Rishi Sunak might have called an election in June after seeing a “break in the clouds” from infighting among Conservative MPs, the former director of communications for Boris Johnson has told Sky News.
Speaking to Sky’s Mark Austin, Guto Harri said the prime minister has clearly decided to “play the one card left in his pretty poor hand”, which was the “element of surprise”.
He said Mr Sunak might believe that the “promise of better times” was a safer bet to take to the electorate than the “reality of what may happen over the next six months”.
Remember, although Mr Sunak has called a general election for 4 July, he actually had until 17 December to do so.
Asked why Mr Sunak might have decided to make the move, Mr Harri explained that he could have seen a “break in the clouds” when Conservative MPs stopped fighting among themselves in parliament.
‘The art of persuasion’
“I think in the end the ultimate calculation was that after a long summer, after the party conference season, everyone would be fed up and the narrative would be that the guy was squatting in Number 10, hanging on there for the inevitable ousting,” he said.
“It is better to be seen to be walking up to the electorate and saying ‘come on, this is the moment, you can decide’ and, if nothing else, it’s had a sobering effect on people.”
He added that Mr Sunak might be trying to persuade the public that the Conservatives could get more done if they are given a chance to carry on.
“In the end, it’s the art of persuasion,” he said, adding that Mr Sunak has been clever in the way he has framed the considerations people should make before voting, warning of a dangerous world and asking them who they trust to lead the way.
However, Mr Harri said there was “understandable frustration” among some of his cabinet colleagues who feel they haven’t been given a chance to “better prepare themselves” for an election.
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