Opinion-in-brief: Rishi is rich – he needs to stop pretending otherwise
Rishi Sunak is, to put it simply, loaded. During the pandemic we chuckled at his £180 smart mug which kept his tea warm, we mocked him gently for his confessions-of-a-Peloton addict-style foibles. Many were a little taken aback when his wife, Akshata Murthy, headed to Loulou’s in Mayfair on the night after lockdown ended – rather than to one of those small businesses we had been propping up through the pandemic.
But for the most part, we forgave him for being rich. He won’t be the first nor will he be the last politician to eat off a golden spoon while making policies for those most vulnerable.
But pretending to not be rich? That’s a harder crime to escape punishment from, after he borrowed a Kia Rio from a Sainsbury’s employee for a photo op and then made it out as though he only owned a humble VW Golf, when really he has three other cars parked in his driveway. Voters will put up with a string of posh boys running the country, but they’ll be less pleased with those trying to be “just like everyone else”.
For the Chancellor to say “I understand the problems facing you” he does not also need to be able to say “ I too am facing the same problems”. It’s ok to be rich, Rishi, as long as you don’t feign more modest means.