Rishi Sunak urges unity in farewell as Tory leader

It was a curious farewell for Rishi Sunak this afternoon. The Tory leader has just finished his final speech to the party faithful before handing over the reins in five weeks time. Keen not to overshadow his four would-be successors, Sunak opted not to give the traditional Wednesday farewell speech to a seated audience of hundreds. Instead, he preferred to deliver fifteen minutes of remarks in a venue which resembled a school disco, with thumping tunes, glowing copies of the Tory logo and drinks vouchers for attendees to swap at the bar.

After a crushing election defeat – the worst in Tory history – this was not a victorious farewell in the manner of Tony Blair’s 2006 exit. Rather, it was part rally and part sorrowful goodbye, as Sunak looked back on 14 years of Tory government. It was the kind of speech which many now former Tory MPs wished he had made earlier: one that emphasised points of continuity from 2010 to 2024.