Sunak?s UK speech promises not as straight-talking as they seem.

Last Wednesday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak attempted to depict himself as a straight-talking, reasonable leader in whom the British people can put their faith.

The message was clear: he is not the same Conservative prime minister as his two predecessors from last year.

"I will only promise what I can give; and I will deliver what I promise," Sunak stated in his first speech of the year, after detailing five main commitments to voters.

Sunak, who had only been in the post for three months, was attempting to restart his premiership in 2023 after spending the final weeks of 2022 cleaning up the wreckage Liz Truss and Boris Johnson had left. The Christmas holiday was overtaken by a dire health crisis and devastating strikes that have persisted into the new year for the ruling Tory party, following a year of political upheaval for the party.

The prime minister's advisers sought to address internal complaints from certain Tory MPs and government officials that he lacked strong communications and an inspirational policy programme. They also sought to pull the rug out from under opposition Labour Party Leader Keir Starmer's scheduled speech the following day.

He said that the "people's priorities" were his pledges on inflation, economic development, the national debt, National Health Service wait times, and illegal immigration. He claimed he was combating "misinformation" regarding his government's attitude toward nurses. The rhetoric was almost mainstream at times.

No Gimmicks

"No gimmicks, no ambiguity," he declared, in contrast to usual Westminster politicians. "Either we deliver for you or we don't."

But when you explore a bit further, you'll find that Sunak's supposedly straight vows aren't exactly what they appear.

According to the Office of Budget Responsibility, the pledge to cut inflation in half this year could be easily met, with the figure falling to 3.8% from a high of more than 11% last year. Furthermore, the government has little influence over inflation.

Less Cynical

Equally, the vow to restore economic growth by the end of the year is consistent with what the OBR anticipates. And the vow to reduce debt in the "medium term" is consistent with what Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt stated in his Autumn Statement. Additionally, Sunak's commitment extends beyond January 2025, the latest he may organise a general election: he may not even be there to deliver it and be assessed on it.

Moving on to the commitment to reduce NHS waiting for queues. Sunak provided little information on how he intends to accomplish this, how much he intends to cut them by, and when. While waiting times are a critical concern, the urgent issue in the news is emergency treatment — and, once again, Sunak looked to have no solution to the present hospital situation.

Finally, Sunak asserted that he would "block tiny boats" transporting migrants over the English Channel, using catchphrases designed to appeal to the Conservative political base. However, that commitment came with no timetable or goals other than the passage of new legislation to arrest and deport migrants who come by sea and without authorisation.

Cross-Channel Migration

Cross-channel migration is a challenge that some officials secretly believe is unsolvable.

The prime minister assured the people that he was being straightforward, sincere, and responsible. However, it's unclear if voters will regard commitments that are either easier or unclear than they appear to be as reflecting trustworthiness.

"Rishi Sunak's five pledges are all things that were going to happen anyway, are so simple that it would be difficult not to achieve them, or are targeted at solving issues that the Tories created," Labour said in a statement.

Sunak's objectives also contrasted strongly with the magnitude of the issues surrounding the NHS and industrial unrest that journalists detailed to him in the question-and-answer session that followed the address.

"Is that it?" wondered BBC Political Editor Chris Mason. Sky Political Editor Beth Rigby indicated he wasn't living in the "real world". Recent polling indicates that many people agree: Recent surveys all show Labour with a large advantage, and one study last month even predicted Sunak would lose his seat if a vote were conducted right away.

(Blomberg.com, SkyNews.com)