The large wealth of Rishi Sunak, Britain’s first prime minister of Asian descent, dangers as soon as once more changing into a legal responsibility for the under-fire politician.
In an interview marking the event of his first 100 days in office, Piers Morgan, the previous editor-in-chief of the left-leaning Every day Mirror, caught him off-guard with a collection of questions relating to virtues and vices.
Sunak was glad to substantiate he was teetotal and by no means smoked or did medication earlier than Morgan requested him then if he was “stinking wealthy”.
His smile froze, earlier than Sunak mustered “most individuals would take into account I’m financially lucky, sure.”
Sunak’s problematic privilege
Sunak’s privileged standing has proved problematic prior to now.
Opponents seized on his ill-advised try and be relatable by being filmed placing fuel within the tank of a small Kia Rio hatchback that turned out not to be his.
So when pressed whether or not he had sufficient to be thought-about a billionaire, Sunak refused to reply.
“What issues about that isn’t how a lot is in my checking account,” he mentioned. “What issues are my values and what actions I take for the nation.”
Sunak grew up right into a well-to-do household and attended the elite Winchester boarding school earlier than changing into an investment banker.
Sunak is definitely one of many wealthiest MPs within the Home of Commons, if not the wealthiest, additionally because of his heiress spouse, Akshata Murty.
Usually that may not be a difficulty the media would seize upon, however with inflation surging, half a million workers picketing for increased wages, and the U.Okay. financial system tipped to be the one G7 nation to face a likely recession this 12 months, it dangers making him seem out of contact with the on a regular basis voter.
The very last thing Sunak wants throughout Britain’s price of residing disaster is to remind everybody that he’s not solely loaded, however so is his spouse. The daughter of one of many founders of Indian software program big Infosys solely lately started paying taxes on her abroad wealth as soon as it grew to become a political scandal.
Boris Johnson ready within the wings
Sunak is in an unenviable place proper now.
Polls counsel his social gathering could be wiped out within the subsequent election, scheduled to be held subsequent 12 months on the newest, and probably lose energy for a technology.
Lurking within the background as at all times is Boris Johnson, unhappy along with his new life as a lowly backbencher.
The disgraced former prime minister has been galavanting round—one week in Davos, the following in Kyiv—in a possible bid to look statesmanlike once more and rally help.
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