Sunak U-turn on ban for China’s Confucius Institute like ‘script for Yes Minister’

The retreat has been criticised by Tory backbenchers, with former prime minister Liz Truss urging Rishi Sunak to deliver on his leadership promises

Sunak heads to Japan on Wednesday (POOL/AFP/Getty)

Rishi Sunak’s U-turn on a pledge to shut down 30 Chinese state-sponsored Confucius Institutes in the the UK has been compared to “the scriptwriters for Yes Minister”.

The retreat, first reported by TalkTV, has been criticised by more hawkish Tory backbenchers, with former prime minister Liz Truss urging him to deliver on the language he used during last summer’s contest.

In his unsuccessful campaign – before he entered No 10 after winner Ms Truss’ disastrous mini-Budget sank her short-lived premiership – Mr Sunak had promised to close all 30 of Beijing’s institutes in Britain.