Sunak's paternal grandfather was from
Gujranwala (in present-day Pakistan[17][18]), while his maternal grandfather was from
Ludhiana (in present-day India[19]); both cities at the time were in
Punjab province,
British India. His grandparents migrated to East Africa, and then to the United Kingdom in the 1960s.[20] His father, Yashvir Sunak, was born and raised in the
Colony and Protectorate of Kenya (present-day Kenya), and is a
general practitioner in the
National Health Service. His mother, Usha Sunak, born in
Tanganyika (which later became part of
Tanzania), was a pharmacist and owned the Sunak Pharmacy in Southampton between 1995 and 2014, and has a degree from
Aston University.[11][21] Sunak is the eldest of three siblings.[22] His brother, Sanjay (born 1982), is a psychologist and his sister, Raakhi Williams (born 1985), works in New York as chief of strategy and planning at the United Nations global fund for education in emergencies.[9][23]
Career
Business career (2001–2015)
Sunak worked as an analyst for the
investment bankGoldman Sachs between 2001 and 2004.[13][24] He then worked for
hedge fund management firm
the Children's Investment Fund Management, becoming a partner in September 2006.[25] He left in November 2009[26] to join former colleagues in California at a new hedge fund firm, Theleme Partners, which launched in October 2010 with $700 million under management (equivalent to $978 million in 2023).[27][28][29] At both hedge funds, his boss was
Patrick Degorce.[30] Sunak was also a director of the investment firm Catamaran Ventures, owned by his father-in-law, the Indian businessman
N. R. Narayana Murthy of
Infosys, between 2013 and 2015.[24][31]
Sunak was re-elected at the
2017 general election with an increased majority of 23,108 (40.5%).[42] In the same year, Sunak wrote a paper for Policy Exchange on the importance and fragility of the UK's undersea infrastructure.[43] Sunak was re-elected at the
2019 general election with an increased majority of 27,210 (47.2%).[44]
Following Johnson's appointment as Conservative leader and prime minister, Sunak was appointed
chief secretary to the Treasury, serving under Chancellor
Sajid Javid.[48] He became a member of the
Privy Council the next day.[49] During the 2019 general election, Sunak represented the Conservatives in the
BBC's and
ITV's seven-way election debates.[50][51]
On 13 February, Sunak was promoted to chancellor as part of the
2020 cabinet reshuffle, after Javid had resigned that day following a meeting with Johnson.[52][53]
On 17 March 2020, amid the
COVID-19 pandemic and its
economic impact, Sunak became prominent in
the government's response. He introduced a programme providing £330 billion in emergency support for businesses,[54] as well as a
furlough scheme for employees. This was the first time a British government had created such an employee retention scheme.[55][56] The scheme was introduced on 20 March 2020 as providing grants to employers to pay 80% of a staff wage and employment costs each month, up to a total of £2,500 per person per month.[56] The cost was estimated at £14 billion a month to run.[57]
The
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme initially ran for three months and was backdated to 1 March. Following a three-week extension of the countrywide lockdown the scheme was extended by Sunak until the end of June 2020.[58][59] At the end of May, Sunak extended the scheme until the end of October 2020. The decision to extend the job retention scheme was made to avoid or defer mass redundancies, company bankruptcies and potential unemployment levels not seen since the 1930s.[60]
In July 2020, Sunak unveiled a plan for a further £30 billion of spending which included a
stamp duty holiday, a cut to
value-added tax (VAT) for the hospitality sector, a job retention bonus for employers and the
Eat Out to Help Out scheme,[61][62] aimed at supporting and creating jobs in the
hospitality industry. The government subsidised food and soft drinks at participating cafes, pubs and restaurants at 50%, up to £10 per person. The offer was available from 3 to 31 August on Monday to Wednesday each week.[63] In total, the scheme subsidised £849 million in meals.[64] Some considered the scheme to be a success in boosting the hospitality industry,[65] whilst others disagreed.[66][67] A 2020 study found that the scheme contributed to a rise in COVID-19 infection, which Johnson acknowledged but the Treasury rejected.[68][69][70] It was later said by the government's chief medical adviser Sir
Patrick Vallance during the
UK COVID-19 Inquiry that Sunak had not informed medical advisers of the scheme until it was announced, whereas written evidence from Sunak said that the scheme had been discussed with medical advisers, including Vallance, and they had not objected.[71]
The
Winter Economy Plan was delivered by Sunak on 24 September 2020. The purpose of the statement was to announce measures aimed at further helping to promote economic recovery following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan aimed to further promote economic recovery while preserving jobs and businesses which were considered viable. After a
