A former Tory minister likes to tell the tale of a recent charity dinner in his constituency. The organiser began by stressing that the occasion had to remain ‘a strictly non-political event’. The MP rose to reply: ‘Not to worry, ladies and gentlemen – I belong to a strictly non-political party.’
That question of Rishi Sunak’s political instincts – or lack thereof – is preoccupying Tory MPs. Three recent encounters are held up as examples. An ill-judged bet with Piers Morgan was followed by a warm embrace with the Sinn Fein First Minister Michelle O’Neill. Images of this latter encounter went down badly with Tory MPs who served in the military. The hat-trick was completed by a row over Sunak’s comments in Prime Minister’s Questions about transgender women in a session attended by the mother of the murdered trans teenager Brianna Ghey.
Yet while some MPs question how the Prime Minister will fare on the doorstep, he remains undaunted.
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