Challenges in the Life of Rishi Sunak in a Detailed Timeline
Resilience and perseverance in the journey of Rishi Sunak. A timeline of obstacles and growth.
Rishi Sunak is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2022 to 2024. He also served as Leader of the Conservative Party during the same period, subsequently becoming Leader of the Opposition following the 2024 election defeat to the Labour Party. Prior to becoming Prime Minister, he was Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2020 to 2022 under Boris Johnson. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Richmond and Northallerton since 2015.
1974: First Chancellor to raise the corporation tax rate since Labour's Denis Healey in 1974.
Sunak was the first Chancellor to raise the corporation tax rate since Labour's Denis Healey in 1974.
1996: Worst Local Election Results Since 1996
In March 2024, there were suggestions that Sunak could face a leadership challenge before the upcoming general election, particularly if the Conservatives performed poorly in the local elections on May 2nd. Sunak stated he would resist such a challenge.
1998: Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill
In November 2023, the government 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.
2019: Conservative Party Pledge on Net Migration
In 2019, the Conservative Party and Boris Johnson pledged to reduce net migration below 250,000 per year.
January 2020: Introduction of Advice for Travellers
In late January 2020, in response to the first confirmed COVID-19 cases, Rishi Sunak introduced advice for travellers coming from affected countries and began contact tracing.
February 2020: Introduction of Advice for Travellers
In February 2020, in response to the first confirmed COVID-19 cases, Rishi Sunak introduced advice for travellers coming from affected countries and began contact tracing.
March 2020: Introduction of Emergency Support and Furlough Scheme
In March 2020, Rishi Sunak introduced a program providing £330 billion in emergency support for businesses, as well as the Coronavirus Job Retention furlough scheme for employees, 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.
March 2020: Government's response to the pandemic
On 23 March 2020, as COVID-19 became a pandemic, Rishi Sunak became prominent in the government's response to the pandemic and its economic impact. Sunak gave a statement on COVID-19.
June 2020: Furlough Scheme Extension
In June 2020, Rishi Sunak extended the furlough scheme until the end of June 2020, following a three-week extension of the countrywide lockdown.
July 2020: Unveiling of Further Spending Plan
In July 2020, Rishi Sunak unveiled a plan for a further £30 billion of spending including 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.
July 2020: Summer Statement (Coronavirus Mini-Budget)
On 8 July 2020, Rishi Sunak delivered the July 2020 summer statement to announce measures aimed at helping to promote economic recovery following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Concerns were subsequently raised by organisations about the statement's impact and its cost-effectiveness.
September 2020: Autumn Budget Scrapped
In September 2020, Rishi Sunak announced that the autumn budget would be scrapped due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
September 2020: Winter Economy Plan
On 24 September 2020, Rishi Sunak delivered the Winter Economy Plan to promote economic recovery following the impact of COVID-19.
October 2020: Second Lockdown in England
After a second lockdown in England on 31 October 2020, the Winter Economy Plan was extended several times.
October 2020: Furlough Scheme Extended
At the end of May, Rishi Sunak extended the furlough scheme until the end of October 2020 to avoid mass redundancies.
November 2020: Sunak Reported for Undeclared Financial Interests
In November 2020, The Guardian reported that Rishi Sunak had not declared a significant amount of his wife and family's financial interests on the register of ministers' interests.
2020: Eat Out to Help Out Scheme Controversy
In 2020, the "Eat Out to Help Out" scheme was not fully communicated with Patrick Vallance and Chris Whitty, and a study found that the scheme contributed to a rise in COVID-19 infection. It was also discussed whether medical advisers had been informed before the scheme was announced.
March 2021: Furlough Scheme Extended Again
In March 2021, Rishi Sunak announced that the furlough scheme had been extended once more until September 2021.
March 2021: March 2021 Budget
In his March 2021 budget, Rishi Sunak emphasized the effect the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the economy. The budget included an increase in the rate of corporation tax from 19% to 25% in 2023, and the extension of the furlough scheme until the end of September.
September 2021: End of Furlough Scheme
In March 2021, Rishi Sunak announced that the furlough scheme had been extended until September 2021.
September 2021: End of Winter Economy Plan
The Winter Economy Plan was extended several times until 30 September 2021.
2021: Sunak held US green card status until 2021
Until 2021, Rishi Sunak held a United States' permanent resident (green card) status acquired in the 2000s, which required filing annual US tax returns, even after becoming chancellor.
April 2022: Sunak issued fixed penalty notice for Partygate
In April 2022, amid the Partygate scandal, Rishi Sunak was issued a fixed penalty notice by the police for attending a birthday gathering for Boris Johnson on 19 June 2020 during COVID-19 restrictions.
May 2022: Response to Cost of Living Crisis
In May 2022, Rishi Sunak intensified efforts to respond to the rising cost of living and energy crises with a £5 billion windfall tax on energy companies to fund a £15 billion support package.