second lockdown in England on 31 October 2020, the programme was extended several times, until 30 September 2021.[72]
Sunak said he had opposed recommendations by government medical advisers for a second "circuit-breaker" lockdown in September 2020 due to the potential impact on jobs and the economy.[73] Then–health secretary
Matt Hancock said that Sunak had put Boris Johnson under "enormous pressure" not to introduce further restrictions during this time[74] although Sunak maintained he had only advised the Prime Minister on economic matters in order to help him reach a decision.[73]
According to the diary of chief medical adviser Sir Patrick Vallance, he was told by
Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnson's chief political adviser, that Sunak had argued to "just let people die" during an argument over imposing a second lockdown in October 2020.[75] Sunak denied the "let people die" claim, pointing to the fact that Vallance did not hear the phrase but merely claimed to have been told about it by Cummings.[76]
In October 2021, Sunak made his third and final budget statement, which included substantial spending promises related to science and education.[77] The budget increased in-work support through the
Universal Credit system by increasing the work allowances by £500 a year, and reducing the post-tax deduction taper rate from 63% to 55%.[78][79] £560 million of investment was announced for the
Levelling Up White Paper.[80] Many of the announcements to be made in the budget were previewed before budget day, drawing criticism and anger from the House of Commons. In response to the criticism, Sunak said the budget "begins the work of preparing for a new economy".[79]
In April 2022, amid the
Partygate scandal, Sunak was issued a
fixed penalty notice by the police who believed he had committed offences under COVID-19 regulations by attending a birthday gathering for Johnson on 19 June 2020. The police also issued 125 fixed penalty notices to 82 other individuals, including Johnson and his wife
Carrie Symonds, who all apologised and paid the penalties.[81][82] After receiving the penalty notice, Sunak said he was "extremely and sincerely sorry" for the hurt caused by him attending the party, and that he respected the police's decision to give him a fine.[83]
As the rising
cost of living became an increasingly serious and worrying issue for the country, the UK government including Sunak intensified its efforts to respond to the crisis in May 2022, with a £5 billion
windfall tax on energy companies to help fund a £15 billion support package for the public. The package included every household getting a £400 discount on energy bills, which would be in addition to a £150 council tax refund the government had already ordered. For about 8 million of the UK's lowest income households, a further £650 payment was announced. Additionally, pensioners or those with disability would qualify for extra payments, on top of the £550 that every household gets, and the £650 they would receive if they had a low income.[84][85][86][87]
Sunak made his spring statement on 23 March 2022. He cut
fuel duty, removed VAT on energy saving equipment (such as solar panels and insulation) and reduced national insurance payments for small businesses and, while continuing with a
planned national insurance rise in April, he promised to align the primary threshold with the basic personal income allowance as of July. He also promised a reduction in
income tax in 2024. Sunak also provided some funding to help vulnerable people cope with the rising cost of living.[88]
Other actions
Sunak hosted a
G7 summit in London in June 2021.[89] A tax reform agreement was signed, which in principle sought to establish a
global minimum tax on multinationals and online technology companies.[89] In October 2021, the
OECD signed an accord to join the tax reform plan.[90] Later that month, Sunak attended
COP26 in Glasgow.[91] During his speech given on 3 November, he said that he felt optimism despite daunting challenges and that by bringing together finance ministers, businesses and investors, COP26 could begin to deliver targets from the
Paris Agreement.[92]
In November 2020, Sunak was reported by The Guardian to have not declared a significant amount of his wife and family's financial interests on the register of ministers' interests, including a combined £1.7billion shareholding in the Indian company
Infosys.
Alistair Graham, former chair of the
Committee on Standards in Public Life stated Sunak should disclose his financial interests and those of his close family due to "the chancellor's capacity to determine the government's financial and business policies. He seems to have taken the most minimalist approach possible to this requirement. Perhaps Rishi Sunak should carefully read the 'Seven principles of Public Life' to make sure he is fulfilling the two principles of 'Honesty and Leadership'."
