How Rishi Sunak is losing the right-wing media | Andrew Marr | The New Statesman

Summary

The video discusses the complex and rapidly changing relationship between UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the traditionally Conservative-supporting right-wing media. It describes how papers like The Telegraph and broadcasters like GB News are increasingly critical of Sunak, nudging their readers/viewers towards the further-right Reform UK party. The script argues this reflects genuine anger within the Conservative grassroots and predicts it may spark a future leadership contest, installing a more populist leader who struggles with moderates in Parliament. It concludes by saying such media hostility to a flailing government is rare and signals growing authority issues at the heart of politics.

Takeaways

• 📰 The right-wing media, traditionally supportive of the Conservative Party, is increasingly hostile towards Rishi Sunak and his government.
• 🔍 An opinion poll in the Daily Telegraph suggested a significant decline in Conservative Party support, predicting a landslide victory for Keir Starmer's Labour Party.
• 🗳️ The detailed Telegraph poll allowed MPs to see the potential impact on their individual constituencies, creating unease within the Conservative Party.
• 📈 Reform UK, a right-wing party, is gaining traction among traditional Conservative voters and media, potentially leading to a significant shift in UK politics.
• 🔥 The Telegraph's critical stance towards the Conservative Party marks a departure from its historical alignment and could influence the party's future direction.
• 🌐 The potential takeover of the Telegraph by a consortium involving foreign investors is a pivotal moment for British journalism and its independence.
• 💼 Modern newspaper editors, driven by data and reader feedback, are less politically aligned and more focused on audience interests, impacting their editorial choices.
• 📺 GB News, a right-leaning broadcaster, debates openly supporting Reform UK, which could further influence the political landscape.
• 🤝 Rupert Murdoch's News UK is reportedly aligning with Keir Starmer's Labour Party, indicating a shift in media support towards the likely next government.
• ⚖️ The changing media landscape reflects a broader shift in politics, with the media seeking new alignments amidst a perceived decline in Conservative Party authority.

Q & A

What is the relationship currently like between Rishi Sunak's government and the conservative media?

The relationship is increasingly hostile, with conservative media becoming more aligned with the right-wing and critical of Sunak's government ahead of the next election.

How damaging was the recent Daily Telegraph opinion poll for Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives?

It suggested the Tories were heading for their worst election defeat since 1906, which is very damaging for Sunak. The poll predicts a 1997-style wipeout with Labour having a 120 seat majority.

How could Reform UK pose an existential threat to the Conservative Party?

Reform UK is polling around 12-13% currently. Richard Tice believes with Nigel Farage's return they could get 16-17% by Easter. If they reach 20% and rival the Conservatives, it could split the right-wing vote and wipe out the Tories.

Why might the Telegraph be attacking Rishi Sunak's government when they may need its help against the Redbird takeover bid?

The new generation Telegraph editors like Chris Evans are data-driven and focused on readership. Readers are shifting to Reform UK, so the Telegraph reflects that in coverage critical of Sunak, despite needing government help against Redbird.

How could Paul Dacre and Rupert Murdoch's media operations impact the next election?

Dacre admires the Telegraph's Chris Evans, so if his Mail group bought the Telegraph he'd strongly influence the next Tory leadership race. Murdoch has apparently done a deal with Starmer's Labour, sensing they will win.

What is GB News' stance and how could it damage Rishi Sunak?

GB News owner Paul Marshall favours pluralism. It regularly features Reform UK members and is debating backing them fully. This platform for criticism of Sunak from the right is very difficult for Number 10.

Why can't Rishi Sunak rely on traditional right-wing media allies?

Times/Sun are distancing from Tories as Murdoch courts Starmer. Telegraph is reflecting its shifting readership. Unherd/GB News back Reform UK. Most media follow where power is heading, which is away from Sunak.

What change is happening in the new generation of newspaper editors?

They are data-driven and focused on readership over political links. Constant reader feedback means they reflect readers shifting to Reform UK rather than supporting Sunak like old Tory-linked editors.

How could the media landscape explode the right of British politics?

