shades fills you in

On October 25, Rishi Sunak became the UK’s new Prime Minister. He’s the third Tory PM in as many months. So who is he?

A Bloomberg Op says Sunak is an interesting combination of old and new in the Tory party. He has a posh education and is ultra-rich, but will also be the first Hindu and non-white PM. He also has close ties to the U.S

And he’s a rightwing conservative who’s relied on support from the center and left of his party, says The Financial Times. He supported Brexit but also pushed for COVID stimulus. His main appeal is competence in a country that badly needs it

The WSJ says he has a massive task ahead of him. He’s taking over in a time of crisis, both for his party and for the UK. Still, his moderate policies and steady hand might be enough to stabilize the UK economy

CNN agrees that Sunak is taking over with the UK in chaos. He’s seen as a reliable leader, but now has to manage the wreckage of the short-lived Truss premiership

The Atlantic says Sunak is a sign of the decline of democracy in the UK. After the Tory leadership imploded under Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, Sunak was the only establishment pick left standing

But The WSJ Ed Board says Truss was unfairly blamed for inflation and slow growth. Sunak created the bad economy as the Treasury head under Johnson. He pushed for the tax increases that killed growth in the UK -- now he’s really on the hook

So can Sunak save the super unpopular Tories from a wipeout in the next election? The Spectator says probably not

And The Guardian says he might just be too rich to be a successful PM. He’ll be the first PM to have more money than the monarch