[93] Ministers are required to declare interests that are "relevant" to their responsibilities and "which might be thought to give rise to a conflict" with their public duties.[93] The independent adviser on ministers' interests investigated and concluded that Sunak had not broken any rules.[94][95]
In early 2022, newspapers reported that Murty had
non-domiciled status, meaning she did not have to pay
tax on income earned abroad while living in the UK.[96] The status cost approximately £30,000 to secure, and allowed her to avoid paying an estimated £20 million in UK taxes.[96][97] On 8 April Murty issued a statement saying that she would pay UK taxes on her global income, and that she regretted the issue had become "a distraction for [her] husband". An inquiry was set up to identify the source of the leak regarding her tax status.[98]
Reporting around this time also revealed that Sunak had continued to hold United States'
permanent resident (green card) status he had acquired in the 2000s until 2021, including for 18 months after he was made chancellor, which required filing annual US tax returns.[99][100] An investigation into both his wife's tax status and his residency status found that Sunak had not broken any ministerial rules.[101]
On 5 July 2022, Sunak and
Health Secretary Sajid Javid resigned almost simultaneously amid a scandal surrounding the
sexual harassment allegations against
Chris Pincher, which arose after it was revealed that Johnson had promoted Pincher to the position while knowing of the allegations beforehand.[102] Sunak was the second of 61 Conservative MPs to resign during the government crisis.[103] In his resignation letter Sunak said:
The public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously. I recognise this may be my last ministerial job, but I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning. It has become clear to me that our approaches are fundamentally too different. I am sad to be leaving Government but I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that we cannot continue like this.[104][105][106]
He was succeeded as chancellor by
Nadhim Zahawi. Following the resignations of Sunak and Javid, numerous junior ministers and among the
parliamentary private secretary (PPS) also resigned, most of whom cited a lack of honesty and integrity on the part of Johnson. In the following 24 hours, 36 MPs resigned from their roles in government. This marked both the largest number of ministerial resignations in a 24-hour period since the
British Empire Economic Conference in 1932, and the largest number of such resignations on record. After a total of 62 resignations, Johnson announced on 7 July his intention to resign as Conservative leader and prime minister, but said he would remain prime minister until a new leader was in place.[citation needed]
On 8 July 2022, Sunak announced his candidacy in the
Conservative Party leadership election to replace Johnson.[107] Sunak launched his campaign in a video posted to social media, writing that he would "restore trust, rebuild the economy and reunite the country".[108] He said that his values were "patriotism, fairness, hard work",[109] and pledged to "crack down on gender neutral language".[110] During the campaign, Sunak pledged to included tax cuts only when inflation was under control, scrapping of the 5% VAT rate on household energy for one year, introducing a temporary £10 fine for patients who fail to attend GP appointments, capping of refugee numbers, and a tightening of the definition of asylum.[111]
On 20 July, Sunak and Foreign Secretary
Liz Truss emerged as the final two candidates in the contest on 20 July to be put forward to the membership for the final leadership vote. He had received the most votes in each of the series of MP votes with Sunak receiving 137 to Truss's 113 in the final round.[112] In the membership vote, Truss received 57.4% of the vote, making her the new leader.[113] He spent the duration of
Truss's premiership on the backbenches.
