TOPIC

/ people

Rishi Sunak

Rishi Sunak was elected leader of Britain's Conservative Party on October 23, 2022, following the resignation of his predecessor, Liz Truss. He is the country's first prime minister of Asian heritage. Sunak had previously worked as Chancellor of the Exchequer from February 2020 to July 2022 under Boris Johnson. Sunak resigned, along with 61 other members of Johnson's government, after the then-PM became embroiled in a series of scandals.

Born

12 May 1980

Industry

Politics

Job Title

Former Prime Minister of Britain

Members of the Confucius Institute at Lancaster University in Bailrigg, England, celebrate the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival. Photo: Handout

China’s soft power

Chinese spy? Propagandist? Former Confucius Institute director tells his story

Memoir by former Britain-based academic rebuts accusations that the centres serve as vehicles for Beijing’s state narratives.

22 Dec 2025 - 12:00PM

Coronavirus pandemic: All stories

‘Too little, too late’: former UK government slammed for initial Covid response

21 Nov 2025 - 12:48PM

Keir Starmer

Starmer warns UK Labour is in ‘fight of our lives’ as party meets

29 Sep 2025 - 1:55AM

Rishi Sunak

Chinese spy? Propagandist? Former Confucius Institute director tells his story

Memoir by former Britain-based academic rebuts accusations that the centres serve as vehicles for Beijing’s state narratives.

‘Too little, too late’: former UK government slammed for initial Covid response

Starmer warns UK Labour is in ‘fight of our lives’ as party meets

UK reveals secret US$1.1 billion resettlement of thousands of Afghans

The programme, protected by a superinjunction, resettled at-risk Afghans, including those who helped UK forces, due to fears of Taliban retaliation after a data breach.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Opinion | As the US turns belligerent, China has a soft power opening

China’s choosing to make visiting the country easier comes at a perfect time to score a soft power victory as the US pulls up the drawbridge.

UK renationalises first train operator, Labour vows improvements

All UK rail operators are due to be renationalised within the next two years in a key policy launched by Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Opinion | As the new cold war thaws, UK and China look set for warmer ties

Economic reasons aside, Britain has little reason to prioritise the US alliance when Trump shows few signs of defending previously shared values.

Ex-Conservative MP among 15 charged over bets on Sunak’s UK election date

Craig Williams was one of several people investigated for cashing in on insider knowledge on date then-PM Rishi Sunak would call election.

Farage aims to ‘overtake’ Labour as Reform UK membership tops 200,000

Nigel Farage called the growth ‘extraordinary’ after Reform UK unveiled its membership counter late last year.

Membership of UK’s anti-immigration Reform party overtakes Conservatives

Party leader Nigel Farage hailed ‘historic moment’ as membership tally ticked past 131,680 figure declared earlier in year by Conservatives.

Badenoch elected new leader of UK Conservative Party

Badenoch came out on top in the two-horse race with former immigration minister Robert Jenrick with 57 per cent of the vote.

Opinion | Britain’s China policy needs an additional ‘C’

If the West attempts to make China a pariah, the world’s second largest economy will be left with no option but to lean towards Russia.

Alex Salmond, ex-first minister who sought Scotland’s independence, dies at 69

As Scottish National Party leader, he led the independence campaign in the 2014 referendum, but lost with 45 per cent of the vote.

Conservative leadership candidates grapple over immigration, winning votes

Most say the new leader must end infighting after fourteen years in power ended in a crushing July election defeat and Labour landslide.

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Exclusive | Peter Mandelson on why Britain’s sudden U-turn on China was a big ‘mistake’

The close Starmer adviser says ‘violent’ shifts in diplomatic direction are not realistic or sensible.

UK’s Starmer rules out austerity as Labour conference opens

The four-day gathering in Liverpool comes three months after Labour secured a runway general election victory over the Conservatives.

UK’s Peter Mandelson says China should meet London’s willingness to mend ties

Beijing also described as better positioned than most countries to broker peace in Ukraine war, but its economic nationalism is a concern.

UK PM Keir Starmer urges European allies to meet far-right ‘challenge’

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he fears a rise of the far-right in Britain and suggested progressive parties across Europe should jointly fight populism.

Starmer to warn of tough times ahead in first major speech as UK PM

Starmer, whose Labour Party was elected on July 4, is expected to use Tuesday’s speech to ramp up attacks on legacy left by Conservatives.

New UK government cuts billions of pounds of spending to fix ‘unsustainable’ finances

Finance minister Rachel Reeves announces spending cuts of US$7 billion, pencils in further cuts of US$10.4 billion and hints at tax rises.

Un-purr-turbed: Larry the cat training another UK prime minister in Downing Street

British prime ministers come and go at the premier’s official residence, 10 Downing Street. But the real power remains unchanged – Larry the cat.

Patel and Badenoch launch UK Conservative Party leadership bids

Priti Patel and Kemi Badenoch join 4 others, including former home secretary James Cleverly, in race to replace Rishi Sunak as party leader.

UK Conservatives planned to spend US$13 billion on Rwanda migrant scheme: minister

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told parliament the Rwanda plan, now scrapped, has already cost taxpayers US$905 million.

Rwanda says UK migrant deal did not stipulate return of funds

London paid Kigali US$306 million before new UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared the deportation scheme ‘dead and buried’.

Rwanda aware of UK’s intention to terminate contentious deportation scheme

Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Saturday that the UK’s Rwanda deportation plan was ‘dead and buried’.

Starmer seeks ‘reset’ on tour of UK nations after election victory

Britain’s new Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed to ‘work constructively’ with Scotland’s nationalist government as he began a trip aimed at improving ties between London and the UK’s devolved nations.

UK to demand Indian-owned Tata saves jobs at Wales steelworks: minister

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said he and PM Keir Starmer have spoken to Tata over firm’s plan to shut down blast furnaces at the plant – a move that puts 2,800 jobs at risk.

Inside Out | Britain’s election shows Hong Kong the flaws and strengths of democracy

The results of the 2024 UK general election have humbled the Conservative Party, but also put on display some of the quirks of the democratic process.

Opinion | As the US turns belligerent, China has a soft power opening

Exclusive | Peter Mandelson on why Britain’s sudden U-turn on China was a big ‘mistake’