How tempting it must be for Rishi Sunak to chuck in his job as Chancellor. ‘My chances of ever becoming PM have plummeted to next to nothing,’ he must be thinking, ‘so why not go off and earn some serious money instead, away from the spotlight?’ I have no insight into the state of the Sunak marriage but I wouldn’t be surprised if he was also tempted to resign for his wife’s sake. ‘Let’s get out of the public eye,’ he might well be tempted to say, ‘and enjoy being rich again.’
But if Rishi had hired me for some advice on reputation management I would give him a better idea. You have obviously wanted to be PM for a long time, so why give up now? Your political reputation is not beyond repair. But it will take a bit of imagination and a bit of bravery. This is what I suggest: lie low for a bit and draw up plans for a revolutionary Budget in the autumn.
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