Truss announced her resignation on 20 October 2022 amid
a government crisis, triggering a
leadership contest.[114] On 22 October, it was reported that Sunak had the required number of supporters—100 members of the
House of Commons—to run in the ballot on 24 October. The total number of MPs who publicly declared support passed 100 on the afternoon of 22 October.[115] On 23 October, Sunak declared that he would stand for election.[116] After Johnson ruled himself out of the race and
Penny Mordaunt withdrew her candidacy, Sunak was announced as the new Conservative leader on 24 October.[117]
As the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons, Sunak was appointed as prime minister by
Charles III on 25 October 2022, becoming both the first
British Asian and the first
Hindu to take the office,[118] and began to select his cabinet ministers. Sunak retained
Jeremy Hunt as chancellor,
James Cleverly as foreign secretary,
Ben Wallace as defence secretary and Mordaunt as leader of the House of Commons and lord president of the council;
Suella Braverman was reappointed by Sunak as home secretary, a role from which she had resigned six days prior, with Sunak demoting
Grant Shapps from home secretary to business secretary; and
Michael Gove returned as levelling up secretary, a role he was dismissed from by Johnson. Other appointments included
Simon Hart as parliamentary secretary to the Treasury and chief whip,
Dominic Raab as deputy prime minister and justice secretary,
Nadhim Zahawi as party chairman,
Oliver Dowden as chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster,
Thérèse Coffey as environment secretary,
Mel Stride as work and pensions secretary and
Mark Harper as transport secretary.[119][120]
Environment
In a reversal of his predecessor's policy, Sunak reinstated the ban on
fracking on 26 October as outlined in the 2019 Conservative manifesto.[121]
In October, Sunak initially said that he would not attend the
2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Egypt, to allow him to concentrate on urgent domestic matters.[122] Following pressure from MPs, environmentalist campaigners and others, Sunak announced that he would attend.[123]
Sunak attended a reception held by the King at Buckingham Palace on 4 November.[124] Sunak told the meeting of approximately 200 politicians and campaigners that the UK would continue with its environmental aims after the end of its
COP26 presidency.[124] In his speech, Sunak said that climate change would cause long-lasting human suffering, and that because of inaction, people risked giving their children a desperate inheritance. Sunak also paid tribute to the King's longstanding work for the environment.[124]
On 7 November at the
COP27 summit, Sunak launched The Forest and Climate Leaders' Partnership (FCLP), building on a policy called the
Glasgow Climate Pact, originally started at COP 26.[125][126] The partnership aims to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030, bringing 26 countries and the European Union together.[125] These countries account for 60% of
global GDP and over 33% of the world's forests and together with private funding, the partnership has total funds of $23.8bn.[125][126] In his speech to the Forest and Climate Leaders' Summit, Sunak said that the world's forests have been undervalued and underestimated, yet were one of the natural wonders of the world.[125] He then asked attendees to build upon what had already been achieved to secure an incredible legacy for generations to come.[125] The FCLP will hold annual meetings and starting in 2023, it will publish an annual Global Progress Report that includes independent assessments.[125]
Sunak supports Johnson's policy of lowering
net migration, continuing the
plan to have asylum seekers and illegal immigrants sent to
Rwanda for processing.[129][130] After the plan was blocked by the
UK's Court of Appeal in June 2023 due to concerns over international law and the possibility of
refoulement, Sunak vowed to appeal against the verdict to the
Supreme Court.[131] On 15 November 2023 the Supreme Court upheld the ruling and declared the plan unlawful.[132] In response, Sunak sent Home Secretary
James Cleverly to Rwanda to negotiate a treaty with Rwanda focused on preventing refoulement which must now be ratified by the British and Rwandan Parliaments.[133] The government also introduced the
Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill, emergency legislation giving ministers the power to disapply sections of the
Human Rights Act 1998 and certain aspects of international law in order to allow them to declare Rwanda a safe country according to UK law.[134] The bill, which has yet to pass, was criticised by many on the right of the party for not going far enough, resulting in the resignation of the minister for immigration, Robert Jenrick.[135]
On 12 December 2023 Sunak secured a government majority of 44 for the Safety of Rwanda Bill, despite the opposition of all other parties and abstentions from members of the
European Research Group.[136]
Political positions
Sunak has been described as a moderate within his party with a
technocratic or managerial leadership style.[137] According to
Euronews, Sunak is "frequently perceived as a pragmatist and as belonging to the centre-ground of the Conservative Party".[138] He opposed
