"Rishi Sunak certainly seems pretty pissed off with whoever it is who's been running the country recently”
The Prime Minister made a call for ‘change’ during his speech today, which has been widely mocked as commentators are asking whether Rishi Sunak is confused about who’s been in power for the last 13 years.
Ending his speech during the Tory Party conference in Manchester, Sunak said it was ‘time for change’ and argued the Tories were the ones to bring it.
However many were left baffled by this pledge, made by a sitting Prime Minister in a party that has been in power for nearly 14 years. They seemed to echo the words of an opposition party eager to win support and present an alternative vision, which has left them ringing hollow for many.
Caroline Lucas reflected: “Rishi Sunak certainly seems pretty pissed off with whoever it is who’s been running the country recently.”
While one X user wrote: “Imagine how shocked he’ll be to find out that we’ve had almost 14 years of Tory rule and of those last 30 years he groaned on about almost 18 of them we were overseen by Tories, six Tory PMs.”
And another: “It’s time for a change apparently. So basically a full on admission of failure.”
Sunak told the audience: “We will give the country what it so sorely needs, and yet too often has been denied. A government prepared to make long term decisions so that we can build a brighter future—for everyone.
“Be in no doubt: it is time for a change. And we are it.”
Green MP Zack Polanski mocked Sunak’s suggestion that the government backed long-time commitments; with the row back on net zero pledges, scrapping HS2, failing to give public sector workers a proper pay rise among some examples.
Polanski said: “The Prime Minister of a Government that has been in power for 13 years complaining that politics doesn’t work. Whilst he also trashes our climate commitments talking about the dangers of shortermism.
“Rishi Sunak is laughable if it wasn’t all so dangerous.”
Pat McFadden MP, Labour’s National Campaign Coordinator, responded: “After 13 years and five Tory Prime Ministers, Rishi Sunak’s latest desperate attempt to reset his weak leadership and divided government won’t fool the British public.”
The Labour Party seized on the message, stating: “We agree Rishi Sunak. After 13 years of Tory failure, it’s time for a Labour government.”
Whilst MP Richard Burgon called it ‘desperate stuff’.
“Desperate stuff from Rishi Sunak. Trying to position himself as the change candidate.
“The only change this super-rich PM will deliver is to hand over even more of our national wealth to his super-rich mates – the very people who’ve done so well out of 13 years of Tory misrule,” said Burgon.
Others took to memes to highlight Sunak’s confused rhetoric around who to blame for the current state of affairs in our country.
To reach hundreds of thousands of new readers and to make the biggest impact we can in the next general election, we need to grow our donor base substantially.
That's why in 2024, we are seeking to generate 150 additional regular donors to support Left Foot Forward's work.
We still need another 124 people to donate to hit the target. You can help. Donate today.