NHS worker floors Sunak with starving children question - 'richer than the King' (2024)

The millionaire Prime Minister was blasted by a heath care worker who helps support food banks. She asked how Mr Sunak can 'relate to any of our needs and struggles'

An NHS worker floored Rishi Sunak with a question about starving children she works with on a daily basis - during a heated call-in on LBC radio.

The Prime Minister was branded 'tetchy' by listeners as he lost his cool when asked about his dire campaign - and the nightmare poll predictions for the Tories. But one caller brought the conversation away from party politics and reminded Mr Sunak of the millions of Brits struggling to afford food under his government.

Sophie from Bury told the millionaire PM that someone 'richer than the King' simply cannot relate to the electorate - and families who rely on foodbanks up and down the country.

She told the sinking Tory leader: "I'd like to ask you about food banks. So currently we have 3 million people using food banks. In 2010 there were 35 food banks and today it stands at nearly 1,200. This affects every single person in the UK. I work in the health service. I work with children who are suffering daily.

"They aren't able to eat, they're expected to go to secondary school, to primary school without hardly any food. It affects the health service because we have poorly children who are unable to get the nutrition they require. How as a prime minister who is richer than the King relate to any of our needs and struggles?"

The personal wealth of Mr Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty skyrocketed by £122m last year, as per the Sunday Times Rich list. The couple's eye-watering fortune was estimated at £651m, up from £529m in 2023, making them far richer than the monarch. He also attended one of the country's most expensive boarding schools.

In response to the caller's reality-check, the PM said: "Sophie, when it comes to food banks, I'm always incredibly grateful to anyone who supports them and makes sure they have the resources they need and the donations and volunteers because they provide a really important service and support to so many vulnerable people across the country."

LBC presenter Nick Ferrari stepped in and asked: "But what does it say about the state of our country that we have so many now? it's an explosion to 12,00, Prime Minister?"

To which Mr Sunak replied: "And I want to get the number down. And that's why this election is about building people's financial security."

When Ferrari pressed the PM on how he plans to bring the figure down, the Tory leader sounded exasperated, as he said of the heated exchange: "I'd like to bring the number down Nick. You're sighing, but what else would you expect me to say?"

The PM told Sophie that he provided "enormous amounts of support to everyone" during the pandemic and that he will "always have people's backs during a tough time". But it went down like a led balloon with the health worker.

She said: "I think it's an absolute lie that you supported people through Covid. I supported food banks myself. With a mortgage increase of £700 a month as a health professional, I'm going to struggle to help other people. I don't think you understand what it's like to be on the shop floor. You're richer than the King, I don't believe you understand how hard it is for people to support food banks. We need investment and we need the food to come down in price."

Pressing further on Mr Sunak's extraordinary wealth, Ferrari asked: "Do you accept you're rich, Prime Minister?" And he replied defensively: "Yes, but I'm very fortunate in my life. I'm not going to apologise for that because my parents worked really hard to give me and my brother and sister a good life."

When asked how his millionaire status "fits in" with relating to "ordinary folk", Mr Sunak simply said: "I think people can see my actions."

In response to Rishi's food bank grilling, one man took to X, formerly Twitter, to write: "There are nearly twice as many food banks in the UK as there are McDonald's. When asked about how we got into this state Rishi Sunak got tetchy and petulant, spouting the same tired nonsense with absolutely no substance."

Earlier in the campaign, Mr Sunak was ridiculed after saying he went without of lots of things as a kid - including Sky TV. During a an excruciating 30-minute exchange with ITV Tonight presenter Paul Brand, Mr Sunak was asked: "Have you ever gone without something?" The Tory leader replied:" Yes, I mean, my family emigrated here with very little. And that's how I was raised. I was raised with the values of hard work."

Pressed on what he'd gone without as a child, Mr Sunak said: "Oh, we went without lots of things because my parents wanted to put everything into our education and that was a priority." But when asked what sort of things had to be sacrificed, he could only say: "Lots of things." He then laughed.

Mr Sunak was also spotted wearing a £750 backpack as he headed to one of the poorest areas of the country on the campaign trail. The millionnaire Tory was seen with a luxury Tumi bag monogrammed with his initials "RS" as he got on the train to Cornwall last month.