VNU JOURNAL OF FOREIGN STUDIES, VOL. 40, NO.

1 (2024) 148

A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

OF RISHI SUNAK’S FIRST SPEECH
AS PRIME MINISTER OF THE UNITED KINGDOM

Pham Thi Quyen, Nguyen Ngoc Khanh An, Nguyen Thai Ha Anh, Nguyen Duc Kien
Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, 69 Chua Lang, Lang Thuong, Dong Da, Hanoi, Vietnam

Received 23 December 2023

Revised 27 January 2024; Accepted 26 February 2024

Abstract: This research analyzes Rishi Sunak’s first speech as the Prime Minister of the United
Kingdom on October 25, 2022, through the lens of critical discourse analysis (CDA). Applying Norman
Fairclough’s three-dimensional framework, the researchers explore Sunak’s speech in text, discourse
practice, and social levels to unveil the underlying meanings and intentions behind his words. Through
a micro and macro-level analysis of Sunak’s use of linguistic devices, along with investigations into the
discourse practice and social context of the speech, the researchers discover Sunak’s commitment to:
(1) addressing the UK’s pressing issues, prioritizing economic stability, and strengthening key policy
areas; (2) acknowledging past mistakes and emphasizing a willingness to learn from them; and (3)
bridging the gap between the government and the British public and uniting the country during the
challenging time.
Keywords: critical discourse analysis, political discourse, political speech, Rishi Sunak, the UK
Prime Minister

1. Introduction
In recent years, critical discourse analysis (CDA) has emerged as a powerful tool for
unveiling the layers of meaning embedded in political speeches. However, despite the growing
prominence of CDA in the study of discourse, there remains a notable gap in the investigation
of discursive and social dimensions within a number of Vietnamese scholars when critically
analyzing political speeches. This study aims to fill the gap by bringing the lens of CDA to the
inaugural speech of Rishi Sunak, the incumbent Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Regarding this speech, existing research has primarily focused on specific linguistic
aspects such as speech acts, politeness strategies, and rhetorical triangles. While these analyses
contribute valuable insights into Sunak’s persuasive strategies, a lack of emphasis on the power
relations imposed between Sunak and his audience, as well as the social implications and some
other political intentions embedded in the speech, still exists. This study seeks to complement
and extend the existing research by providing additional examination on vocabulary analysis,
modality, logical connectors, textual structure, and social determinants of the speech, which
could be done by applying Norman Fairclough’s three-dimensional framework of CDA.
Recognizing the socio-political significance of Sunak's leadership, particularly as the
first person of color, born to immigrant parents, and practicing Hindu to assume the role of
Prime Minister, this study aims to explore the linguistic devices employed in his inaugural


