Major Controversies Surrounding Rishi Sunak: A Detailed Timeline
A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Rishi Sunak.
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.
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.
June 2020: Birthday gathering for Boris Johnson
On June 19, 2020, a birthday gathering for Boris Johnson took place, which Rishi Sunak attended, later resulting in a fixed penalty notice for breaching COVID-19 regulations in April 2022.
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.
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.
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.
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: 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.
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.
