NEW DELHI: At least three opinion polls have predicted a record defeat for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak‘s Conservative Party in the upcoming July 4 . These surveys predict a significant victory for the Labour Party, which has been in opposition for the past 14 years.
Polling by YouGov suggests Labour, led by Keir Starmer, could secure 425 seats in the 650-member House of Commons, the highest in its history.Savanta predicts 516 seats for Labour, while More in Common forecasts 406. Comparatively, the Conservatives might win only 108 seats according to YouGov, 53 according to Savanta, and 155 as per More in Common. Chris Hopkins, Political Research Director at Savanta, stated their projection puts Labour on course “for a historic majority.”
Rishi Sunak is predicted to lose even his own seat. With polls predicting a significant defeat for his Conservative Party, speculation has risen about Sunak’s potential relocation to California if he loses his position, a report in Politico said.
Sunak’s connections to California have become a focal point in the election campaign, with the phrase “sending Sunak to California” becoming a political shorthand for ousting him from office. His time living and working in California, where he studied at Stanford, met his wife, and ran a hedge fund in Santa Monica, has been a prominent part of his narrative as a leader.
President Joe Biden highlighted Sunak’s ties to California during a meeting last year in San Diego, humorously welcoming him back to the state and acknowledging his Stanford roots and home ownership in the region. Despite rejecting the notion of leaving for California if he loses the election, suggestions persist that his former Stanford friends are preparing lucrative opportunities for him in Silicon Valley.
As per the Politico report, the $7.2 million luxury apartment, located near Muscle Beach and the iconic Santa Monica Pier, offers a comfortable lifestyle. Sunak’s children would have access to elite schools, and the area has a strong British expat community. Reactions among local British expats to the idea of Sunak moving to California were mixed, ranging from mild enthusiasm to indifference.
Sunak’s California ties have influenced his political persona in the UK, where he has emphasized the benefits of his experience in driving economic growth through innovation. However, his connections to the US have also been a political liability, including criticism over his previous US green card and his wife’s “non-dom” tax status.
If Sunak were to return to California, he would join other British politicians who have taken roles in the tech industry, such as Nick Clegg and Steve Hilton, the Politico report mentioned.
(With inputs from agencies)