Corresponding author.
Email address: [email protected]
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speech to discern his ideologies and political intentions. The research primarily focuses on
Sunak's inauguration speech on October 25, 2022, analyzing his use of language, grammar, text
structures, and metaphor to convey ideology and political goals within the framework of CDA,
especially Norman Fairclough's three-dimensional model.
2. Literature Review
2.1. Discourse and Political Discourse
Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) is a specialized Discourse Analysis (DA) branch that
focuses on understanding how language use in social and political contexts reflects and
perpetuates social power dynamics, abuse, dominance, and inequality. Unlike approaches
centered only on description, CDA seeks to explain discourse structures by examining social
interactions and structures. Its primary focus is to unravel how discourse structures play a role
in enacting, confirming, legitimating, reproducing, or challenging relations of power abuse and
dominance in society. Van Dijk (1997) categorizes a discourse as "political" based on two
criteria. First, if politicians or political actors produce the discourse, and second, if the nature
of political text and talk is to accomplish political activities or practices.
CDA operates based on a set of core principles, including addressing social problems,
recognizing the discursive nature of power relations, understanding the constitutive role of
discourse in society and culture, acknowledging the ideological function of discourse,
recognizing its historical dimension, and highlighting the mediated link between text and
society. This interpretative and explanatory nature of discourse analysis is crucial to its
effectiveness. CDA provides a potent analytical tool within DA, illuminating the intricate
interplay between language and society. By examining language use in diverse contexts, CDA
contributes to a deeper understanding of power dynamics, ideologies, and social problems
embedded in discourse, thereby facilitating a nuanced exploration of the relationship between
language and society.
2.2. Critical Discourse Analysis
2.2.1. Components of Critical Discourse Analysis
Discourse analysis (DA), as defined by Yule (1996), is “the study of language use with
reference to the social and psychological factors that influence communication” (p. 129).
Distinct from the traditional DA, critical discourse analysis is known as "an interdisciplinary
approach to the study of discourse that aims to uncover and challenge power relations,
ideologies, and social inequalities embedded in language use and social practices" (Fairclough
& Wodak, 1997, p. 258). It goes beyond the analysis of language structures and focuses on how
discourse reflects and reinforces dominant ideologies, social hierarchies, and power
imbalances. CDA explicitly adopts a critical approach which is described by Wade and Tavris
(2017) as “questioning, critiquing, and challenging assumptions, beliefs, and practices” (p. 20).
While DA examines language use and social interactions, CDA emphasizes the analysis of
power relations, social structures, and ideologies that shape discourse. CDA seeks to expose
hidden power dynamics and challenge dominant discourses that contribute to social inequality
(Van Dijk, 2009).
2.2.1.1. Power
In CDA, power refers to the ability of individuals, groups, or institutions to exert
influence, control, or dominance over others. Here, power is not viewed as a neutral or fixed
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concept but rather as something that is dynamic and contested. CDA aims to uncover how
power is enacted, maintained, and challenged through language use and discourse, shedding
light on how linguistic choices and communication strategies can perpetuate or challenge power
imbalances (Fairclough & Wodak, 1997).
The types of power employed can vary depending on available resources, such as
military or violent groups using coercive force, wealthy individuals with financial resources, or
individuals like parents, professors, or journalists using their expertise or authority to exert more
persuasive influence. Power is rarely absolute and may only be exercised in certain situations
or domains. Subordinate groups may resist or accept power to varying degrees.
Reisigl & Wodak (2001) view language as not inherently powerful but acquires power
through its usage by those in positions of power. Language plays a significant role in power
relations, indexing, expressing, and challenging power. Although power does not originate from
language, it can be subverted and altered by it in both the short and long term. CDA focuses on
how linguistic forms are used to express and manipulate power, not only through grammatical
forms within a text but also through the control of social occasions utilizing the genre of a text.
2.2.1.2. Ideology
Ideology plays a crucial role in establishing and maintaining unequal power dynamics,
and studying it entails analyzing how symbolic forms convey meaning and how they are utilized
in different social settings. In CDA, ideology refers to beliefs, values, and ideas that underpin
and legitimize particular social, political, or economic structures. CDA emphasizes that
ideologies are not simply reflections of objective reality but are often constructed to serve the
interests of dominant groups and institutions. These ideologies can be present in various forms
of discourse, including media representations, political speeches, and everyday communication.
CDA aims to reveal how ideologies are embedded in language, shaping people's perceptions
and influencing their actions. As it exposes dominant ideologies and their role in reinforcing
social inequalities, CDA seeks to challenge and deconstruct these structures, fostering social
awareness and promoting alternative perspectives (Fairclough, 2001). CDA analysts must be
aware of hidden ideological positions in using words, such as when an act of war is defined as
“peacekeeping”.
2.3. CDA’s Approach to the Study
CDA encompasses various methods and approaches developed by prominent linguists
like Ruth Wodak, van Dijk, Norman Fairclough, etc. They have brought to the study of CDA a
rich diversity of analytical tools used to unveil the intricacies of language in social interaction.
The researchers primarily employ Norman Fairclough's three-dimensional framework as it
provides a holistic analysis of discourse, considering linguistic, social, and cultural dimensions
simultaneously and its three-step approach is adaptable and flexible, allowing researchers at
undergraduate levels to apply it to a wide range of discourses and contexts, including political
speeches like Sunak's. Introduced by Norman Fairclough in his book “Language and Power”
(2001), the framework consists of three dimensions:
(1) Textual Analysis (Description): The first dimension involves a detailed analysis of
the linguistic features and structures present in the discourse. Fairclough suggests a set of 10
questions for analysts to work on when discovering linguistic elements (see Appendix 2). In
the analysis of vocabulary and grammar, Fairclough questions their experiential, relational, and
expressive values. Experiential values reflect the producer's knowledge, beliefs, and
experiences; relational values pertain to the participants’ social interactions and power
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dynamics, and expressive values are associated with the producer’s attitudes, emotions, and
evaluations.
(2) Discursive Practice (Interpretation): The second dimension broadens the analysis to
consider discursive practices in specific social contexts. This second step of the study examines
how discourse is produced and consumed within institutions and social settings.
(3) Social Practice (Explanation): The third dimension expands the analysis further to
explore the broader social context in which discourse is situated. This last step of the study
considers the social effects of discourse and how language contributes to reinforcing or
challenging social structures.
2.4. Review of Previous Studies
2.4.1. CDA Studies in Vietnam
In Vietnam, critical discourse analysis gained its unique position relatively later than
those in the world. CDA became increasingly popular among Vietnamese scholars in the last
decades, thanks to H. Nguyen's revolutionary publication (2006) “Phân tích diễn ngôn phê
phán: Lý luận và Phương pháp” (Critical Discourse Analysis: Theory and Methodology). The
book has been a major source of inspiration and the go-to resource for anyone interested in
discourse analysis approaches, along with the studies that he has shown in his lectures,
especially in postgraduate courses at ULIS, one of the greatest institutions for studies of foreign
languages in Vietnam (Ton Nu & Hoang, 2023).
Since the 2010s decade, it has witnessed a trend of CDA and CDA-related studies for
post-graduate scholars. However, preoccupied CDA studies only directed their focus on the
first dimension of the CDA which is text analysis while not deeply analyzing or completely
ignoring the two other dimensions which are discourse practice and social analysis (Nhat &
Hien, 2023).
For instance, the study “A Critical Discourse Analysis of President Obama’s 9/11
Memorial Address” published in TNU Journal of Science and Technology by Nguyen Duong
Ha and Tran Thi Phuong (2022) applied the Three-dimensional framework by Fairclough in
their paper. The study has identified and analyzed power and ideologies through lexical and
grammatical devices as well as the macrostructure of the speech. Yet, their study did not
conduct further to the other two dimensions, which are discursive practice (interpretation) and
social analysis (explanation) which restrained the capability of the research to figure out the
background context of the speech to the ideologies and power implemented in the speech.
Moreover, as the dimension of explanation was not utilized, it was unknown whether or not the
ideologies and power found in the speech affected society and vice versa. The authors are well
aware of the previous studies’ drawbacks and endeavor to overcome these by providing a more
comprehensive analysis of the other two dimensions.
2.4.2. Studies Relating to Sunak’s First Speech as the PM of the UK
Until this paper was conducted, only one research paper chose Rishi Sunak's speech for
linguistic analysis. In the study “Speech act-based legitimation in selected inaugural speeches
of British Prime Ministers” conducted by Buczowski and Strukowska (2022), the researchers
analyzed and compared the pragmatic components of Liz Truss' and Rishi Sunak's inaugural
addresses as UK Prime Ministers. Buczowski and Strukowska’s paper’s approach to CDA
focused on significant pragmatic aspects of the discourses, such as Speech Acts and Grice's
politeness strategies, as well as the theory of the rhetorical triangle in the inaugural speeches by
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Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, respectively.

