UK PM and Conservative Party leader Rishi Sunak during an election campaign event in east London. | Image:AP

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is reportedly wealthier than King Charles, shared that he went without “lots of things” during his childhood, including Sky TV. This revelation came in response to questions about whether he understands the struggles of ordinary people.

In an interview with ITV, set to air later today, Sunak recalled his parents’ decision not to pay for the subscription channel. He cited this as an example of the sacrifices his family made to prioritize his education. “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,” he said.

Sunak is son of a doctor and pharmacist 

Sunak, the son of a doctor and a pharmacist, has amassed considerable wealth through his career in financial services and his wife’s family fortune. His wife’s father founded the Indian IT services company Infosys. Sunak is the wealthiest prime minister in British history.

Many Britons feel Sunak is out of touch 

The opposition Labour Party has used Sunak’s wealth to portray him as disconnected from the everyday problems faced by most Britons. Labour highlighted an incident earlier this year where Sunak agreed to a £1,000 bet regarding his government’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, a sum they argued was unaffordable for many.

Is Sunak a man of the people? 

Recently, whilst visiting one of UK’s poorest regions, Cornwall,  Sunak was carrying a backpack that was worth 750 pounds. During his time as Chancellor, Sunak received flak for using a coffee mug that was worth 180 pounds. 

Sunak’s family’s net worth is estimated at over £650 million ($828 million), placing them 245th on the Sunday Times 2024 “Rich List” of wealthiest Britons, ahead of King Charles, who is in 258th place.

Here is what else you need to know

The interview with ITV also drew criticism last week after Sunak cut short his participation in D-Day commemorations in northern France to record it. Facing backlash from opposition parties, who called it a dereliction of duty, Sunak later apologized, admitting it was “a mistake not to stay longer.”

This incident and his remarks about missing out on Sky TV as a child have sparked further debate about whether Sunak can truly empathize with the financial struggles of ordinary citizens. It is worth remembering that UK is going though a cost of living crisis. Many people are struggling to pay their utilities bill. Nearly 4 million children go to school in Britain with an empty stomach. 

Rough sleeping remains a common site in most British cities. Numerous people sleep on the streets, even during the British winter, with rats roaming around them.