If Reform UK rivals Tories in polls, right-wing media backing them could help wipe out centrist Conservatives at the election. Then activists would elect a populist leader, shunned by Tory MPs.

What is driving the changes in the media's relationship with Rishi Sunak's government?

There is a radical loss of authority at the center of politics. The media reflect this by moving away from a failing Tory party and exploring alternatives like Reform UK or Labour instead of dutifully backing Number 10.

Outlines

00:00

😕 Conservatives face hostile right-wing media

Paragraph 1 discusses how the conservative party is facing increasing hostility from the right-wing media. It describes how a Daily Telegraph poll predicted a devastating defeat for the Tories in the next election. Lord Frost and Reform UK are putting pressure on the conservatives on issues like immigration. There are predictions that Reform UK could reach 17% in the polls by Easter, threatening the Tories.

05:02

🚨 Telegraph faces authoritarian takeover bid

Paragraph 2 talks about the takeover bid for the Telegraph and Spectator by an authoritarian consortium Red Bird IMI. Many Telegraph editors oppose this bid. The government can block the deal and the Telegraph needs Rishi Sunak's support. But the Telegraph is still attacking Sunak due to a generational change in editors like Chris Evans who are data-driven and don't have close ties to the Tories.

10:03

📰 Conservative hostility across right-wing media landscape

Paragraph 3 discusses the wider British media landscape which is increasingly hostile to Rishi Sunak and the conservatives. GB News owner Paul Marshall is debating backing Reform UK. News UK and The Sun have seemingly reached an agreement with Labour's Keir Starmer. Number 10 faces a loss of authority and increasingly radicalized conservative activists.

15:05

😔 Media changes reflect and drive conservative party decay

Paragraph 4 concludes that the media changes are not a conspiracy but reflect loss of conservative authority, changing business models and ownership. This will likely lead to the election of an authoritarian populist Tory leader who will clash with Tory MPs, creating further party decay.

Keywords

💡Rishi Sunak

Rishi Sunak is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, referenced in the context of his challenging relationship with right-wing media. The script highlights a moment of tension between Sunak's leadership and conservative media outlets, indicating an evolving and increasingly hostile dynamic. This scenario is emblematic of broader shifts within the UK's political landscape, where traditional alliances between the Conservative Party and certain media outlets are under strain. Sunak's leadership faces scrutiny from these media entities, who criticize his policies and political stance, thereby influencing public perception and political discourse.

💡Conservative Media

Conservative media, traditionally aligned with the ideologies and interests of the Conservative Party in the UK, are undergoing a transformation. The script points out a shift from being supportive entities to adopting a more critical, right-wing stance. This change is significant as it represents a fragmentation within the ideological support base that the Conservative Party once relied upon. Examples from the script, like the coverage of opinion polls and immigration policies, illustrate how these media outlets are now exerting pressure on the Conservative leadership and influencing political debates.

💡Reform UK

Reform UK is presented as a right-wing political challenger to the Conservative Party. The script discusses its rising popularity, as evidenced by increasing poll numbers, and its potential to disrupt the traditional two-party dominance in UK politics. The mention of Reform UK underscores a broader narrative of political fragmentation and the emergence of new political forces that appeal to disenchanted conservative voters. The video script highlights the strategic positioning of Reform UK and its potential impact on the Conservative Party's electoral prospects.

💡Daily Telegraph

The Daily Telegraph, a longstanding newspaper traditionally aligned with Conservative values, is depicted as playing a pivotal role in the current political discourse. The script details an instance where the newspaper published a damaging opinion poll for the Conservative Party, showcasing its shift from a supportive role to a more critical, possibly antagonistic stance. This example illustrates the changing dynamics between the Conservative Party and its historically allied media outlets, highlighting how media influence can shape political outcomes.

💡Media Ecosystem

The media ecosystem refers to the complex network of media outlets, platforms, and their interactions with political entities and the public. The script delves into how changes within this ecosystem, characterized by shifts in media ownership, editorial stances, and the rise of new media players, are influencing political narratives and party dynamics. It highlights the importance of understanding these changes to grasp the evolving political landscape and media's role in shaping public opinion and political fortunes.