Regarding the first speech by Sunak, Buczowski and Strukowska figured out that the
speech mainly used commissive and representative acts. The two authors also analyzed the use
of promises through the maxims from Grice’s politeness strategies. Furthermore, the usage of
pathos, logos, and ethos (key elements of the rhetorical triangle) from Sunak’s speech were
then identified and analyzed. The lexical density of the two speeches was also analyzed;
however, not all key lexical items in Sunak’s speech have been discussed, simply because the
authors' goal here was only to compare to find out the similarities and different patterns between
the two speeches.
Although key findings of the study have contributed greatly to uncovering Sunak’s
persuasive strategies, the power relations existing between Sunak and his audience have yet to
be underscored. Thus, the authors believe Norman Fairclough’s framework of CDA, which
provides a closer investigation into other aspects such as modality, textual structure, the
connection and interaction within the text, as well as the discourse practice and social aspects,
could enlighten the unknown field of the relations between power, ideologies and the audience,
the social structures that consume the discourse.
Besides, though their study did reveal primitive political ideologies from the speeches
as parts of the results from analyzing linguistic acts and rhetorical triangles, certain aspects of
them in Sunak’s speech have yet been dissected. Hence, our study endeavors to generate the
political messages, intentions, and ideologies implemented from the speech with a more
complete and thorough approach.
3. Database and Data Analysis Procedure
3.1. Database of the Study
The paper intends to examine the political speech that Rishi Sunak delivered to the UK’s
citizens during his first appearance as Britain's Prime Minister at Downing Street on October
25, 2022. The full recording of the 6-minute speech can be found on Rishi Sunak’s official
YouTube channel1, and the speech’s transcript uploaded on the UK government’s website2 is
utilized for examination in this study.
3.2. Data Analysis Procedure
The analysis of Rishi Sunak's speech follows an approach that integrates both qualitative
and quantitative measures, primarily guided by Fairclough's 3D framework for CDA. The
qualitative method is the major approach of the study. This is where a meticulous examination
of the speech is conducted based on Norman Fairclough's dimensions of description,
interpretation, and explanation. This procedure includes identifying linguistic elements,
interpreting their meanings, and explaining the socio-political implications embedded in the
discourse.
Simultaneously, a quantitative viewpoint is employed as a complementary measure
which provides statistical information on the occurrence of specific linguistic features. This
involves utilizing AntConc to conduct a frequency analysis of key thematic words and pronouns

