Rishi Sunak, in an election interview with ITV News journalist, Paul Brand, was criticised for his remarks about his childhood hardships.
Paul Brand asked the British PM how he ensures he stays connected with the struggles of ordinary people, given his considerable wealth, which surpasses even that of the King’s. PM responded that his parents immigrated to the UK with very little and that is how he was raised.
“Famously, Sky TV, so that was something that we never had growing up actually.”
On being asked more on the things he had to sacrifice as a child, Sunak said,“Lots of things. There’ll be all sorts of things that I would’ve wanted as a kid that I couldn’t have. Famously, Sky TV, so that was something that we never had growing up actually.”
Sky TV is an expensive British broadcasting company which launched in 1990, ten years after Sunak’s birth. Sunak did his secondary education at Winchester College, one of the top Elite schools in the UK. His father was an NHS GP, while his mother ran a chemist shop.
Social media scrutinized his remarks and criticized him saying, one user commented “30% of children in the UK live in poverty, but please tell us more lies about your ‘struggles’ growing up and attending a school which is £16,384 a term.” pointing out the fees of Winchester College.
In addition to the interview gaffe, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faced heavy criticism for skipping the D-Day commemorative events in France to attend an election interview, given the significance of the event.
Many world leaders had gathered in Normandy on Thursday for the 80th anniversary to commemorate the allied forces who fought against Nazi Germany during WWII. He later apologized, saying,“it was a mistake not to stay in France longer.”
Background of Indian-Origin British PM Rishi Sunak
Rishi Sunak, aged 44, was born in Southampton to Indian parents and currently serves as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, having assumed office as the leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister on October 25, 2022. He has represented Richmond (Yorks) as an MP since 2015.
Sunak is married to Akshata Murthy, daughter of billionaire N.R. Narayana Murthy, who is a founder of Infosys, an IT consulting company. The combined net worth of Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murthy is GBP 651 million (INR — 6,897 crore), as reported by the Sunday Times Rich List.
He completed his secondary education at Winchester College, and graduated from Lincoln College, Oxford University. He furthered his education with an MBA from Stanford University as a Fulbright scholar.
Upcoming United Kingdom general election 2024
The Tory PM, Sunak, will be competing against Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer in the upcoming UK general election scheduled for July 4th.
Read more : Manisha Koirala Meets UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in London