💡GB News

GB News is identified as an insurgent television network with a right-leaning editorial stance. The script discusses its potential influence on the political scene, especially in relation to its coverage of Reform UK and Conservative Party critics. GB News represents a new breed of media outlet that contributes to the diversification of the media landscape and the broadening of political discourse. Its role in the video script illustrates the impact of media plurality on political alignment and voter behavior.

💡Extinction Event

An 'extinction event' is used metaphorically to describe a scenario where the Conservative Party faces a significant electoral defeat, potentially leading to a fundamental reevaluation or restructuring of the party. This term, drawn from the script, captures the existential threat perceived by some within the party due to the rising challenge from Reform UK and the shifting media landscape. It encapsulates the sense of crisis and urgency surrounding the party's future electoral prospects and identity.

💡Election Polls

Election polls are surveys that gauge public opinion on political parties and their leaders, often predicting electoral outcomes. The script references specific polls indicating a severe decline in support for the Conservative Party, highlighting the role of polls in shaping political narratives and strategies. These polls, especially when covered extensively by the media, can influence public perception and political momentum, underlining their significance in the pre-election period.

💡Immigration Policy

Immigration policy emerges as a contentious issue within the script, illustrating its role as a divisive topic in UK politics. The Conservative Party's stance on immigration, particularly the Rwanda Bill vote, is scrutinized by right-wing media and political figures, reflecting broader debates on national identity, security, and multiculturalism. This focus on immigration policy highlights the complex interplay between political strategy, media coverage, and public sentiment.

💡Media Ownership

Media ownership refers to the control over media outlets and their editorial direction, which is a central theme in the script. The potential takeover of The Daily Telegraph and The Spectator by a foreign consortium is discussed as a critical moment for British journalism and its independence. This scenario underscores concerns about the influence of media owners on the political narrative and the importance of ownership in preserving journalistic integrity and freedom.

Highlights

Right-wing media becoming increasingly hostile towards Conservative party

Daily Telegraph published devastating poll showing Conservatives facing wipeout

Lord Frost actively involved in commissioning anti-Conservative poll

Poll intended to pressure PM on immigration stance before Rwanda vote

Telegraph has never been uncritically loyal to Conservative leaders

Telegraph seems to be nudging readers towards Reform UK, away from Conservatives

Reform UK could be level pegging with Conservatives by summer

Curious Telegraph is attacking PM when it needs government help against UAE bid

New generation of data-driven, non-establishment editors less biddable

Readers moving to Reform UK, loops back into Telegraph editorial decisions

Potential Telegraph bidder also owns large stake in pro-Reform GB News

GB News debate on fully backing Reform UK over Conservatives

Cabinet minister predicts media pushes activists to Reform UK after election

If Reform UK gets 20%+ support, could be extraordinary right-wing explosion

Seeing what happens when government loses authority - media don't tie to losers

Transcripts

conservatives have never seen the

right-wing media so powerful and also so

hostile to their

[Music]