Trussonomics,[138] and although described as a fellow
Thatcherite, he is viewed as less
economically liberal than Truss.[139]
In April 2023, Sunak's perception as a centrist has been contrasted with descriptions of his government's policies on transgender and migration issues as being
socially conservative, with Jessica Elgot of The Guardian describing Sunak as "perhaps the most socially conservative PM of his generation".[140] Robert Shrimsley of the Financial Times described Sunak as someone whose "easy manner, career in global finance and ethnic background might suggest a more cosmopolitan conservative", even though he is socially conservative and pragmatic.[141] Meanwhile, the New Statesman described Sunak as uneasily straddling both
liberal-conservative and
national-conservative instincts.[142] In July 2023, The Economist described him as "the most right-wing Conservative prime minister since
Margaret Thatcher".[143]
Crime and anti-terror strategy
On crime, Sunak proposed an automatic one-year extension to prison sentences for prolific criminals, as well as cutting the minimum sentence before a foreign criminal is eligible for deportation from twelve months to six.[144] In August 2022, he proposed life imprisonment for leaders of child grooming gangs, and for police to record the ethnicity of those involved in such gangs.[145] He also proposed widening the
Prevent strategy by widening the definition of "extremism".[146]
European Union
Sunak supported the
Leave campaign during the
2016 United Kingdom European Union (EU) membership referendum. Speaking in 2022, Sunak said: "I voted for
Brexit, I believe in Brexit."[147] Sunak also said the UK would not be pursuing a relationship with the EU post-Brexit if the UK had to align with
EU laws. In January 2023, Sunak confirmed intentions to remove EU legislation from the UK statute book that year, saying that it should be a "collective effort".[148][149][147]
In February 2023, Sunak negotiated a proposed agreement with the EU on
Northern Ireland's trading arrangements which was published as the "
Windsor Framework".[150] On 27 February, Sunak delivered a statement to the House of Commons, saying that the proposed agreement "protects Northern Ireland's place in our Union.[151] On 22 March, the date of the parliamentary vote, 22 Conservative MPs and six DUP MPs voted against the government legislation.[152] The vote ultimately passed by 515 votes to 29.[152]
Energy and the environment
Sunak signed the Conservative Environment Pledge (CEP), as shown on the Conservative Environment Network (CEN) website which has the support of approximately 127 MPs.[153][154] The CEP's five main commitments are using Brexit freedoms for the environment and sustainable farming, backing British clean energy suppliers to boost
energy security, encouraging the use of domestic insulation and electric vehicle charging points, implementing the
Environment Act, and backing technologies that will help to achieve clean growth.[153] During the leadership contest held over summer 2022, Sunak told the CEN that he was engaged with the protection of the environment for future generations.[155]
Sunak has said he is committed to keeping the legal commitment of reaching
net zero by 2050.[156] During the summer, he said that he intended to make the UK energy independent by 2045,[157] while advocating for more offshore
windpower, more
solar panels on rooftops and improved insulation of homes to make them more
energy efficient.[139][157] Sunak is said to have listened to fellow MPs with a green agenda and that he was a believer in net zero for the UK.[158] Sunak also voted against a call for the UK to eliminate most
greenhouse gas emissions from transportation by 2030.[139]
While campaigning in August 2022, Sunak wrote that he would restrict the use of solar panels on farmland but would make sure solar is installed on commercial buildings, properties and sheds,[159] saying "on my watch, we will not lose swathes of our best farmland to solar farms."[159] The trade association Solar Energy UK said the solar industry was "deeply concerned" with both candidates intentions.[160]
Sunak has backed
fracking, where it is supported by local residents.[161] On 19 October in the debate on "Ban on Fracking for Shale Gas Bill (Division 66)", he voted with the government against the ban on fracking.[162] Fracking had been banned by the government in November 2019 after a report by the
Oil and Gas Authority found that it was not possible at that time to predict the probability or strength of earthquakes caused by fracking.[163][164]
While chancellor, Sunak attended
COP26 in Glasgow.[165] During the speech he gave on 3 November, he said that he felt optimism despite daunting challenges and that by bringing together finance ministers, businesses and investors, COP 26 could begin to deliver targets from the
Paris Agreement.[166] He outlined three actions: First, the need for increased public investment, with the UK committing £100 million to the Taskforce on Access to Climate Finance. He announced support for a new Capital Markets Mechanism which will issue
