FT.COM/MAGAZINE APRIL 4/ 52020 19
ury appreciates: decisive,ontop of his brief and
preparedtostand uptoNo10.”
Macphersonarguesthatrecentpolicieson
bankingandliquiditysupportwereplainlydrawn
up in the Treasury,aswas theveiledthreat to the
self-employedthatif theywantedstate support
theywouldhavetostartpayingtaxeslikeemploy-
ees.FrancesO’Gradyagreesthat Sunak already
looks likehisownman. “Itwouldbehard for
anyone to claim right nowthat he wassome kind
of malleableperson, which was the suggestion
when hereplacedSajidJavid,”she says.N
umber 10 underJohnson
andhis consigliereCum-
mings has,however,never
toleratedrival sourcesof
power,henceitsdecisionto
bring the Treasury under
itswing.SomeToriesclaim
Sunak’sself-assurance
andwholesomeimageisalreadycausingsome
members of theJohnson camp to lookovertheir
shoulder.His Instagram account,including shots
ofafocused, whippet-thin Sunakworking from
home inagreyhoodie, suggestsapoliticianwith
akeeneyefor an arresting image. ButJohnson’s
alliesinsist the primeminister andhis team have
onlythehighest admiration for Sunak: “He’s a
great guy and incrediblytalented,”saysone aide
to the prime minister.
While Sunak’sswift rise means he has had
littletimetoaccumulate enemies,he hasalso not
had time to build upasupport base.Fornow,he
is dependent onJohnson for his job and is sur-
roundedbyadvisers screenedand appointed
byCummings.“Who arehis friends,his mob?”
asks oneTory minister.Other oldhandswonder
whetherhehas thepolitical street-fightingskills
to copewhen the flak isflying,ortheruthless
streak to strikewhen thetop jobisinsight.
“The question is whether he has the appetite
and willingness to takerisks,”saysoneConserva-
tiveinsider.“Ithasneverbeenapparenttomethat
hehasakillerinstinct.Idon’tthinkhe’sapatsyfor
No 10 butIthinkthishascomeabitearlyforhim.”
The chancellor’salliesadmit the coronavirus out-
break isahugepersonal test for the chancellor:
“Rishiskeenlyawarethatthisisamajorcrisisand
moreexperiencedblokesthanhimhavebeenspat
outbythesekinds ofevents,”saysone.
William Hague isn’tso surethat Sunak is not
ready.As the biographerofPitt theYounger–the
Torystatesmanwhobecamechancellorin1782at
the age of 23 and prime ministeratthe age of 24
–Haguebelievesthe coronavirus crisis couldbe
the furnace in which another great Britishpoliti-
cal careerisforged. “If someone is suddenlygiven
greatresponsibilityandthenturnsouttobemore
thanequal to the challenge, that immediately
overcomesthe disadvantagesofgetting to the top
toosoon,”hesays.“Rishi Sunak’spoliticalpoten-
tial is huge. He ranksashighlyas anyone I’veseen
coming intopolitics.”GeorgeParkeristheFT’spoliticaleditor,
SebastianPayneistheWhitehallcorrespondent.
AdditionalreportingbyJimPickard‘Doeshehavetheappetitetotakerisks?
It’sneverbeenapparenttomethathehas
akillerinstinct.He’snotapatsyforNo
butIthinkthishascomeabitearlyforhim’
AConservativeinsiderGETTYIMAGES; AFP/GETTYIMAGES;FACEBOOK/RISHISUNAK;INSTAGRAM/RISHISUNAKMP