How much trouble is Rishi Sunak in?

When Rishi Sunak unveiled his Spring Statement last week, he was clear both publicly and privately that it marked a turning point: from now on, tax cuts will be prioritised over public spending. It was the Chancellor’s chance to chart a path back to a smaller state, which he later described to Tory MPs as a ‘clear conservative plan’. Yet a few days on as Sunak continues to face criticism over the measures he did – and didn’t – announce, pressure for higher spending is once again growing.

Over the weekend, Sunak found himself on the receiving end of a number of hostile briefings from cabinet colleagues and allies of Boris Johnson. Sunak’s personal ratings have also fallen, with a YouGov poll finding that Sunak’s net favourability has hit a new low of -15. A general consensus has formed that Sunak did not do enough to ease the cost of living crisis – given the OBR have said it will be the biggest fall in living standards since the 1950s.