In a scene straight out of a political satire, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faced an onslaught of tough questions during an LBC phone-in, where he was grilled by members of the public over 14 years of Conservative rule. One of the most memorable exchanges came from a young voter named Ellen, who didn’t hold back her disdain.
With a level of bluntness that would make Simon Cowell seem diplomatic, Ellen accused the Prime Minister of “lying through your teeth” about the Conservative party’s achievements. Her frustration was palpable as she detailed the dismal state of affairs for young people in the UK, citing unaffordable housing, skyrocketing tuition fees, and the crumbling NHS. “You’ve now wasted 14 years taking absolutely no climate action,” she added for good measure.
Sunak, channeling his inner customer service representative, responded with the classic, “I’m sorry you feel like that,” and tried to assure Ellen that the Tories were indeed working to improve housing and other issues. He mentioned plans to build more homes and scrap stamp duty for first-time buyers—a promise that might have sounded more convincing if it weren’t for the decade and a half of unmet promises hanging over his head.
Ellen wasn’t buying it. She shot back, “You’ve had a decade and a half to improve housing, to improve renting conditions, to improve any of the things I mentioned, and you haven’t. I think young people just don’t believe your promises any more.”
Sunak, perhaps realizing he was in a losing battle, conceded, “I’m sorry you feel like that Ellen, and I’m probably not going to be able to convince you otherwise.” It’s a rare moment of honesty from a politician, even if it was under duress.
This encounter is a stark reminder of the growing discontent among the youth, who feel let down by years of Conservative governance. Despite Sunak’s optimistic pledges, many are skeptical about the Tories’ ability to deliver on their promises, especially given their track record. As the next election looms, it remains to be seen if Sunak can turn this skepticism around or if Ellen’s words will echo the sentiment of a generation (Evening Standard) (LBC) (HuffPost UK).