green bonds in the UK to fund renewable energy in developing countries.[166] Second, mobilising private finance, with the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero bringing together organisations with assets over $130 trillion to be deployed.[166] Third, the rewiring of the entire global financial system for net zero, which would include better climate data, mandatory sustainability disclosures, climate risk surveillance and stronger global reporting standards.[166] Also announced was that the UK will become the first ever 'Net Zero Aligned Financial Centre'.[166]
During an interview in July 2022, Sunak said that wind generation would be a part of his governments' energy policies, but he wanted to reassure communities that there would not be a relaxation of the current onshore planning laws, with more of a focus on offshore wind farms.[167] This stance was confirmed by the PM's press team in October, who said that Sunak wants "offshore not onshore wind".[168] When asked about wind generation by MP
Alan Whitehead at
Prime Minister's Questions on 26 October, Sunak responded that, as outlined in the Conservative manifesto of 2019, he would focus on long term energy security, including more offshore wind.[169] Onshore wind generation was made difficult by the National Planning Policy Framework 2016 Update, but as part of his predecessors' policies, the planning laws were set to be relaxed.[170]
Foreign policy
In July 2022, during his run for the Conservative Party leadership, Sunak called China the "biggest long-term threat" to the UK, adding that "They torture, detain and indoctrinate their own people, including in
Xinjiang and Hong Kong, in contravention of their human rights. And they have continually rigged the global economy in their favour by suppressing their currency." He accused China of supporting Russian president
Vladimir Putin and that it was "stealing our technology and infiltrating our universities".[171][172] Sunak softened his attitude after becoming prime minister, calling the country a "systemic challenge" instead of a "threat", and that the West would "manage this sharpening competition, including with diplomacy and engagement".[173]
Sunak described Saudi Arabia as a "partner" and "ally", but said that the British government does not ignore
human rights violations in Saudi Arabia. According to Sunak, "It's absolutely right that" the British government "engages with our partners and allies around the world as we contemplate how best to ensure energy security for this country."[174] During his chancellorship, Sunak also opposed US president Joe Biden's plan to introduce a minimum 21 per cent global business tax.[139] Additionally, Sunak supported the
recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.[175] During the
2023 Israel–Hamas war, Sunak stated that "Israel has an absolute right to defend itself."[176] In January 2024, he rejected South Africa's
ICJ genocide case against Israel.[177]
Russia and Ukraine
In regards to the
Russo–Ukraine War and the
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sunak supports Ukraine and economic sanctions against Russia but opposes British military intervention in Ukraine.[138] After meeting Ukrainian president
Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his first visit to
Kyiv in November 2022, Sunak said: "I am proud of how the UK stood with Ukraine from the very beginning. And I am here today to say the UK and our allies will continue to stand with Ukraine, as it fights to end this barbarous war and deliver a just peace. While Ukraine's armed forces succeed in pushing back Russian forces on the ground, civilians are being brutally bombarded from the air. We are today providing new air defence, including anti-aircraft guns, radar and anti-drone equipment, and stepping up humanitarian support for the cold, hard winter ahead."[178]
In July 2022, Sunak said that he wanted the UK to be "the safest and greatest country in the world to be LGBT+". When asked about perceived
transphobia within his party, he stated that "prejudice against trans people is wrong. The Conservative Party is an open, welcoming family to everybody across society, no matter who they are and irrespective of their background."[179][180] Several of Sunak's other political statements have been described as "anti-trans" by LGBT advocates.[181][182][183] He has said that he views biology as "important" and "fundamental" regarding
public toilets and
competitive sports.[139]
In April 2023, Sunak agreed with a statement that all women "haven't got a penis". In October, he stated that it was "common sense" that "a man is a man and a woman is a woman".[184][185] In February 2024, in response to
Keir Starmer's alleged backtracking on "
defining a woman" at
Prime Minister's Questions, Sunak said that "in fairness, that was only 99% of a U-turn", referring to previous comments made by Starmer that "99.9% of women" do not have a penis.[186] This was said on the same day that the mother of
murdered trans teenager Brianna Ghey was present at the Commons, and was harshly criticised by Starmer, LGBT groups (including
Stonewall) and relatives of Brianna Ghey.[186][187]
Immigration
Sunak has expressed support for lowering