1
“My First Downing Street Speech” uploaded on Rishi Sunak’s official YouTube channel:
https://youtu.be/870cznYcdX0?si=StpshXFCDg5pqwyg
2
Full transcript of Rishi Sunak's first speech as Prime Minister on 25 October 2022 uploaded on the UK
government’s official website: https://shorturl.at/asSU5
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within the speech. In this step, a complete and accurate transcript of the speech is collected,
uploaded on AntConc, preprocessed (by removing unnecessary characters, converting to
lowercase, and handling punctuation) before a Word List that contains the frequency of the
words in the corpus is generated.
4. Findings and Discussion
4.1. Text Analysis (Description)
4.1.1. Analysis of Vocabulary
4.1.1.1. Experiential Values
In his first speech as the Prime Minister of the UK, Rishi Sunak highlights a sense of
urgency, accountability, and commitment as the new Prime Minister of the UK. The speech's
main theme is Sunak’s promises and measures in the work of policy-making that he is planning
to conduct during his term. Regarding the central theme, specific words are used to demonstrate
the willingness and commitment to fulfilling his promises and measures in the policy-making
of the PM, such as “integrity”, “professionalism”, “mandate”, “leveling up”, and “embraces”.
Sunak’s speech also contains two sub-themes. The first sub-theme is the ongoing threats
that his government is dealing with and endeavoring to resolve during his term. Particularly,
they are economics, healthcare, welfare, and other relevant threats to the UK, namely the
environment and security and defense issues. The second sub-theme of the discourse is about
building trust, paying tribute to the predecessor, and uniting the general public and other
political entities to overcome the struggles as a whole.
4.1.1.2. Relational Values
Regarding the relational values, the vocabulary choice of the speech also fosters the two
relationships. The first relationship is between Sunak and the general UK public, which is
shown through his commitment and willingness to bear the responsibility of the Prime Minister
to fulfill the hopes and expectations of the public. The second relationship is between Sunak
and his party, government, and other opposing political parties and entities. In this relation, it
seems that Sunak is trying to erase the divisions and oppositions within his party and between
political entities and parties to unite as a whole and together overcome the difficult times. The
mention of Boris Johnson in the speech exemplifies the relation:
“I will always be grateful to Boris Johnson for his incredible achievements as Prime Minister,
and I treasure his warmth and generosity of spirit.”
Sunak expresses gratitude to the former UK Prime Minister, who oversaw the final
stages of Brexit negotiations and the implementation of Brexit. This appears as Sunak’s attempt
to bridge the gap between different factions within the Conservative Party and the wider public,
emphasizing that the mandate earned by the party in the 2019 election belongs to and unites all
of them, regardless of individual differences.
4.1.1.3. Expressive Values
Firstly, in terms of the main theme’s vocabulary, nouns like “integrity,"
"professionalism," and the verb "mandate" demonstrate the will and commitment of Sunak’s
government. The mention of "integrity" implies the government’s commitment to honesty,
transparency, and trustworthiness. Meanwhile, "professionalism" shows the government's
commitment to a high level of competence, expertise, and adherence to professional standards.
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The triple repetition of the word “mandate” throughout the text highlights the speaker's
acknowledgment of the electoral mandate given to their party and their commitment to fulfilling
the promises made in the party manifesto. “Leveling up” and "embraces” describes vividly how
Sunak’s government was going to tackle their promises. The phrase “leveling up” refers to the
objective of reducing regional disparities and ensuring equal opportunities and prosperity across
different parts of the country, indicating a focus on addressing inequality. “Embraces” suggests
a positive and proactive approach to Brexit, indicating a willingness to seize and take advantage
of the opportunities it presents.
Regarding the sub-theme of challenging issues, he mentions the economic crisis,
“energy markets and supply chain” destabilization, as well as the revitalization of economic
growth. The word “profound” is used in the phrase “facing a profound economic crisis”,
emphasizing the seriousness and depth of the crisis and indicating its significant impact and far-
reaching consequences. Meanwhile, “lingers” in the phrase “The aftermath of COVID still
lingers” suggests that the effects of COVID are persisting or remaining present, implying that
they have not yet completely dissipated.
The term “destabilized” used in the phrase “Putin’s war in Ukraine has destabilized
energy markets and supply chains” conveys that the war has disrupted or unsettled the stability
of energy markets and supply chains, highlighting the negative consequences. Other issues such
as environmental issues, migrations, social welfare, schools, and healthcare. Additionally, the
word “mistakes” is used two times in “But some mistakes were made” and “But mistakes
nonetheless” emphasizing Sunak’s realization of past errors and miscalculations in decision and
policy makings of the past years, though they are inevitable.
In terms of the second sub-theme, the new Prime Minister of the UK uses “tribute”, and
“restlessness” to pay homage to the predecessor, building trust as well as uniting the general
public and other political stakeholders to overcome the current hardship together. Notably,
Sunak shows commitment and willingness for the responsibility he is taking charge of as well
as acknowledging the predecessor’s effort. Particularly, the word “tribute” in the sentence “I
want to pay tribute to my predecessor Liz Truss” indicates a show of respect, admiration, and
acknowledgment for the previous Prime Minister's efforts. Furthermore, “restlessness” in “I
admired her restlessness for creating change” suggests a sense of eagerness, drive, and
determination to bring about change, portraying it in a positive light. In addition, the double
usage of “trust” in “Trust is earned.” and in “I have work to do to restore trust after all that has
happened” both show his values to the faith that the party and the people supporting him have
in Sunak while acknowledging the responsibility to regain trust from British people.
Secondly, the phrase “I will” appears with the highest repetition in the speech, with 7
times being mentioned by the PM and mostly when he wants to emphasize his dedication and
determination to fulfill the goals outlined:
“I will work day in and day out to deliver for you.”
“I will deliver on its promise.”
Also regularly showing up in the speech is the phrase “I understand”:
“I understand how difficult this moment is.”
“(…) And I understand too that I have work to do to restore trust after all that has happened.”
Here, Sunak acknowledges the hardships experienced by the public, particularly during
the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the mistakes of his
predecessor, which resulted in the faded trust in the government of the UK citizens. The
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repetition of “I understand” reflects Sunak's willingness to listen to the concerns and

experiences of the people he represents, signaling a sense of accountability and empathy.
Through this strategic implementation of repetition, Sunak effectively establishes his
credibility, appeals to the audience's emotions, and conveys a compelling vision for the future,
thereby strengthening his message and encouraging support for his proposed agenda.
4.1.1.4. Metaphors
Given his previous role as the finance minister guiding Britain during the COVID-19
pandemic, it is probable that Sunak’s main focus will be on reviving the UK's struggling
economy and restoring the country's reputation within the investment community. When
mentioning the country’s economic stability and credibility of the government, Sunak refers to
them as the “heart” of the agenda, implying that these aspects are the core values and priorities
of Sunak’s government: “I will place economic stability and confidence at the heart of this
government’s agenda.”
The metaphor “heart” is once again employed in the statement: “And the heart of that
mandate is our manifesto”. In the political context, the manifesto represents the core principles
and promises of the party. Sunak attempts to uphold the Conservative Party’s manifesto and
refers to it as the essence that keeps the political body alive and functioning.
4.1.2. Analysis of Grammar
4.1.2.1. Experiential Values
The SVO sentence structure is most frequently used in Sunak's speech, emphasizing the
author's experiences and responsibilities and the actions they are advocating for. This structure
positions Sunak as an active agent, taking charge of addressing challenges and priorities and
addressing the citizens as "patients'' who will benefit from his actions. The active voice is also
regularly used in Sunak's speech, emphasizing the subject as the doer of the action.
Accordingly, only 6 out of 47 sentences are in passive form, which accounts for nearly 12,8%.
Meanwhile, the number of active voice sentences in the text is 29 out of 47 sentences,
constituting approximately 61,7%. Sentences like "I will place economic stability and
confidence at the heart of this government's agenda” and "I will unite our country" all follow
the SVO structure and have an active voice, which conveys a sense of responsibility and
proactivity.
4.1.2.2. Relational Values
Firstly, regarding his choice of modes, Sunak predominantly uses declarative sentences
to communicate his commitments, intentions, and policy priorities throughout the speech. The
declarative mode is characterized by making statements or assertions and presenting
information as facts or beliefs. e.g., when the PM states: “I will place economic stability and
confidence at the heart of this government's agenda”, or “The government I lead will not leave
the next generation with a debt to settle”, clear assertions about his government’s priorities and
goals are shown. In political speeches, the declarative mode is effective as it can lend an air of
authority and credibility to the speakers and influence public opinion.
Similarly, the declarative statements in Sunak’s speech enhance his role as the new
leader of the government, allowing him to present his plans, commitments, and promises with
confidence and conviction.
Secondly, Sunak’s use of pronouns is also notable:
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Table 1
Frequency of Personal and Possessive Pronouns in Rishi Sunak’s Speech

