We know little about the real Rishi Sunak … but that may change this week

It is time for the Tory chancellor to stand up - and there's no better opportunity than the Mais lecture

There's something odd about Rishi Sunak. The chancellor has rarely been out of the news since he took over at the Treasury from Sajid Javid two years ago and his approval rating with the public is high. His reputation as a safe pair of hands means he could be the next prime minister - yet we know little about what he believes.

To the extent that while a picture of Sunak has emerged through the blizzard of budgets and mini budgets of a technocrat fascinated by Silicon Valley-style capitalism, in truth there have been only hints of an over-arching philosophy.