Leisurewear is an alien import on the British political scene but one man has used it as armoury throughout 2020.
Prepping for the ruling Conservative party conference speech last week, Rishi Sunak posted on Instagram a picture of himself stood at the lectern while wearing grey joggers. Chic as the sweatpants were, I doubt that any other Conservative frontline politico would do that in public.
Mr Sunak's has been a meteoric success in a year filled with dying stars crashing to Earth. His Indian-born parents arrived in Britain, built a business and their bright son managed to go to Winchester School, one of the world’s oldest, on a scholarship.
Today, the fate of the British economy rests on his slender shoulders. The Covid-19 infection rate does not fall in his purview, so Mr Sunak has sought to shape the economic response with his own fresh personal touches.
Early in the crisis when Prime Minister Boris Johnson was hospitalised with Covid-19, Mr Sunak posted the first of the hoodie pictures wishing his leader back to health.
Ever since, clothing has sent signals.
Few would have picked a slim man on "the Tube", London's underground rail network, as the holder of the UK's purse strings in early September. He was wearing a face mask, unusual at the time in London when it was not compulsory on public transport. An hour later, he was at an event wearing a custom-made hoodie to launch the Kickstart jobs retraining scheme to respond to the pandemic.
Rarely has a politician made such a big impression with the public in such a short period of time.
Mr Sunak pitched into the job, which involves living in No 11 Downing St next to the boss, in February. Now 40, he married Akshata Murthy in 2009 after they met at Stanford University. She is the daughter of a legend of Indian business, Narayana Murthy, who is co-founder of Infosys, an IT company.
The Covid-19 crisis is nowhere near a turning point. Having pursued a lockdown and then allowed a social-focused reopening that neglected clear guidance on the workplace, the British government presides over an economy that remains almost 10 per cent smaller than it was in February.
As Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr Sunak has not attracted opprobrium but, instead, has zoomed to the top of the confidence charts in public polling.
The MBA graduate has sought to maintain confidence that recovery is still in touch. Yet, he also commits to strong public finances and warns of "hard choices". "This doesn't mean a horror show of tax rises with no end in sight," he told the party conference when he appeared at the event in sober dark blue suit. "But it does mean treating the British people with respect, being honest about the challenges and showing them how we plan to correct our public finances."
Mobilising the power of the English language has been a key tenet of his work. Schemes such as the Kickstart training programme have been presented with pinpoint sharpness. A drive to ensure that people emerged from the lockdown confident about social interaction was brilliantly packaged.
More than 100 million meals were claimed through the government’s dining discount programme. Reuters
The Eat Out to Help Out scheme picked up half the food bills for meals on Monday-Wednesday and was a shot in the arm for hospitality. On Friday, he announced a Winter Economic Plan to withstand the rolling shutdown under way as infections grow.
For those with a dystopian view of the world, the pandemic can sometimes seem like branding exercise. But Mr Sunak’s efforts are far more accessible and encouraging than the government’s overall social distancing and public health slogans.
Beyond the words, Mr Sunak has also proven a savvy operator in how to mobilise the government machine. One former senior ambassador told a meeting last week that there was no coincidence that Mr Sunak’s high poll numbers came after he established a good relationship with his officials.
William Hague pointed out that Rishi Sunak was a model for the type of talented cabinet minister that Mr Johnson needed around him
The Treasury department is the undeniable gorilla in the British government machine. It not only raises taxes but expects other departments to justify how the funds are spent. While there is resistance from other departments – known to insiders as "consent and evade", or knowing to quietly disavow what is agreed upon – it is generally true that Treasury rules prevail.
A well-liked minister who is not at war with his officials draws dividends from a smooth functioning machine behind his every move. William Hague, the former foreign secretary and a sage observer of the Conservative party, last week made a comment on Mr Sunak, who followed in his footsteps by winning the very safe House of Commons seat of Richmond in Yorkshire.
Mr Hague pointed out that Mr Sunak was a model for the type of talented cabinet minister that Mr Johnson needed around him. “The government needs more Rishi Sunaks,” he said. “It needs to look in a couple of years like it’s a team of brilliant ministers directing hard-working advisers.”
As for the man himself, Mr Sunak was definite last week that he did not want to move on the top job. "God, no. Definitely not."
Damien McElroy is the London bureau chief of The National
The biog
DOB: 25/12/92
Marital status: Single
Education: Post-graduate diploma in UAE Diplomacy and External Affairs at the Emirates Diplomatic Academy in Abu Dhabi
Hobbies: I love fencing, I used to fence at the MK Fencing Academy but I want to start again. I also love reading and writing
Lifelong goal: My dream is to be a state minister
ENGLAND TEAM
Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Joe Root (captain), Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Craig Overton, Stuart Broad, James Anderson
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
Know before you go
Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder turbo
Transmission: CVT
Power: 170bhp
Torque: 220Nm
Price: Dh98,900
'Brazen'
Director: Monika Mitchell
Starring: Alyssa Milano, Sam Page, Colleen Wheeler
Rating: 3/5
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Glossary of a stock market revolution
Reddit
A discussion website
Redditor
The users of Reddit
Robinhood
A smartphone app for buying and selling shares
Short seller
Selling a stock today in the belief its price will fall in the future
You can’t yet talk about investing or borrowing, but introduce a “classic” money bank and start putting gifts and allowances away. When the child wants a specific toy, have them save for it and help them track their progress.
Early childhood (six - eight years)
Replace the money bank with three jars labelled ‘saving’, ‘spending’ and ‘sharing’. Have the child divide their allowance into the three jars each week and explain their choices in splitting their pocket money. A guide could be 25 per cent saving, 50 per cent spending, 25 per cent for charity and gift-giving.
Middle childhood (nine - 11 years)
Open a bank savings account and help your child establish a budget and set a savings goal. Introduce the notion of ‘paying yourself first’ by putting away savings as soon as your allowance is paid.
Young teens (12 - 14 years)
Change your child’s allowance from weekly to monthly and help them pinpoint long-range goals such as a trip, so they can start longer-term saving and find new ways to increase their saving.
Teenage (15 - 18 years)
Discuss mutual expectations about university costs and identify what they can help fund and set goals. Don’t pay for everything, so they can experience the pride of contributing.
Young adulthood (19 - 22 years)
Discuss post-graduation plans and future life goals, quantify expenses such as first apartment, work wardrobe, holidays and help them continue to save towards these goals.
* JP Morgan Private Bank
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
Tuesday (UAE kick-off times)
Leicester City v Brighton (9pm)
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United (11.15pm)
Wednesday
Manchester United v Sheffield United (9pm)
Newcastle United v Aston Villa (9pm)
Norwich City v Everton (9pm)
Wolves v Bournemouth (9pm)
Liverpool v Crystal Palace (11.15pm)
Thursday
Burnley v Watford (9pm)
Southampton v Arsenal (9pm)
Chelsea v Manchester City (11.15pm)
POSSIBLE ENGLAND EURO 2020 SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope, Dean Henderson. Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kieran Trippier, Joe Gomez, John Stones, Harry Maguire, Tyrone Mings, Ben Chilwell, Fabian Delph. Midfielders: Declan Rice, Harry Winks, Jordan Henderson, Ross Barkley, Mason Mount, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Forwards: Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Tammy Abraham, Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
