Rishi Sunak, Britain’s Prime Minister since last October, has had an uphill battle since taking office. Skyrocketing food and electricity prices, empty store shelves and a country still trying to adjust to Brexit have been on the list of challenges, but one thing the Prime Minister has done well is to warm up the sour relations with the EU left behind by Boris Johnson.
Just a few weeks ago, Sunak finally got a trade agreement between Great Britain and the EU for Northern Ireland, which is now outside the EU while sharing an island with the EU country Ireland.
– It has been concluded that there should be two queues entering the island of Ireland. With two queues it will be a little easier to get goods into Northern Ireland, a little more bureaucracy and paperwork to Ireland. What you don’t want is a hard border on the island, because it risks flaring up the unrest again in Northern Ireland. The government in London absolutely does not want that, says the former UK correspondent Maria Eksedler.
Close relation to Macron
Rishi Sunak also has a documented good relationship with one of the EU’s most powerful leaders, French President Emmanuel Macron.
– I spoke to a political scientist in London and she said that if you want to highlight something positive about Sunak, it is his way of working on the European contacts. He can take advantage of his charisma, or lack of charisma. It may be a little calmer now than it was with Boris Johnson, says Maria Eksedler.
Click the clip to hear Maria Eksedler on what it will take for Rishi Sunak to win the next UK election and see more in Foreign Office: Rishi Rich in SVT Play from 20:00 or in SVT2 22:00 Tuesday 4 April.
