence of the House of Commons. In practice, this is the leader of the political party that holds the largest number of seats in the Commons. The prime minister is ex officio also First Lord of the Treasury (prior to 1905 also the official title of the position), Minister for the Civil Service , the minister responsible for national security , and Minister for
12144-539: The plan was blocked by the UK's Court of Appeal in June 2023 due to concerns over international law and the possibility of refoulement (persecution of those sent to Rwanda), Sunak vowed to appeal against the verdict to the Supreme Court . On 15 November 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the ruling and declared the plan unlawful. In response, Sunak sent Cleverly to Rwanda to negotiate a treaty with Rwanda focused on preventing refoulement which must now be ratified by
12276-419: The policies and activities of all government departments, and the staff of the Civil Service. The prime minister also acts as the public "face" and "voice" of His Majesty's Government, both at home and abroad. Solely upon the advice of the prime minister, the sovereign exercises many statutory and prerogative powers, including high judicial, political, official and Church of England ecclesiastical appointments;
12408-400: The post-war period and that as a result, the prime minister now directly authorises supervision over government bills and has a consequential role in the introduction of legislation. The prime minister is able to wield considerable power in the passing of legislation through their ability to manage party discipline and cohesion in voting patterns. Bogdanor states that this largely depends upon
12540-407: The potential size of the rebellion among Conservative MPs and informed the climate minister, Graham Stuart , that the vote would no longer be treated as a matter of confidence. Although he subsequently relayed this to the House of Commons the whips' office were not made aware of the change, resulting in confusion and disarray among Conservative MPs. MPs must vote by walking through an aye lobby or
12672-407: The power of the prime minister derives from their ability to command a majority in the House in order to pass legislation and continue the functions of government. If a prime minister loses the confidence of the House, which occurs in a vote of no confidence, they are often expected to resign from office or request the monarch dissolve parliament to call a general election. The prime minister acts as
12804-451: The powers of the Crown, entrusting its authority to responsible ministers (the prime minister and Cabinet), accountable for their policies and actions to Parliament, in particular the elected House of Commons . Although many of the sovereign's prerogative powers are still legally intact, constitutional conventions have removed the monarch from day-to-day governance, with ministers exercising
12936-454: The primary threshold with the basic personal income allowance as of July. He also promised a reduction in income tax in 2024. Sunak also provided some funding which was intended to help vulnerable people cope with the cost of living. Sunak hosted a G7 summit in London in June 2021. A tax reform agreement was signed, which in principle sought to establish a global minimum tax on multinationals and online technology companies. In October 2021,
13068-428: The prime minister acts as the main representative of the government in the international sphere, including in parliament, where treaties are ratified and international commitments are debated. The most significant powers given to the prime minister are "prerogative powers". These are a set of constitutional privileges deriving from monarchial authority that have gradually evolved into tools of executive power managed by
13200-401: The prime minister and the government. Bagehot famously called the British system as one where "the executive power is now yielded by the prime minister" rather than the monarch, a shift from personal to political power. Prerogative powers allow the prime minister to act without the immediate or direct consent of parliament especially in circumstances such as declaring war, deployment of troops and
13332-463: The prime minister and the sovereign. The concept of " the Crown " resolves this paradox. The Crown symbolises the state's authority to govern: to make laws and execute them, impose taxes and collect them, declare war and make peace. Before the " Glorious Revolution " of 1688, the sovereign exclusively wielded the powers of the Crown; afterwards, Parliament gradually forced monarchs to assume a neutral political position. Parliament has effectively dispersed
13464-446: The prime minister being the leader of the largest party in the Commons, which can pass legislation without any or little resistance if they can command the confidence of the House. This aspect of prime ministerial power is informal and often carried out by the office of Whips, who makes sure that MPs remain loyal and vote on the government line. The political scientist Anthony King said that the prime minister's influence over legislation
13596-407: The prime minister can hold significant power over the executive, it is often exercised collectively through the Cabinet (Government). Ministerial responsibility is also an aspect of a prime minister's executive authority. The prime minister leads the cabinet which makes the holder of that office bear responsibility for the collective conduct of the government. Professor Rodney Brazier points out that
13728-409: The prime minister leads a major political party and generally commands a majority in the House of Commons (the lower chamber of Parliament). The incumbent wields both significant legislative and executive powers. Under the British system, there is a unity of powers rather than separation . Walter Bagehot described the office of prime minister as the "keystone of the Cabinet arch" that maintained while
13860-462: The prime minister's powers and relationships with other institutions still largely continue to derive from ancient royal prerogatives and historic and modern constitutional conventions. Prime ministers continue to hold the position of First Lord of the Treasury and, since November 1968, that of Minister for the Civil Service , the latter giving them authority over the civil service . Under this arrangement, Britain might appear to have two executives:
