With Sunak's personal ratings dwindling, Conservative MPs getting restless and the next general election fast approaching, Downing Street has drawn a line under the last 12 months and set its sights on the next. "We're moving into a different phase of government," said one No 10 source. "It's not a shift in beliefs or values, but the PM finally feels able to stretch his legs."
Characterised as a plan to "let Rishi be Rishi", advisers want him to be less buffeted by events and stop living in the shadow of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss.
They are wary of characterising the moment as a "reset". Such attempts by previous Tory prime ministers proved to be futile. But Sunak has laid down a marker this week, using a speech that rowed back on key green pledges to set out his broader disillusionment with what he said was the "short-term" approaches of previous governments - Tory and Labour.
Net zero was the first issue targeted by Sunak. Others in the crosshairs are said to include HS2, education and public services.
The strategy to regain control of the political narrative began unsteadily with the leak of his plans for the environment. This had been intended to be held back until closer to Conservative party conference, which begins in Manchester next Sunday.
The conference slogan will be "long-term decisions for a brighter future". Insiders said it will be designed to demonstrate Sunak's willingness to confront difficult truths and do things that risk making him more unpopular in the national interest.
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