Personal Times Relative Possessive Times Relative

Pronouns
Pronouns Appeared Frequency Pronouns Appeared Frequency

I 27 65.8% My 4 17.4%
First-person
We 4 9.7% Our 7 30.4%

Second-person You 6 14.6% Your 5 21.7%

He 0 0% His 4 17.4%

She 0 0% Her 0 0%
Third-person
They 0 0% Their 0 0%

It 4 9.7% Its 3 13%

Total 41 100% Total 23 100%

The substantial usage of first-person personal pronouns, with “I” at 65.8% and “we” at
9.7%, reflects Sunak's focus on asserting his own role and the collective responsibility of the
government. The frequent use of “I” highlights his personal involvement, determination, and
leadership as the Prime Minister. It reinforces his agency and positions him as an active agent
of change, while the use of the inclusive pronoun “we” suggests a sense of shared responsibility
and unity, emphasizing collaboration within the government and potentially appealing to
collective action from the audience.
The regular use of the second-person personal pronoun “you” at 14.6% and possessive
pronoun “your” at 21.7% in addressing the audience reflects Sunak's intention to engage and
connect with them on a personal level. By directly involving the listeners through “you” and
“your”, Sunak seeks to establish a sense of inclusion, making the audience feel personally
addressed, involved in his message, and in his government’s service. This strategy aims to
create a stronger connection and elicit a more receptive response from the audience. This can
also be seen as an attempt to establish a sense of accountability and trust. By addressing the
audience directly, the PM takes on the responsibility of making promises and commitments to
the listeners.
Moreover, speaking in front of the people as the new PM, Sunak holds a position of
authority and influence. As the pronoun “you” is used to address the audience, Sunak
establishes a power dynamic where he assumes the role of the communicator, and the audience
assumes the role of the recipient. This dynamic can shape the interpretation of Sunak’s political
intentions and the perceived relationship between the national leader and the citizens.
4.1.2.3. Expressive Values
To commence with, the use of modal auxiliary verbs in Sunak's speech serves to convey
a range of expressive values and rhetorical effects. Modal verbs express possibility, necessity,
obligation, or intention, adding depth to Sunak's statements and shaping the audience's
perception of his political intentions. The modal verb “will” is used frequently throughout the
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speech, with a total of 12 occurrences (accounting for 85.7% of the modal verbs used in the
speech) showcasing Sunak's strong intention and determination to take action. Phrases like “I
will work day in and day out to deliver for you” convey his unwavering commitment and drive
to bring about positive change. The modal verb “can” accounts for the remaining 14.3% of the
speech’s modal verbs, implying possibility and capability. Sunak uses this modal verb to
emphasize what is achievable, particularly in the face of challenges: “I can bring that same
compassion to the challenges we face today”.
Furthermore, the use of parallelism, where similar grammatical structures are repeated,
reinforces Sunak's statements and adds a persuasive quality to his discourse. This is exemplified
in the sequence:
“A stronger NHS. Better schools. Safer streets. Control of our borders. Protecting our
environment. Supporting our armed forces.”
Apparently, parallelism used in the sequence highlights a series of policy priorities,
amplifying their significance and reinforcing the author’s vision. It is notable that all the
subjects have been elided in these sentences, and before uttering them, Sunak was referring to
the promises of the Conservative Party’s manifesto. This leads to the alignment of Sunak’s
speech with the core values and principles of the Conservative Party, which effectively
showcases the party's focus on issues that resonate with their conservative ideology,
emphasizing their dedication to strengthening essential sectors and ensuring societal well-
being.
4.1.2.4. Connective Values of the Text
Connective values refer to the role of formal features in establishing connections
between different parts of a text, providing cohesion to the discourse (Fairclough, 2001). In the
case of Sunak’s speech, the researchers focus on the role of the logical connectors in helping
Sunak establish his ideologies in the speech.
Firstly, the connector "but" is employed to acknowledge past mistakes or challenges
while highlighting his determination to address them:
“But some mistakes were made. Not born of ill will or bad intentions. Quite the opposite, in
fact. But mistakes nonetheless.”
Through the phrase “Quite the opposite, in fact”, Sunak contrasts the notion of “ill will”
and “bad intentions” with a more positive perspective, highlighting his intent to distance himself
from assigning blame. The conjunction "but" serves as a pivotal linguistic device here, signaling
a shift that allows Sunak to underscore his willingness to address these mistakes constructively
and demonstrates a pragmatic and balanced approach to his role as the new PM. The careful
arrangement of these sentences enables Sunak to position himself as a leader who acknowledges
past missteps, refrains from casting blame and instead focuses on the importance of learning
from these errors for the betterment of the UK. Aside from “but,” the connector "and" are also
used by Sunak in various sentences to suggest that economic stability, national unity, and
dedicated work of the government are all interconnected and essential components of his
approach:
“And I have been elected as leader of my party, and your Prime Minister, in part, to fix them.”
“And that work begins immediately.”
“Trust is earned. And I will earn yours.”
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4.1.3. Textual Structures