party this week I'm writing about the

extraordinary and fast changing

relationship between rishy sunak Downing

Street ahead of the election and what

used to be called the conservative media

but increasingly is more the right-wing

media we are seeing a very important

cult and political change going on and

if there is a mood of paranoia in

Downing Street is not entirely

unreasonable this part of the story

really goes back to rumors spreading on

the evening of Sunday January the 14th

about the following day's Daily

Telegraph Splash story this featured a

frankly devastating opinion poll

suggesting the Tories were heading for

their worst fall in the vote since 1906

what the newspaper Splash called a 1997

Style wipe out and with Kia starmer's

party having 120 strong Landslide

majority after the general election now

often if you're trying to gauge the

emotional intended impact of a newspaper

story you have to look at the picture

beside it and the picture here showed a

particularly uncomfortable sweaty

looking Richie sunak staring out of the

paper as if he was sucking a lemon it

was fairly clear what was going on but

lest there be a cintilla of Doubt Lord

Frost one time big backer of Boris

Johnson and now one of the arch critics

of Rishi sunak inside the conservative

party wrote a piece in the paper

boasting that he himself had been

involved in commissioning and analyzing

the poll an analysis by the way that

Yuga who carried out the poll then

argued about it seemed to push the

conservatives even further towards a

reform UK kind of attitude towards

immigration and was clearly intended to

put particular pressure on the Prime

Minister on the week of the big Rwanda

Bill vote indeed Lord Frost said that

unless the Tories were going to be

tougher still on immigration they faced

what he called an Extinction event at

the hands of Reform UK at this point you

might be wondering what all the fuss is

about after all there have been an

absolute slew of polls all showing much

the same thing Rishi sunak conservative

party in real real deep trouble and if

this particular attack was intended to

stiffen the resolve of the so-called

Spartans on the right of the party then

it completely failed because on the

Rwanda vote they marched up to the top

of the hill took one look at the

opposition in terms of numbers and ran

straight back down again and Rishi sinak

won that vote rather successfully and

yet the telegraph poll was about more

than a snapshot this was a very very

detailed analysis which can be broken

down constituency by constituency

allowing individual Tory MPS to look in

black and white at the likelihood of

them being defeated in the forthcoming

general election and for a parliamentary

party which is already divided tired and

demoralized this was a pretty

devastating act by The Daily Telegraph

now of course the telegraph or as it's

often widely known the Tory graph has

long been a kind of Bible of the

conservative family but it has never

been kneejerk loyyal to Tory Prime

Ministers I'm thinking for instance of

the terrible experience that John Major

had during the M Revolt at the hands of

the telegraph you you wouldn't feel when

if you went to see Mr major that um it

was very important to straighten your

tie before you went into the room I'm

thinking of the really severe impact the

telegraphs exposure of the expenses

Scandal had on a slew of senior Tory MPS

and I'm thinking more recently of the

expose of Matt Hancock this has never

been a paper which looks at number 10

asks what they want to read and then

prints it it's never been like that

however these times are different and

much more dangerous first of all the

conservatives really are facing a

devastating general election if the

polls are right and second unlike normal

circumstances there is a real genuine

right-wing Challenger to the

conservative party under Richard TI and

reform UK and what the telegraph seem to

be doing is nudging towards reform UK

and away from the conservative party and

that is what is really spooking number

10 now I've spoken to Richard Ty and he

points out reform UK backed by lots of

people in the media and now at around 12

to 133% in the polls he does not believe

that Nigel farage will be able to resist

coming back as he says onto the pitch

for an election campaign and he thinks

that by itself is probably worth another

two or three points to reform UK he

believes that reform UK could be up to

16 17 points by Easter and by the summer

could even be get this level pegging

with the conservative party and he too

using the same language interestingly as

Lord Frost talks about an extinction

level event facing the concern

conservatives at the general election I

think we are seeing essentially the sort

of the dying days potentially the last

ever majority conservative government so

this stuff is real you can understand

why people around rishy sunak are pretty

spooked what's really curious about the

telegraph's handling of all of this is

the timing because the newspaper

including its stablemate The Spectator

faces a takeover bid from a company

called redb bird IMI which is a joint

Consortium between American Venture

capitalists that's the red bird bit and

The Sovereign wealth fund of Abu Dhabi

under shik mansur who is also by the way

the owner of Manchester City now the

emiratis are authoritarian they have no

great love or tradition of free speech

it would be the first time that the