net migration. An official spokesperson said Sunak was "committed to ensuring we have control over our borders and the public rightly expects us to control immigration and have a system that works best for the UK."[188] He has said that the "current asylum system is broken and it needs to be fixed urgently", saying he would, in his first 100 days as prime minister, "tighten our statutory definition of who qualifies for asylum in the UK ... This will prevent anyone who enters the UK illegally from staying here", that the "Parliament will be given control of the number of refugees we accept each year", that he "cannot underestimate the role of data sharing which will make it easier to identify people who are in the UK illegally", and that the
Rwanda asylum plan is "the right one".[189][190] Responding to criticism surrounding some of his proposals about
illegal immigration, Sunak said there was "absolutely nothing racist" about it.[191] On 4 January 2023, Sunak set out his priorities for 2023, which included: "We will pass new laws to stop small boats, making sure that if you come to this country illegally, you are detained and swiftly removed."[192]
Public image
Following his appointment as chancellor, Sunak arrived in public discourse from relative obscurity.[193] In the early stages of the
COVID-19 pandemic, he was popular by the standards of British politics, described by one analyst as having "better ratings than any politician since the heydays of
Tony Blair".[194] Various polls showed Sunak remained overwhelmingly popular among Conservative supporters and many other Britons throughout 2020.[195][196][197]
Public attitudes towards Sunak remained broadly positive in 2021,[204][205][206] though his popularity declined steadily over time.[194] By early 2022, with the cost of living becoming a growing focus of public concern, Sunak's response as chancellor was perceived as inadequate and he received some of his lowest approval ratings, which continued as the Sunak family's financial affairs came under scrutiny.[207][208][209][210][211] By the time he resigned as chancellor in July 2022, Sunak's approval ratings slightly recovered.[212] In October 2022, following his appointment as prime minister, Sunak's personal favourability ratings increased.[213][214] By July 2023, Sunak's approval ratings had decreased back to a similar level to when he resigned as chancellor.[215]
Personal life
In August 2009, Sunak married
Akshata Murty, the daughter of
N. R. Narayana Murthy and
Sudha Murty. His father-in-law is the founder of the technology company
Infosys, in which Murty owns a stake.[10][216] Sunak and Murty met while studying at
Stanford University in the US; they have two daughters: Krishna (born 2011) and Anoushka (born 2013).[10][14]
Sunak and Murty own several houses, including
Kirby Sigston Manor in the village of
Kirby Sigston, North Yorkshire, a
mews house in
Earl's Court in central London, a flat on the
Old Brompton Road,
South Kensington, and a penthouse apartment on
Ocean Avenue in
Santa Monica, California.[217][218][219][9][220] In April 2022, it was reported that Sunak and Murty had moved out of the flat above 10 Downing Street to a newly refurbished West London home for domestic reasons.[221][222] In October 2022, the Sunaks resumed residence of their former official home at 10 Downing Street, this time as prime minister and reversing the trend started in 1997 of prime ministers living in the four-bedroom flat above
11 Downing Street.[223][224][225]
Sunak is a
teetotaller.[3][20] He stated in 2022 that he was a
Coca-Cola addict and now has seven dental fillings due to excessive consumption when he was younger.[226] He was previously a governor of the
East London Science School.[35] Sunak has a
Labrador called Nova and is a cricket and horse racing enthusiast.[227][228][229] As chancellor, Sunak rose early for a daily
Peloton workout and was a fan of fitness instructor
Cody Rigsby. Sunak is a close friend of The Spectator's former political editor
James Forsyth, whom he has known since their school days. Sunak was the best man at Forsyth's wedding to the journalist
Allegra Stratton, and they are godparents to each other's children.[9] He appointed Forsyth as his political secretary in December 2022.[230]
Sunak is a steadfast
Southampton F.C. fan.[231][232] When asked what his ideal job would be if he was not a politician, he replied that if he could "run Southampton Football Club" he would be a "very happy man".[233]
^"Rishi Sunak: A quick guide to the UK's new prime minister". BBC News. 24 October 2022.
Archived from the original on 25 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023. His parents came to the UK from east Africa and are both of Indian origin. Mr Sunak was born in Southampton in 1980, where his father was a GP and his mother ran a pharmacy.
^Brunskill, Ian (2020). The Times Guide to the House of Commons 2019. Glasgow. p. 310.
ISBN978-0-00-839258-1.{{
cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
link)
^"Rishi Sunak Reads From Bible At UK's Multi-Faith King Charles III Coronation Event". New Delhi:
NDTV. 6 May 2023.
Archived from the original on 6 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023. Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak read from the biblical book of Colossians at the coronation of King Charles III in keeping with the tradition of British Prime Ministers giving readings at state occasions.