The text's macro-structure focuses on the speech's broader organization and
arrangement of content. Sunak’s speech is organized around clear sections addressing specific
topics or policy areas, accordingly, his government is shown as prioritizing economic stability
and confidence, followed by other key policy areas like healthcare, security, education, and
environment. The sub-themes focus on acknowledging past challenges, paying tribute to the
predecessors, and uniting the country, consolidating his approach to governance. The sections
at the same time follow a logical progression (e.g. starting with the challenges faced by the UK
and then proposing solutions and policy measures; starting with acknowledging past mistakes
and then outlining the corrective moves.) Thus, the speech becomes coherent and persuasive,
guiding the audience through all existing issues and the government's intended responses.
The opening and conclusion of the speech are also noteworthy. Sunak begins with a
powerful introduction where he mentions the King's invitation to form a government:
“I have just been to Buckingham Palace and accepted His Majesty The King’s invitation to form
a government in his name.”
This sets the tone for the speech, implying that Sunak now officially takes on the role
of the leader. The speech later concludes with the same power as the opening, as the
Conservative Party's core policies and values, as well as their commitments to lead the country
forward, are reiterated by the new PM:
“We will create a future worthy of the sacrifices so many have made and fill tomorrow, and
everyday thereafter with hope.”
4.2. Discourse Practice (Interpretation)
4.2.1. Situational Context
4.2.1.1. Contents
The question of “What's going on?” is proposed by Fairclough (2001) as one of the
dimensions of a situation and can be answered by considering the contents, including activity,
topic, and purpose of the discourse.
Firstly, the activity here is the act of delivering an official political speech that includes
establishing a new Prime Minister's presence, outlining his policy direction, fostering unity and
optimism, and encouraging public engagement in his government's agenda.
Secondly, Sunak’s speech’s primary topics revolve around (1) the UK’s ongoing
challenges (including the need for economic stability; the policies toward key sectors including
healthcare, national defense, environment, and education), (2) his government’s credibility, (3)
the tribute to his predecessors, and (4) the unity of the country. This choice of topics can be
explained by considering the social context of Sunak’s speech:
Sunak's first speech was delivered amid a severe economic crisis in the UK, influenced
by COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war. Liz Truss's resignation as Prime Minister resulted
from her policies, which caused financial market disruptions and a party rebellion. Her
economic policies, centered around low-tax and low-regulation measures, proved adverse
amidst soaring inflation and weak economic growth. Sunak acknowledges these mistakes and
refers to himself as the one to fix them.
At the same time, the UK's National Health Service (NHS) was facing challenges such
as high waiting rates and potential strikes by healthcare workers over pay and working
conditions. The new Prime Minister bears the responsibility to address these issues and find
VNU JOURNAL OF FOREIGN STUDIES, VOL. 40, NO. 1 (2024) 159

solutions to improve NHS functioning.

Regarding assistance to Ukraine and the country’s defense spending, while running for
leadership in the summer, Sunak said he would maintain the support of the UK and would visit
Kyiv soon if he won the election (“Rishi Sunak: The Most Urgent Problems Facing the New
Prime Minister,” 2022). However, with rising energy costs aggravating the lives of Britons,
Sunak needs to do much to convince voters to accept the reality that their financial hardship is
the price to pay for the defense of Ukraine. In other key areas, the UK was also facing challenges
such as illegal immigration, strikes over pay, and climate change.
Before Sunak, the credibility of Tory leaders had been tarnished. Aside from Liz Truss
and her failed financial policies, her predecessor - Boris Johnson's handling of the Chris Pincher
scandal was the final straw. Surviving a party vote of no confidence and being fined for
violating COVID-19 restrictions during the lockdown weakened his standing. Now assuming
the role of Prime Minister, Sunak shoulders the responsibility of rebuilding public trust in the
Conservative Party's leadership and addressing Brexit-related concerns and grievances, not to
mention the credibility the new PM has to build as he became the leader of the UK without a
national vote, at the age of 42, and after only seven years serving as an MP.
Regarding Brexit, the UK's economic woes cannot be entirely attributed to the exit, but
its effects were becoming clearer as the country struggled in indicators such as business
investment and trade recovery. The economy was lagging behind other G7 nations, and
predictions suggested a significant GDP loss due to Brexit (Partington, 2023). Moreover, as the
new PM, Sunak must find a solution to the Northern Ireland protocol, a complex issue that has
escalated beyond technicalities due to his predecessors’ actions.
Amid the social context mentioned above, the purposes of Sunak's speech are
multifaceted. It aims to (1) outline Sunak’s government's policy priorities and promises, (2)
gain the support of diverse groups present in the audience, including voters, party members,
and various social sectors of the UK, (3) inspire trust and confidence in the government's ability
to deliver on its promises, and (4) emphasize the collective responsibility and shared mandate
of the government and the public in building a prosperous future for all citizens.
4.2.1.2. Subjects
In the case of Sunak’s speech, the primary individuals involved in the speech are Rishi
Sunak himself as the newly appointed Prime Minister of the UK and the audience consisting of
the UK’s general public, political stakeholders, and decision-makers who are incredibly crucial
for being the recipients of Sunak's message and playing a role in shaping the reception and
impact of the speech.
Additionally, while not explicitly mentioned in the speech, there are implied actors such
as political advisors, Conservative Party members, and other government officials who
contribute to the formulation and support of Sunak's position as Prime Minister.
4.2.1.3. Relations
As discussed in section 4.1.1.2 of the paper, the relationships incorporated in the speech
are (1) between the government and the public, and (2) between the leader of a party and his
party, government, and opposing political entities.
Regarding the first relationship, the speech demonstrates Sunak as a national leader
outlining his government's priorities; the audience, on the other hand, as the recipient and
evaluator of the speech. Embracing the role of the leader, Sunak highlights his accountability
VNU JOURNAL OF FOREIGN STUDIES, VOL. 40, NO. 1 (2024) 160

