Instructions on how to promote Sunak’s candidacy through identical social media posts are inadvertently revealed by backbencher Paul Maynard.
A Conservative MP has inadvertently exposed the instructions sent by Rishi Sunak’s team to fellow Tory MPs, guiding them on how to publicly support his leadership bid through social media. The guidance, which came shortly after Sunak announced his intention to run for Conservative Party leader, detailed a uniform Twitter post to be shared by MPs, including a quote and a link to his campaign website.
The instructions included a prepared message to be posted alongside the MP’s own photograph, directing them to use the hashtag #Ready4Rishi and to link to the website Ready4rishi.com. The pre-written message read: “I’m backing Rishi as he will tackle inflation, grow the economy and cut taxes. Rishi is why we have record low unemployment today. And that’s why he’s the best man to lead the country.”
Conservative backbencher Paul Maynard accidentally tweeted the instructions instead of the intended post, before quickly deleting it and replacing it with the correct message. The blunder did not go unnoticed, with social media users mocking the MP for the slip-up, joking that the original, scripted tweet was far more polished.
Prior to Sunak’s official announcement, Maynard had already engaged his Facebook followers by asking them to complete a survey on who they thought should be the next prime minister in his Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency. This incident followed the launch of Sunak’s official campaign website, Ready4rishi.com, which had sparked speculation about his leadership ambitions when it first appeared in 2020.
The website, which caused ripples within Downing Street, had previously been dismissed by Sunak’s team as “totally false” when rumours of a leadership bid began circulating. However, with his formal entry into the race, Sunak’s campaign has quickly gathered momentum.
In a polished video shared on social media, Sunak framed his candidacy as one of fiscal responsibility, distancing himself from calls for immediate tax cuts and stressing the need to confront the nation’s economic challenges with “honesty, seriousness, and determination.” He presented himself as the candidate capable of restoring trust after the scandals surrounding Boris Johnson’s leadership, suggesting a shift away from “culture wars” if he were to become prime minister.
As Sunak takes the lead in the race, his announcement has positioned him as a front-runner ahead of rivals such as Jeremy Hunt, Liz Truss, and Ben Wallace, setting the stage for a highly competitive Conservative leadership contest.