Sovereign wealth fund of another

government and an authoritarian

Government tried to buy a major

newspaper in the UK and a lot of people

at the top of the telegraph including

the current editor and previous editors

and most of the senior editorial staff

absolutely loathe the prospect of being

taken over by Red Bird IMI and I think

even if the Emirates and the Americans

tried to stuff their mouths with gold

many of them would simply walk away if

that happened it's a very very important

moment for British journalism generally

and the Curious bit of this of course is

that who can protect the telegraph well

basically only the government the

culture secretary Lucy Fraser is taking

the bid in for analysis and scrutiny the

competition and markets authorities and

other people will be involved in all of

that but the important point to remember

is that Telegraph needs rishy sunak

needs his government so why is it

attacking him quite so vigorously right

now now I think the answer to this is

nothing to do with conspiracy it's about

the personalities involved and it's

about a really important change in the

ecosystem of the media generally so the

personalities is first of all in the old

days the editors of the Daily Telegraph

Her Majesty's Daily Telegraph were part

of the higher ecosystem of the concern

conservative family they'd go to the

same clubs at lunchtime have a few gin

and tonics and a decent bottle of Claret

with a cabinet minister roll back to the

office and then at the weekends they'd

be off in the country shooting or riding

or whatever with conservative ministers

they were part of that family the new

generation are completely different what

you need to remember is that right

across Fleet Street at the moment what

used to be called Fleet Street Paul

daker the former editor of the Daily

Mail has seeded a series of younger

journalist as editors who are

phenomenally influential and they're all

in a sense quite similar there is Tony

Galler at the Times there is Ben Taylor

at the Sunday Times and indeed there is

Chris Evans at the Telegraph and these

are datadriven ferociously hardworking

editors who disdain kind of political

and Social Links are very very

suspicious of friendly smiling

politicians of any stripe there's a

story about Chris Evans which may be

apocryphal but I think has a kernel of

Truth which is that at one point in the

middle of a very very busy evening

Newsroom when everyone's rushing around

his wife and his small children appear

and she's brought them in for him to say

good night to because that was the only

way he was ever going to see them that

gives you some sense of the driven

quality of this group of journalists

they are not the kind to be won over by

a gy and tonic in a cabinet Minister's

office so that's one really important

change these are DEA driven editors of a

different style less biddable than the

old Tory editors but they not only vaker

driven editors they're data driven

editors because modern newspapers work

on a kind of endless loop they're all

online subscription models so they're

getting feedback in almost real time

about how many readers are reading what

and what articles they're spending time

over that plus the endless emails and

letters coming pouring into an editor's

office gives a modern editor a much

closer sense of what their readers are

really interested in and really think

and the truth is that a lot of these

readers a lot of the the traditional

Daily Telegraph audience are moving to

reform UK they have given up on Rishi

sunak they don't like him they feel that

conservatives have failed over the last

13 or 14 years and they're looking for a

right-wing alternative and this kind of

Loops back into the editorial decisions

taken by the Telegraph and other

newspapers and that is not something

that number 10 can do anything about and

that means these people are much less

susceptible to being wooed by Tory

cabinet ministers or indeed by the Prime

Minister him himself now Paul daker

really admires evans's editing of the

telegraph we know this because the The

crucial Mark of how much Paul daker

likes somebody is whether he invites

them to the rugby at Twickenham and then

offers them lunch from the the boot of

his car in the car park afterwards and

Evans is almost always I'm told there

and this really matters again because if

Redbird uh the Abu Dhabi group don't

take over the telegraph who does someone

has to win and one of the answers might

well be Lord rir proprietor of the Daily

Mail uh employer of Paul deer and indeed

now the propriety of the I and the metro

newspaper and many others so this is

somebody who would then if he had the

telegraph as well he's got a tabloid

he'd then have a broad sheet it's quite

a good fit he would have an enormous

influence on the next Tory leadership

campaign so there is the really really

important if slightly Tangled story of

the telegraph red bird shik Manu Lord

ramir Paul daker and the rest of it that

is what number 10 is focusing on but

there's another aspect to this because

if it isn't Lord rir who may well Tire

of the chase I'm told it's a Paul

Marshall he is the hedge fund manager

who owns the post liberal website

unheard uh again very very well read

inside the conservative family and he's

also a 41% owner of GB news now GB news

the upstart Insurgent television ision

company on the right of British politics

there's a lively debate inside GB news

about whether to come out full on for