while trying to bridge the natural gap between a leader and his people by the use of inclusive
pronouns like "we" and "our" (as analyzed in section 4.1.2). Regarding the second relationship,
Sunak's speech portrays him as a leader who values party unity, prioritizes governmental
responsibilities, and potentially seeks opportunities for cross-party collaboration (the speech
does not explicitly mention specific cross-party collaboration or engagement with opposing
political entities, the phrase "I will unite our country" suggests Sunak's intention to foster a
sense of unity that goes beyond party lines.)
4.2.2. Intertextual Context
Intertextuality refers to the impact of discourse on history and vice versa. It is utilized
in political speeches to influence opinions and promote acceptability among the populace (van
Dijk, 1997b). Sunak's first speech demonstrates compassion, determination, and focus on the
future, aiming to restore trust and prioritize people's needs.
4.2.2.1. Historical Context
Sunak strategically infused historical context into his speech among the complex global
scene, where COVID-19's persistent influence and the destabilizing effects of Putin's conflict
in Ukraine continue to echo. The Prime Minister states, "Right now our country is facing a
profound economic crisis... The aftermath of COVID still lingers... Putin's war in Ukraine has
destabilized energy markets and supply chains the world over." These references demonstrate
Sunak's awareness of historical events that have impacted the current challenges faced by the
country.
4.2.2.2. Influence of Earlier Texts and Conservative Party Manifesto
Sunak's speech is based on the Conservative Party's manifesto, emphasizing unity,
shared responsibility, and commitment to delivering on promises, also highlighting the party's
policy goals and commitments. David Cameron and Boris Johnson's speeches share common
themes of addressing economic challenges, emphasizing unity, and expressing a commitment
to delivering on promises.
In his first speech as Prime Minister, David Cameron emphasized the importance of
unity and shared responsibility. He stated, "I want to talk about our shared future, about the
good we can do together, about the days when we can build a society and an economy that
really works for everyone." In comparison, Boris Johnson focused his remarks on Brexit and
the commitment to implementing the referendum decision in the phase that Brexit was nearly
at the forefront of news coverage. He declared, "I will take personal responsibility for the
change I want to see.” Johnson emphasized hope for the future in his speech, which was marked
by confidence and decisiveness. He said, "I will make sure that we leave the European Union
on October 31st, no ifs, no buts."
4.3. Social analysis (Explanation)
In this stage, the researchers shall examine the potential social effects of Sunak's speech.
On the one hand, the PM’s speech reproduces social determinants, and persuades and
maintains influence, power, and relations between Sunak, the political leader of the
Conservative party, and political actors, entities, the media and the general public of the United
Kingdom.
The general public of the UK seemed to have reacted positively after his speech as well
as the assumption to be the Prime Minister of the UK of Rishi Sunak. Particularly, a political
VNU JOURNAL OF FOREIGN STUDIES, VOL. 40, NO. 1 (2024) 161

poll result conducted by Red & Wilton Strategies (a well-known British polling and strategic
consulting company) on October 26th, 2022 (1 day after the speech) showed that the net
approval ratings of Rishi Sunak and the Conservative party increased by 2% (Redfield and
Wilton Strategies, 2022). Meanwhile, Omnisis (a well-known market research company in the
UK) conducted a political poll on October 27th, 2022 (2 days after the speech). Its result showed
that the net approval ratings of Rishi Sunak increased by 12%. Moreover, his party’s net
approval rating also grew by 2% compared to the statistics before the assumption of Rishi Sunak
as the Prime Minister of the UK (Omnisis, 2022).
On the other hand, it also creates burdens, responsibilities, and duties back to Sunak.
Particularly, it establishes responsibilities and duties for Sunak to repair ongoing issues and
recover trust between the government and the general republic. Ten months after the first
speech, the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom’s effort in his work seems to have
achieved success or resulted in failures in various fields. Yet, one could clearly see that the PM
has endeavored to fulfill many of the promises he made in the speech. In other words, the
promises he made in the discourse have transformed into responsibilities, duties, and a compass
for Sunak to keep him exercising his executive powers in the trajectory that he showed the
public before. Additionally, it could be fathomed that it is the result of the two-way relations,
powers and impacts between the discourse producer (Rishi Sunak) and the discourse receivers
(political actors and entities, media and general public of the UK), which are also the social
organizations, institutions, and structure in this case.
5. Conclusion
5.1. Summary of Major Findings
The researchers have identified several linguistic devices used by Rishi Sunak in his
first speech as the UK's Prime Minister on October 25, 2022.
In terms of vocabulary, the author employs (1) words and phrases conveying urgency,
accountability, and commitment to policy-making along with words expressing emotions and
attitudes; (2) rhetorical devices including metaphor and repetition. In terms of grammar, the
author frequently uses (1) the SVO (Subject-Verb-Object) sentence structure, (2) active voice,
(3) the declarative mode; (4) first-person and second-person pronouns, (5) modal auxiliary
verbs, (6) parallelism, and (7) logical connectors. Moreover, the broader organization of the
speech also helps display the author’s political intentions.
The use of the aforementioned linguistic devices, coupled with the discursive and social
analysis, have clearly displayed Sunak’s ideologies and political intentions:
Firstly, Sunak has shown his commitment, awareness, and willingness to bear the role
and responsibility of the UK’s PM as well as the new leader of his government and political
party by addressing the speech to numerous ongoing issues that the UK has been facing up with.
The lexical choices and rhetorical devices used throughout the speech evidently put economic
stability, which is expected to embrace the opportunities of Brexit, as the top priority of Sunak’s
agenda. Following it are promises in other key policy areas, including strengthening the NHS,
supporting the armed forces, controlling the borders, protecting the environment, and
improving education.
Secondly, it is shown that Sunak has endeavored to reduce aggressions and divisions
within his political party by gratefully paying homage to the previous PMs and emphasizing
the core values of the Conservative Party. Sunak acknowledges that mistakes were made, and
VNU JOURNAL OF FOREIGN STUDIES, VOL. 40, NO. 1 (2024) 162

