
It has been an eventful decade for Rishi Sunak. Ten years ago this month, as a bright-eyed hedge fund manager with no political experience but a first in PPE from Oxford, he was selected to succeed William Hague as the Conservative candidate for Richmond in Yorkshire. Today – having delivered several of his own budgets as chancellor and faced Keir Starmer in dozens of PMQs sessions – he stood at the despatch box as leader of the opposition and delivered what is all but certain to be his final performance in frontline politics.
Or perhaps that should be his final performances. Because there were two Rishi Sunaks in the House of Commons today – both dramatically distinct from his persona as prime minister.