UK’s Sunak reshuffles government to strengthen economic promises.

By Weirdnewsera On Feb 7, 2023

UK’s Sunak reshuffles government to strengthen economic promises. On Tuesday, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reshuffled his cabinet, splitting two departments to meet better his commitments to stimulate the economy and increase his party’s popularity before an election due next year.

Sunak formed four new departments, one focused on science and innovation (a personal interest of Sunak’s) and another responsible for energy security and net zero, and will be managed by minister Grant Shapps.

The former finance minister and hedge fund employee are seeking to shepherd the economy through a prolonged period of double-digit inflation and stagnation, which the rising energy cost has exacerbated.

There is also pressure for him to show that Britain can prosper after leaving the European Union by forging new commercial relationships with non-EU countries.

On Twitter, Sunak argued that the government should reflect the priorities of the British people and be built to deliver for them. By making these adjustments, teams can better concentrate on creating a brighter future for our offspring.

Business and trade are now part of Kemi Badenoch’s remit as trade secretary.

Lucy Frazer, formerly minister of housing, is now minister of culture, media, and sport. In contrast, Michelle Donelan, formerly the minister of culture, has been chosen to head the science, innovation, and technology department.

Conservatives have appointed Greg Hands, a former trade minister and party enforcer, to the position of party chair.

Moving the deck chairs around

A few people in Sunak’s group were taken aback by the timing.

Several parliamentarians have speculated that he is embracing an opportunity to leave his mark by firing his party chairman over tax issues and investigating bullying claims against his deputy prime minister Dominic Raab.

The accusations against Raab are false, he says.

After Nadhim Zahawi was fired nine days ago over his tax affairs, Sunak appointed Hands as party chair. This post will become increasingly significant in the run-up to the next national election, scheduled for 2024.

After tossing off two prime ministers last year due to the scandal and economic instability, the move was widely applauded by the party.

Since moving into 10 Downing Street in October, Sunak has faced pressure to assert his leadership. Some members of his party have criticized him for being too managerial and lacking a grand vision for Britain.

The opposition Labour Party, rapidly presenting itself as Britain’s next government, continues to have a commanding lead in opinion polls, and he has so far been unable to cut that margin.

To convince his parliamentarians he can lead them into the next election, Sunak promised in January to tackle Britain’s most critical challenges, such as lowering inflation, restoring the National Health Service (NHS), and curbing illegal migration.

He has also advocated vehemently for Britain to become the “new Silicon Valley,” going so far as to pledge in January to increase public expenditure in R&D to 20 billion pounds ($24.06 billion).

However, Tim Bale, a political science professor at London’s Queen Mary University, argued that investors shouldn’t expect “a blind bit of difference to their fortunes at the next election” even though some of them may well receive the shift.

“I think these modifications will look a little irrelevant to people suffering the economic troubles they’re facing and the problems they’re facing in the NHS,” he told Reuters.

I do not doubt that he will be accused of rearranging furniture on the Titanic.