simultaneously affirms a great extent of willingness to learn from past errors and take corrective
action.
Thirdly, by making promises and utilizing rhetorical and grammatical features flexibly
in the discourse, it is demonstrated that Sunak has been trying to erase the distance and cynicism
of the British general public and media on the government. Moreover, Sunak’s aim to unite the
country to overcome the UK’s hard times and head toward a brighter future is also conveyed
through the use of linguistic devices.
In the end, the research sheds light on some initial, primitive ideas and thoughts about
the two-way relations, power, and impacts between the discourse and the society, the discourse
producers, and the discourse receivers.
5.2. Implications
The CDA of Rishi Sunak's inaugural speech has far-reaching implications, in that:
(1) It enriches the analyzed database of political speeches, ideologies, biases; discursive
and rhetorical strategies used to influence public opinion and shape decision-making and
political agendas;
(2) It could contribute to political and social criticism, enable discerning consumption
of political discourse, and provide the public with an effective tool to consider their political
decisions;
(3) It could hold policymakers accountable by highlighting potential discrepancies
between words and actions.
5.3. Suggestions for Future Studies
This paper provides a foundation for future investigations into political discourse and
leadership communication, the relations, and the two-way impacts of discourse on macro social
structures, organizations, and institutions. On the aspect of Linguistics and Political science,
more diverse comparative studies of inaugural speeches from different countries and exploring
multimodal dimensions of political communication could provide a broader perspective on
language's role in shaping national identity and political agendas. On the aspect of Sociology,
more studies should be conducted to further analyze the relations and the impact of political
discourse on social structures, hierarchies, institutions, organizations, and vice versa.
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Appendix 1
The entirety of Rishi Sunak’s first speech as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
(addressed on 25th October 2022)
Due to word count and length limitations, the authors utilize a QR code to access
Appendix 1 of this study.

(Please scan the QR code for the entire PDF version of the speech)

Appendix 2
Fairclough’s 10 suggestive questions for textual analysis
in the Three-dimensional framework
Fairclough, N. (2001). Language and power (2nd ed.) (pp. 92-93). Pearson Education.
A. Vocabulary
1. What experiential values do words have?
VNU JOURNAL OF FOREIGN STUDIES, VOL. 40, NO. 1 (2024) 164

What classification schemes are drawn upon?

Are there words which are ideologically contested?
Is there rewording or overwording?
What ideologically significant meaning relations (synonymy, hyponymy, antonymy)
are there between words?
2. What relational values do words have?
Are there euphemistic expressions?
Are there markedly formal or informal words?
3. What expressive values do words have?
4. What metaphors are used?
B. Grammar
5. What experiential values do grammatical features have?
What types of processes and participants predominate?
Is agency unclear?
Are processes what they seem?
Are nominalizations used?
Are sentences active or passive?
Are sentences positive or negative?
6. What relational values do grammatical features have?
What modes (declarative, grammatical question, imperative) are used?
Are there important features of relational modality?
Are the pronouns we and you used, and if so, how?
7. What expressive values do grammatical features have?
Are there important features of expressive modality?
8. How are (simple) sentences linked together?
What logical connectors are used?
Are complex sentences characterized by coordination or subordination?
What means are used for referring inside and outside the text?
C. Textual Structures
9. What interactional conventions are used?
Are there ways in which one participant controls the turns of others?
10. What larger-scale structures does the text have?
VNU JOURNAL OF FOREIGN STUDIES, VOL. 40, NO. 1 (2024) 165

PHÂN TÍCH DIỄN NGÔN PHÊ PHÁN BÀI PHÁT BIỂU ĐẦU TIÊN
CỦA RISHI SUNAK TRÊN CƯƠNG VỊ THỦ TƯỚNG
VƯƠNG QUỐC ANH

Phạm Thị Quyên, Nguyễn Ngọc Khánh An, Nguyễn Thái Hà Anh, Nguyễn Đức Kiên
Học viện Ngoại giao Việt Nam,
69 Chùa Láng, Láng Thượng, Đống Đa, Hà Nội, Việt Nam

Tóm tắt: Bài viết phân tích bài phát biểu đầu tiên của Rishi Sunak trên cương vị Thủ tướng
Vương quốc Anh vào ngày 25 tháng 10 năm 2022, qua góc nhìn phân tích diễn ngôn phê phán (CDA).
Áp dụng khung lý thuyết ba chiều của Norman Fairclough, nhóm khám phá bài phát biểu của Thủ tướng
Sunak ở các cấp độ văn bản, thực hành diễn ngôn và xã hội để tìm ra các thông điệp và ý định đằng sau
lời nói của ông. Thông qua các phân tích ở cấp độ vi mô và vĩ mô về cách Thủ tướng Sunak sử dụng
các công cụ ngôn ngữ, cùng với việc phân tích thực hành diễn ngôn và bối cảnh xã hội của bài phát biểu,
nhóm tác giả chỉ ra cam kết của Thủ tướng Sunak trong việc: (1) giải quyết các vấn đề cấp bách của
Vương quốc Anh, ưu tiên ổn định kinh tế và tăng cường các lĩnh vực chính sách quan trọng; (2) thừa
nhận những sai lầm trong quá khứ và nhấn mạnh sự sẵn sàng học hỏi từ những sai lầm đó; (3) thu hẹp
khoảng cách giữa chính phủ và công chúng Anh cũng như gắn kết đất nước trong một thời kỳ đầy rẫy
những thử thách.
Từ khóa: phân tích diễn ngôn phê phán, diễn ngôn chính trị, bài phát biểu chính trị, Rishi Sunak,
Thủ tướng Vương quốc Anh