From Brexit to partygate, this month promises to be defining for Rishi Sunak as he looks to make his mark on Downing Street before next year's general election.
Finally, there is Northern Ireland itself and the political stalemate that has left Stormont standing empty and power-sharing paralysed. The DUP's position is that while the protocol doesn't work, they won't participate. This means that their verdict will decide the future of Northern Irish politics.
Instead, it is the current PM who has the most to lose. This is firstly because it will likely reignite public anger that was stoked when the revelations first emerged, as more pictures, emails, and messages remind people that those in power were enjoying themselves while they suffered.More worrying for Mr Sunak than that though is that his old ally turned enemy will be centre stage for weeks, causing division within the Conservative ranks and forcing colleagues to take sides.
That ends in May, when the voters will give their verdict in the local elections. In theory, they're all about bin collections and potholes, but in reality this vote takes the political temperature and is often a good indicator of where things are heading. This year's result in particular will be closely scrutinised because it could be the final electoral test before the next general election.
Signs that the tide has turned fiercely against them will likely lead to rumblings that Rishi Sunak is to blame and that he needs to go before they get booted out of office in a year or so's time. No doubt, if Boris Johnson has survived the partygate inquiry, he will be all too happy to suggest himself as a last-minute replacement.
Beyond that, there will be a lot more to do to clear the enormous backlog in asylum claims and fix a broken system that has seen desperate people dumped in hotels up and down the country, often for months and at huge cost. He must succeed though if he is to keep his MPs onside, as well as many voters who consider it the number one priority.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Rishi Sunak set to unveil new laws to tackle small boat crossings in Channel next weekNew laws to crack down on small boats crossing the Channel are expected to be unveiled by Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman next week, ahead of an expected surge in migrant arrivals in the spring
Read more »
Laura Kuenssberg: Rishi Sunak struggles to escape Tories' horror show pastOld problems have resurfaced, and none of them were in the prime minister's carefully designed script.
Read more »
Rishi Sunak wants to 'permanently' ban all refugees on small boats from UKRishi Sunak is currently seeking to revive plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, after approving a new legislation which gives the government the power to detain all refugees who arrive in small boats.
Read more »
Rishi Sunak vows to end asylum claims from small boat arrivalsAnyone coming to the UK on a small boat will be removed to Rwanda or another country, under new laws.
Read more »
Rishi Sunak to introduce new laws to stem cross-Channel migration\n\t\t\tKeep abreast of significant corporate, financial and political developments around the world.\n\t\t\tStay informed and spot emerging risks and opportunities with independent global reporting, expert\n\t\t\tcommentary and analysis you can trust.\n\t\t
Read more »