Welcome Rishi Sunak : He Proved Churchill Wrong

Biologists will tell us that acquired traits get naturalized after three generations. Let us look at RS as an Englishman and British politician. His origins are ancient history now and in the society, he thrived and reached the top faith and amulets are personal matters; not political like in India-unfortunately. While we have every right to feel proud that an Asian who looks like us and speaks (English) almost like we do, let us remind ourselves that he is the product of a secular ethos.

History never pardons and catches up with the arrogant sooner/later. The great Winston Churchill had, almost a century ago, blurted out: ‘India is not a nation; only population!’ He must have ‘turned’ wiser in his grave last week when Rishi Sunak (RS) received the King’s invitation to give England political stability and economic security. Ironically, RS belongs to the Conservatives: Churchill’s party. Rest in torment, Sir Winston…

Ever since Boris Jonson reached the top the bottom of the world's allegedly oldest democracy has been shaking-quaking too. He inherited a nation sharply divided over ‘to Brexit or not to Brexit’ as the margin for Brexit was too small. Then England had to suffer two disasters: God made and Man-made! The pandemic was blamed on China initially but all knew that it was not going to stick! Boris as PM was a man-made disaster; more so because he was a disaster incarnate. His herd left him without compunction only to usher in Liz Truss by way of a comic interlude. Perhaps it was the last vainly desperate attempt of British pride to avoid putting an Un-true born Englishman at the top because even then RS was looked upon as the next PM. Truss lost steam in less than a month and half-two weeks of which were wasted over the silly rigmarole of the Queen’s overdue burial and by the time she looked like taking charge the herd ‘moved’ once again. Boris too showed belated maturity and other probables wisely stayed out.

What an awkward farce!

The response to the elevation of RS is more cautionary and less euphoric as he too has not won hands down. It remains to be seen whether he is the proverbial ‘compromise candidate’ to avoid immediate polls as that will surely bring in Labour. The Conservatives are being stewed in their own juice. RS has to clear the mess created by Gordon, May, Jonson and Truss (icing on the already spoiled cake?). This time Augean Stables have no horses; just dirt of false orthodoxy, indecision, poor policy making and distrust of the working classes- three sections of whom have threatened with strikes starting November. Perhaps these have been the permanent weak points of the Conservatives.

RS has shown notable strength of courage and conviction to start with. Like Churchill when he took charge, RS has bravely asserted that the immediate future is going to be tough and will call for bold policy decisions. Whether there will be blood and tears time will tell but sweat and toil seem unavoidable to put England back on track. To pre-empt obvious criticism, he has added the sugar coating that he will walk the tough road with sympathy - not pity like the populist leaders of some countries. (Guess who?). He has, like a true patriot, expressed his total devotion to the country that propelled him to the top job at an impossibly early age in just 7 years. This carries considerable weight for two reasons - ethnically he is a recent Englishman and he is from a non-political family. So, he is doubly fresh!

Be that as it may, eyebrows have gone up at Sunak’s fabulous wealth – his family is among the richest in the UK. That might have been a result of honest and wise entrepreneurship but the Labour and the tabloids are sure to exploit it. His involvement in money making (multiplying?) schemes (rackets, if you ask the tabloids) too has received a passing but disconcerting mention. Call it road, bed, or crown, for RS it will be made of thorns. Like Hamlet ‘the time is out of joint’ for him but unlike Hamlet he is not shackled by ‘to be or not to be’ and has thrown himself headlong into political uncertainties. As all analysts have iterated his in-tray is full and out-tray is empty. Just ponder what is on his plate.

At world level he has to tow the US dominated NATO line on Ukraine without appearing to resemble a minor player in the US orchestra. At home the sore pot of North Ireland is simmering with the growing support to the DUP adding fuel to the fire. Scotland too is showing signs of second thoughts over staying in the UK. Liz Truss has thrown her spanner in the already rickety economy by raising the defense budget by 50%. Apparently, this could be justified only if it creates more jobs as the UK, currently, is too insignificant to be threatened. Strikes galore in the immediate future. Inflation is at an all-time high. The manufacturing sector is still to recover from the loss of production compelled by the pandemic. Unemployment, despite occasional small dips, is near critical levels. The burden on the state coffers is growing as the rise in the cost of living for the UK citizenry outside big cities-London et al-is rocketing. Sunak’s out-tray for state spending is overflowing as against the in-tray receiving only trickles.

There is a funny twist to the tale: Britons may think living in the UK is getting tough by the day but people of troubled parts of Asia and Africa look at Europe in general and UK in particular as paradise on earth. They risk everything including life to enter Europe by land or sea and a huge number set their hearts on England. Illegal entrants have been a headache for UK policy makers for quite some time.UK has invented a politically controversial solution in diverting them to Rwanda. In a way Europe and UK are paying for the demographic policies they adhered to in the last century. But that does make the task of RS easy: on humanitarian grounds he has to be mild-only at the risk of losing sympathy at home.

Even as RS must be grappling over ideas and plans to revive the UK both in politics and economy a farce is underway in South Asia. Pakistan was first to claim RS as their own since his family comes from what is now Pakistan. Indian media known for its enthusiasm in silly matters has concentrated on his Hindu origin. The sacred thread on his right wrist and his installation coming in Diwali have been highlighted. RS in kneeling position at the ’10, Downing Street’ entrance has been put on show. A niggle has been voiced over his choice of foreign minister. (Recall the one-sided celebration when Kamala Harris became the US Vice-President?). His in-laws, the INFOSIS Murthys-are in the news again; perhaps for a not-really-right reason.

I wish RS all the best. May his flock never move like a herd. May he insulate himself from notorious machinations of his detractors in the Conservative Party. May he invent a feasible corporate tax policy. May he successfully bring the strike leaders to the negotiation table; since they belong to the major sectors of industry, defense, and education. May he show the world that though reduced in influence and capacity the UK is not a scullery maid of the US. May he emerge as a diplomat over Scotland and Ireland. May he earn the respect of the Labour Party and the confidence of his country men.

Rather than wanting RS to remember his ancestry let us wish him well for the role he has been blessed with to build a bright future for his country... A strong England — or any other nation for that matter — will be an asset for all world citizens.

- Vinay Hardikar
vinay.freedom@gmail.com

(The writer has been working in the public sphere of Maharashtra for the last five decades. His versatile personality has several dimensions, but the primary ones remain to be that of an established writer, journalist, editor, critic, activist, and teacher.)

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