13992-420: The principal advisor to the monarch, who is the head of state, a capacity that has evolved gradually during the history of the office. Bagehot says that despite the monarch holding certain theoretical executive powers, in practice, these powers are often executed upon the advice and recommendation of the prime minister and the cabinet. This is considered a major principle of the "unity of powers" that exists within
14124-622: The race and Penny Mordaunt withdrew her candidacy, Sunak was announced as the new leader on 24 October. As the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons, Sunak was appointed as prime minister by Charles III on 25 October 2022, becoming the first British Asian to take the office. At 42, Sunak became the youngest prime minister since Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool , in 1812. In his first speech as prime minister, Sunak said that Truss "was not wrong" to want to improve growth and that he "admired her restlessness to create change", but admitted that "some mistakes were made", and that he
14256-743: The resignation of the minister for immigration, Robert Jenrick. On 12 December 2023 Sunak secured a government majority of 44 for the Safety of Rwanda Bill, despite the opposition of all other parties and abstentions from members of the European Research Group . Following the 15 November missile explosion in Poland , Sunak met US President Joe Biden and delivered a speech about it. Sunak later met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy , and pledged to give Ukraine £50 million in aid. After meeting Zelenskyy, Sunak said: "I am proud of how
14388-427: The rising cost of living and energy crises, Sunak intensified efforts to respond to the crisis in May 2022, with a £5 billion windfall tax on energy companies to help fund a £15 billion support package for the public. The package included every household getting a £400 discount on energy bills, which would be in addition to a £150 council tax refund the government had already ordered. For about 8 million of
14520-473: The royal prerogatives, leaving the monarch in practice with three constitutional rights: to be kept informed, to advise and to warn. October 2022 United Kingdom government crisis In September and October 2022, the Conservative Party government led by newly appointed prime minister Liz Truss faced a credibility crisis. It was caused by the September 2022 mini-budget and a disorganised vote in
14652-483: The rules and timetable set in the Order itself. As the motion would have granted the opposition partial control of the business of the House of Commons on certain days, the party whips strictly informed Conservative MPs to vote against it (a three-line whip). They were also informed that the vote would be treated as a matter of confidence . As the day progressed, 10 Downing Street became increasingly concerned about
14784-399: The shortest-serving was Liz Truss , who served seven weeks. The current prime minister is Keir Starmer , who succeeded Rishi Sunak on 5 July 2024, following the 2024 general election . The position of prime minister was not created; it evolved slowly and organically over three hundred years due to numerous Acts of Parliament , political developments, and accidents of history. The office
14916-431: The since the prime minister wields significant sway over policy, that power must be subjected to the conclusion and input of Cabinet ministers. This prevents the office of prime minister from becoming more dominant and also ensures that executive power is authorised with broader support from and within the government. The prime minister must constantly maintain the confidence of the House of Commons because, as Bagehot notes,
15048-472: The statement was to announce measures aimed at further helping to promote economic recovery following the impact of COVID-19. The plan aimed to further promote economic recovery while preserving jobs and businesses which were considered viable. After a second lockdown in England on 31 October 2020, the programme was extended several times, until 30 September 2021. The July 2020 summer statement (also known as
15180-717: The time were part of the Punjab province in British India . His grandparents migrated to East Africa, and then to the United Kingdom in the 1960s. His father was born and raised in the Colony and Protectorate of Kenya (present-day Kenya), and was a general practitioner in the National Health Service (NHS). His mother, born in Tanganyika (which later became part of Tanzania ), was a pharmacist who owned
15312-602: The use of such powers by the prime minister is often constrained by political convention than by law. King Charles III [REDACTED] William, Prince of Wales [REDACTED] Charles III ( King-in-Council ) [REDACTED] Starmer ministry ( L ) Keir Starmer ( L ) Angela Rayner ( L ) ( King-in-Parliament ) [REDACTED] Charles III [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] The Lord Reed The Lord Hodge Andrew Bailey Monetary Policy Committee The British system of government
15444-467: The vision" and would lead the Conservatives into the next general election . However, this did not seem to calm the growing tensions in her party, with one Conservative MP remarking, “This is the first time I have ever heard a corpse deliver its own eulogy.” The following day Lord Frost , a Conservative peer , also called for Truss to resign. Truss met with Graham Brady , the chair of the 1922 Committee , on 17 and 20 October. The meeting on 17 October
15576-476: The vote the chief whip of the Conservative Party , Wendy Morton , and the deputy chief whip, Craig Whittaker , were believed to have resigned. Later that evening, the speaker Lindsay Hoyle tasked the Serjeant at Arms of the House of Commons and other parliamentary officials with investigating the allegations. The motion was defeated by a vote of 326–230, with 324 Conservative MPs opposing it. On 1 November,
