Is Rishi on manoeuvres?

Boris Johnson’s day has just got considerably worse after Rishi Sunak distanced himself from the Prime Minister in a Downing Street press conference. The Chancellor pitched himself as the person focusing on the things voters actually worry about — unlike his boss. Sunak’s press briefing was on the cost of living crisis and specifically what the government was doing to help families with their energy bills, but naturally he was asked about the resignation of Munira Mirza (broken exclusively by James here) and the Savile smear that sparked it. Sunak was blunt. ‘With regard to the comments, being honest, I wouldn’t have said it and I’m glad that the Prime Minister clarified what he meant.’

He was also asked to make the case for Johnson getting a second chance, but replied: ‘This is a question for the Prime Minister. I think he was right to say what he said in parliament just recently and before — he’s apologised for that, he’s said he’s going to fix it. He’s acknowledged all of the recommendations from Sue Gray’s report and you’ll expect to hear more from him about the changes he’s planning to make. So that’s why he has my support.’ That’s hardly a ringing endorsement: it accepted entirely the analysis Johnson has messed up, rather than offering a catalogue of the Prime Minister’s achievements and personal qualities.

Sunak didn’t give the press conference in the Treasury, nor did he give it from a lectern with Treasury branding on it (or indeed his stylish signature branding, for which we should all perhaps be grateful). Instead, it had ‘Downing Street’ emblazoned on it. He told the assembled journalists that this was ‘the number one issue on most families’ minds’, and announced a £150 rebate for people in council tax bands A to D, along with a £200 cut from energy bills from October. It was reminiscent of his furlough press conference in 2020 when he appeared to be the only politician in government who had a handle on what was necessary and how to talk to the nation. It will not calm nerves in Downing Street — nor will it diminish the whispering this afternoon in Westminster that he is on manoeuvres.