Why we haven’t heard from the Chancellor

Adam Solomons | 25th January 2021 | Uncategorised
Official parliamentary portrait of Rishi Sunak. Chris McAndrew
Official parliamentary portrait of Rishi Sunak. Chris McAndrew

We shouldn’t blame each other for the latest COVID spike. One man ought to take responsibility, says Adam Solomons

A recent poll found twice as many blame the public for the latest rise in coronavirus infections than the government. That forgives the work of the chancellor. The person most to blame for our current predicament isn’t Boris Johnson, although that’s not a bad guess. It’s not Keir Starmer either. Nor Matt Hancock, Patrick Vallance or Chris Whitty. The man responsible for the UK’s consistently poor performance in cutting COVID cases - and, therefore, the latest in a series of ever harsher lockdowns - is actually the most popular politician in the country. We haven’t seen him in a while, but you might remember him from the disastrous cheap eats policy and pay for laying about. Yes, public anger at our ailing coronavirus response should lie at the feet of the chancellor, Rishi Sunak. 2020 was a cruel and difficult year for practically everyone in this country, but it wasn’t all bad for Sunak. A mid-ranking cabinet minister at the year’s beginning, he shot to the post of Chancellor just as ...

Subscribe to The Mace

Join the member community shaping British politics and stay ahead of what's really happening in the world of politics and public affairs, with expert analysis, breaking news, and insider insights from Westminster and Brussels. The Mace is the leading news source and resource for the government affairs industry, offering required reading and lobby intelligence for professionals.

To see what you are missing out on by not subscribing to The Mace, click here to download our full membership info-pack. This includes having no paywall on op-ed content or profiles/interviews, allowing professional profiles to be read with maximum impact and visibility by government, special advisers, MPs, peers, civil servants, and policy and political decision-makers.



Italy Joins Belgium in Challenging EU Plan to Use Frozen Russian Assets

Mace | December 15, 2025

Italy aligns with Belgium to oppose Brussels’ plan to deploy frozen Russian assets for Ukraine, complicating efforts ahead of key EU summit.

Democratic Led States Sue Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee

Mace | December 13, 2025

Twenty US states challenge Trump’s $100,000 H-1B visa fee, arguing it exceeds presidential authority and threatens labour markets.

EU Buy European Push Put on Ice as Member State Divisions Stall Plan

Mace | December 12, 2025

Deep splits among EU capitals force Brussels to delay its Buy European procurement push amid fears of protectionism and higher costs.

EU Council Signs Off EU UK Fishing Quotas Deal for 2026

Mace | December 12, 2025

Brussels approves annual EU UK fisheries agreement for 2026, setting shared quotas and access rules under the post Brexit framework.

EU Forces Meta to Reshape Ads Policy After 200 Million Euro Fine

Mace | December 10, 2025

Meta agrees to overhaul its EU ad model, offering clearer data-sharing choices for users after regulators ruled its previous system breached competition rules.

EU Governments Agree Common Position on New Asylum and Migrant Return Rules

Mace | December 10, 2025

EU states back new asylum and return measures, including safe-country rules and a solidarity pool, ahead

MACE Marks Five Years with Westminster Celebration

Mace | December 4, 2025

MACE marked its 5th anniversary with a high-profile Commons reception of politicians, diplomats, media figures and lobbyists, launching its influencers report

Scathing criticism

Christopher Silvester | December 3, 2025

From self-lacerating memoir to by-election madness and a Labour Together takedown, The Mace’s literary editor Christopher Silvester rounds up the latest political books.

Telling a human tale

Christopher Silvester | December 3, 2025

From self-lacerating memoir to by-election madness and a Labour Together takedown, The Mace’s literary editor Christopher Silvester rounds up the latest political books.

Ex-deputy chair among Tory defections to Reform

Mace | November 30, 2025

Three former Conservative MPs, including ex-deputy chair Jonathan Gullis, defect to Reform UK as the party capitalises on Tory unrest and declining support.