15708-528: The vote, making her the new leader. Sunak responded by offering his support to Truss, saying "It’s right we now unite behind the new PM, Liz Truss, as she steers the country through difficult times." He spent the duration of Truss's premiership on the backbenches. As Sunak predicted, Truss announced large-scale tax cuts and borrowing in a mini-budget on 23 September, which was widely criticised and – after it rapidly led to financial instability – largely reversed. She announced her resignation on 20 October 2022 amid
15840-499: Was also replaced by Edward Argar as chief secretary to the Treasury . On 19 October, Suella Braverman resigned as home secretary , and she was replaced by Grant Shapps . On 20 October, Truss stated her intention to resign as prime minister. Truss, as a former prime minister, is eligible to draw on the Public Duty Costs Allowance . This allowance can pay up to £115,000 per year towards reimbursement of
15972-444: Was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer , and Dominic Raab was also re-appointed as deputy prime minister and Justice Secretary, he later resigned from these roles in April 2023 and was replaced by Oliver Dowden. James Cleverly was appointed Foreign Secretary with Suella Braverman as Home Secretary . Ben Wallace was appointed Secretary of State for Defence . Michael Gove was appointed Levelling Up Secretary , Grant Shapps
16104-663: Was appointed as Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy , and Penny Mordaunt became Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the council. Other key appointments included Simon Hart as Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury and Chief Whip of the House of Commons, Nadhim Zahawi as Chairman of the Conservative Party , Oliver Dowden as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster , Thérèse Coffey as Environment Secretary , Mel Stride as Work and Pensions Secretary and Mark Harper as Transport Secretary. Sunak's first cabinet reshuffle in February 2023 saw
16236-611: Was born in the Kenya Colony in 1949, while his mother was born in the Tanganyika Territory (modern-day Tanzania ). His paternal grandfather Ramdas Sunak had migrated from Gujranwala , located in present-day Pakistan , to the Kenyan capital of Nairobi in 1935, while his maternal grandfather, Raghubir Berry, grew up in Punjab before eventually moving to Tanzania as an engineer. Both of Sunak's parents had moved to
16368-418: Was critical of the government. On the evening of 19 October, MPs voted on a Labour Party motion to create time to debate a ban on fracking in the UK , which was opposed by the government. It was unclear whether the vote was being treated as a confidence vote by the government, which confused Conservative MPs. The confusion was compounded by speculation that Wendy Morton and Craig Whittaker , respectively
16500-468: Was elected prime minister in part to fix them: I will place economic stability and confidence at the heart of this government’s agenda. I will unite our country, not with words, but with action. I will work day in and day out to deliver for you. This government will have integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level. Trust is earned. And I will earn yours. Sunak selected his cabinet ministers after his appointment as prime minister. Jeremy Hunt
16632-411: Was elected to the House of Commons at the 2015 general election . As a backbencher , Sunak supported the successful campaign for Brexit in the 2016 European Union membership referendum . Sunak was appointed to the junior ministerial position of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Local Government by Theresa May in 2019, and was appointed to the cabinet-attending role of Chief Secretary to
16764-400: Was eliminated in the second round of voting. Sunak was re-elected at the 2017 general election with an increased majority of 23,108 (40.5%). In the same year, Sunak wrote a paper for Policy Exchange on the importance and fragility of the UK's undersea infrastructure. Sunak was re-elected at the 2019 general election with an increased majority of 27,210 (47.2%). Following boundary changes in
16896-494: Was estimated at £14 billion a month to run. The furlough scheme initially ran for three months and was backdated to 1 March. Following a three-week extension of the countrywide lockdown the scheme was extended by Sunak until the end of June 2020. At the end of May, Sunak extended the scheme until the end of October 2020. The decision to extend the job retention scheme was made to avoid or defer mass redundancies, company bankruptcies and potential unemployment levels not seen since
17028-441: Was not correct to suggest that "former prime ministers simply 'get' the money". I think it's a shambles and a disgrace ... I hope all those people that put Liz Truss into Number 10, I hope it was worth it ... because the damage they have done to our party is extraordinary. Charles Walker 's remarks on the market fallout, subsequent government crisis and Conservative unpopularity. On 19 October Ed Miliband ,
17160-527: Was replaced by Jeremy Hunt , who said on 17 October that most of the measures in the mini-budget would no longer be implemented. According to The Daily Telegraph , there were at least five Conservative MPs calling for Truss's resignation by 17 October: Crispin Blunt , Andrew Bridgen , Angela Richardson , Charles Walker and Jamie Wallis . That evening, Truss said she was "sorry for the mistakes that have been made", but added that she remained "committed to
17292-426: Was said to have caused Truss to miss an urgent question by opposition leader Keir Starmer about Kwarteng's departure. Truss's absence drew criticism from a number of MPs, including Starmer. Truss later appeared alongside Hunt during his economic statement to the House of Commons . Kwasi Kwarteng was dismissed as chancellor on 14 October, after 38 days in post, and he was succeeded by Jeremy Hunt . Chris Philp
17424-519: Was selected as the Conservative candidate for Richmond (Yorks) in October 2014. The seat was previously held by William Hague . In the same year Sunak was head of the Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Research Unit of the conservative think tank Policy Exchange , for which he co-wrote a report on BME communities in the UK. He was elected as MP for the constituency at the 2015 general election with
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