July 2022: Sunak's approval ratings slightly recovered after resignation
By the time Rishi Sunak resigned as chancellor in July 2022, his approval ratings had slightly recovered after a period of decline.
July 2022: Sunak Announces Leadership Candidacy
In July 2022, Rishi Sunak announced his candidacy for the leadership election to replace Johnson. He launched his campaign with pledges to restore trust, rebuild the economy, and reunite the country, emphasizing patriotism, fairness, and hard work. Sunak also outlined policy proposals including tax cuts when inflation is under control and a temporary fine for missed GP appointments.
October 2022: Sunak Loses Leadership Vote, Later Becomes Prime Minister
In October 2022, Liz Truss won the membership vote, becoming the new leader, while Sunak offered his support. Later that month, after Truss's resignation, Sunak declared his candidacy and secured enough supporters to run. Following Johnson's withdrawal and Mordaunt's withdrawal from the race, Sunak was announced as the new leader on October 24.
2022: Record High Net Migration
In 2022, long-term net migration to the United Kingdom reached a record high of 764,000. Legal immigration stood at 1.26 million, while emigration was at 493,000.
2022: Murty's non-domiciled status reported
In early 2022, newspapers reported that Akshata Murty had non-domiciled status, allowing her to avoid paying UK taxes on income earned abroad, leading to public scrutiny and debate.
January 2023: Sunak issued fixed penalty notice for seat belt violation
In January 2023, Rishi Sunak was issued a fixed penalty notice by Lancashire Constabulary after a social media video showed him failing to wear a seat belt in a moving vehicle.
April 2023: Sunak's perception as a centrist challenged
In April 2023, Rishi Sunak's perception as a centrist was contrasted with his government's policies on transgender and migration issues, which were described as socially conservative, leading to debates about his true political leaning.
May 2023: Conservatives Suffer Heavy Losses in Local Elections
In May 2023, Sunak contested his first local elections as leader, where the Conservatives suffered heavy losses, reflecting the challenge of rebuilding the party's reputation after previous controversies.
June 2023: Rwanda Asylum Plan Blocked
In June 2023, the UK's Court of Appeal blocked Sunak's Rwanda asylum plan, citing concerns over international law and the possibility of refoulement. Sunak vowed to appeal the verdict to the Supreme Court.
July 2023: Sunak's approval ratings decreased back to similar level
By July 2023, Rishi Sunak's approval ratings had decreased back to a similar level to when he resigned as chancellor.
July 2023: Sunak described as most right-wing PM since Thatcher
In July 2023, The Economist described Rishi Sunak as "the most right-wing Conservative prime minister since Margaret Thatcher", highlighting a shift in perception of his political stance.
July 2023: Conservatives Lose Seats in By-Elections
In July 2023, the Conservatives lost two seats in by-elections, one to Labour and one to the Liberal Democrats, highlighting ongoing challenges in maintaining political support.
November 2023: Supreme Court Ruling Against Rwanda Plan
On November 15, 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the ruling against the Rwanda asylum plan. In response, Sunak sent Cleverly to Rwanda to negotiate a treaty focused on preventing refoulement and introduced the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill.
December 2023: Government Majority Secured for Safety of Rwanda Bill
On December 12, 2023, Sunak secured a government majority of 44 for the Safety of Rwanda Bill, despite opposition from other parties and abstentions within his own.
2023: Shift in Immigration Priorities
In 2023, Sunak shifted the priority from reducing legal immigration to stopping illegal immigration, despite nearly 30,000 undocumented migrants crossing the Channel in small boats to the UK. Long-term net migration reached a record high of 764,000 in 2022.
2023: Poor Performance in Local Elections
In 2023, the Conservative Party had poor performances in the local elections.
2023: Corporation Tax Increase
In his March 2021 budget, Sunak emphasized the effect the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the economy, with a corporation tax increase from 19% to 25% planned for 2023.
February 2024: Conservatives Lose Further Seats in By-Elections
In February 2024, the Conservatives lost two further seats in by-elections, indicating continued struggles with public support despite policy changes.
March 2024: Speculation of Leadership Challenge
In March 2024, there were suggestions that Sunak could face a leadership challenge before the upcoming general election, particularly if the Conservatives performed poorly in the local elections on May 2nd. Sunak stated he would resist such a challenge.
June 2024: Sunak Campaigns on Economy, Rwanda Plan, and National Service
In June 2024, Sunak campaigned to rebuild the Conservative's reputation, focusing on stabilizing the economy and introducing National Service. He released the Conservative manifesto Clear Plan. Bold Action. Secure Future. during the general election.
July 2024: Sunak had his lowest approval ratings to date
By his resignation as prime minister in July 2024, Rishi Sunak had his lowest approval ratings to date.