reform UK rather than for the

conservatives both Nigel farage and

Richard T the current leader of Reform

UK are regulars on GB news they're part

of the lineup and the lineup also

includes critics of rishy sunak inside

the conservative party like Jacob rmog

and the recently retired or resigned or

sacked Deputy chairman Lee Anderson so

it's not a favorable Pro Tory

organization in any sense now Marshall

is a really really interesting figure

for a long time he was inside the

liberal Democrats he worked for Charles

Kennedy when Charles Kennedy was libdem

leader um and he was part of the orange

book group of liberal Democrats but he

fell out with them over brexit he became

a big brexit backer people who know him

very well say to me that he is not a

political extremist but he's obsessed by

plurality and pluralism and different

views being expressed in the broadcast

media which is why he has been such a

backer of GB news now GB news has its

own culture War there's the kind of

loudmouth would be American shock jock

characters we all know about some of

whom have been fired already and there

are much more conventional if right of

Center professional journalists involved

there too so there's a really

interesting debate going on if GB news

comes out for reform UK fully then that

will be quite a big moment and very

difficult for number 10 because they are

speaking to a lot of conservative

activist people who have been inside the

conservative party and who are now

disillusioned this is not just a media

story this is very much a major

political story too okay okay okay you

may now be thinking that's all very well

Andrew Mar GB news the Telegraph and the

mail but what about the really big

player news UK Rupert Murdoch's

operation inside Britain well I'm told

that news UK has made not one but two

attempts to buy GB news not so far

successful and it's also pretty clear to

me that news UK the Murdoch operation

has done some kind of deal with Kia

starmer's labor party Rupert Murdoch has

always been somebody who looked to where

power is moving and moves alongside and

in this case it's very clear to him I'm

sure that starmer is likely to be the

next prime minister he like Bal daker is

obsessed by stopping any kind of big

public scrutiny of the role of the press

in this country uh a so-called leveron 2

inquiry particularly into links between

the police and the journalists and I

would not be at all surprised if he has

not had some kind of commitments from

Kia st's office apparently Kia starma um

and his top people had a very very

agreeable evening dinner at Scots

restaurant in Mayfair with the News

international team with the people at

the top of the Sun newspaper and others

just before Christmas draw your own

conclusions so if you scroll back and

you think about number 10 and you're

richy sunak you say okay well because of

that I can't rely on the times and the

Murdoch stable for reasons we've been

talking about I can't rely on the

telegraph I can't rely on GB news I

can't lie on unheard or many of the

other uh right-wing websites you're

starting to look at a media landscape

which is surprisingly hostile one

cabinet minister told me he could not

remember a time when the British media

in terms of the conservative party was

both so powerful and so hostile and he

predicted that in the end what would

happen is a lot of conserv ative

activists would follow a more reform UK

style of politics in the Telegraph and

and other places and GB news and after

the defeat at the election would elect a

much more populist authoritarian

right-wing leader for the conservatives

of the kind we've seen before and the

kind those activists want and that

person would then go back to Westminster

to discover surprise surprise a

conservative parliamentary party we

didn't really like them and so we're

going to go yet through yet another

circle of conservative Decay and failure

but this time driven in many ways by

parts of the media in the end I don't

think this is a story of conspiracy

whatever number 10 believes I think this

is a story about really important

changes in the way newspapers operate

and their relationship with their

readers and increasingly their viewers

as well and changes in ownership too I

think what we're really seeing here is

what happens when there is a radical

loss of authority at the center of

politics one of the things that happens

is the media don't like tying themselves

to a loser and start to look around for

the next game in town it might be a

different party it might be a different

leader it might be a different style and

I think that's what's really happening

here but the effect will be pretty

devastating I think for middle of the

road or Centrist conservatives very very

Grim for them indeed in terms of the

leadership the the other contenders

including people like SOA braan and kemy

badok do not want to go too early kemy

badok was apparently recently heard in

the House of Commons saying that she

wanted rishy to own the defeat um and

when it comes to reform UK we just don't

know what's going to happen but if

reform UK do indeed helped by people in

the telegraph helped by people at GB

news get up to sort of 20 points or even

north of that and do start to rival the

conservatives I think we're heading for

an absolutely extraordinary explosion on

the right of British politics thank you

for watching I would really love to know

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