Who has the best plan for UK;s economy - this question was put to voters who believe Labour Party's Keir Starmer has a better plan for the country than UK's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Who has the 'best plan' for UK? British Survey votes for Keir Starmer

United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s wife Akshata Murty said in a recent interview that he is a better cook&nbsp;even though he does not get much time to spend in the kitchen with a busy day job running the country. However, Grazia’s women’s magazine interview of the couple ahead of International Women’s Day also garnered criticism from netizens.&nbsp;

<h2>British Indian couple talk domestic chores and more</h2>

During the joint interview at 10 Downing Street, the couple spoke about their day-to-day lives, daughters Krishna (12) and Anoushka (11), and how the country’s most high-profile couple share domestic duties.

“Rishi is the better cook. I do have a great deal of enthusiasm, but Rishi definitely has more talent in that department,” Murty said. It’s “mainly just breakfast on Saturday mornings now. Gordon Ramsay’s scrambled eggs,” Sunak added.&nbsp;

Murty, a businesswoman, also said she is “not a morning person,” and that Sunak is the tidier of the two.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nikki-haley-to-exit-us-presidential-race-after-super-tuesday-reports-697227">Nikki Haley announces end of her US presidential campaign, paves way for Biden and Trump rematch</a>

To which Sunak said, “But you also just don’t like making the bed and it bugs me. I actually sometimes come up back into the flat from the office after we’ve all left to make the bed because I’ll be irritated if it’s not been made.”

The couple met while they attended Stanford University, and Murty also reportedly said how her untidy habits would annoy him even back then, admitting that she is not the most organised person compared to her husband.

Now, at 43, the couple said that they divide the tasks from her taking charge of the kids’ homework and him taking care of the rest.&nbsp;

The couple also shared how they wind down for the day by watching reruns of episodes of the popular sitcom Friends, which they both love. “I’m too exhausted when I get home so I watch an episode of ‘Friends’ and go to bed,” shared the UK PM.&nbsp;

<h2>‘Out of touch’</h2>

While the interview was supposed to be a light-hearted insight into Sunak and Murthy’s lives, most people found it “tone deaf” and “out of touch”.&nbsp;

The magazine had interviewed the couple ahead of International Women’s Day to find out how “the country’s most high-profile couple share domestic duties.”&nbsp;

The UK PM also mentioned how in his free time he reorganises the dishwasher after his wife has loaded it. When asked about his favourite chore, he was torn. “Hard choice: dishwasher-stacking, making bed. Both have a satisfying ending,” said Sunak.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-to-bar-entry-of-hate-preachers-amid-shocking-increase-in-extremist-activity-report-696257">UK to bar entry of hate preachers amid 'shocking increase' in extremist activity: Report</a>

The magazine has reportedly lost around 1,000 followers since the interview and their comments section on social media flooded with criticism.&nbsp;

“The net worth of this family is expected to be close to a Billion pounds soon. They are already twice as wealthy as the King,” said Caroline Hirons, a writer and skincare expert, in a comment on Instagram. She added, “Ain’t no-one in this family doing ‘chores’.”

Similarly, several others pointed out how the attempt to make the couple seem more relatable backfired. “It’s like they’ve been given 24 hours to prove they’re real people,” said one user on X.&nbsp;

The interview comes as Sunak is preparing for his first general election as the leader of the Conservative Party, and it may take place during the second half of this year.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s wife Akshata Murty said in a recent interview that he is a better cook even though he does not get much time to spend in the kitchen with a busy day job running the country.

United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s wife Akshata Murty said in a recent interview that he is a better cook even though he does not get much time to spend in the kitchen with a busy day job running the country. However, Grazia’s women’s magazine interview of the couple ahead of International Women’s Day also garnered criticism from netizens. British Indian couple talk domestic chores and more During the joint interview at 10 Downing Street, the couple spoke about their day-to-day lives, daughters Krishna (12) and Anoushka (11), and how the country’s most high-profile couple share domestic duties. “Rishi is the better cook. I do have a great deal of enthusiasm, but Rishi definitely has more talent in that department,” Murty said. It’s “mainly just breakfast on Saturday mornings now. Gordon Ramsay’s scrambled eggs,” Sunak added. Murty, a businesswoman, also said she is “not a morning person,” and that Sunak is the tidier of the two. Also Read | Nikki Haley announces end of her US presidential campaign, paves way for Biden and Trump rematch To which Sunak said, “But you also just don’t like making the bed and it bugs me. I actually sometimes come up back into the flat from the office after we’ve all left to make the bed because I’ll be irritated if it’s not been made.” The couple met while they attended Stanford University, and Murty also reportedly said how her untidy habits would annoy him even back then, admitting that she is not the most organised person compared to her husband. Now, at 43, the couple said that they divide the tasks from her taking charge of the kids’ homework and him taking care of the rest. The couple also shared how they wind down for the day by watching reruns of episodes of the popular sitcom Friends, which they both love. “I’m too exhausted when I get home so I watch an episode of ‘Friends’ and go to bed,” shared the UK PM. ‘Out of touch’ While the interview was supposed to be a light-hearted insight into Sunak and Murthy’s lives, most people found it “tone deaf” and “out of touch”. The magazine had interviewed the couple ahead of International Women’s Day to find out how “the country’s most high-profile couple share domestic duties.” The UK PM also mentioned how in his free time he reorganises the dishwasher after his wife has loaded it. When asked about his favourite chore, he was torn. “Hard choice: dishwasher-stacking, making bed. Both have a satisfying ending,” said Sunak. Also Read | UK to bar entry of hate preachers amid 'shocking increase' in extremist activity: Report The magazine has reportedly lost around 1,000 followers since the interview and their comments section on social media flooded with criticism. “The net worth of this family is expected to be close to a Billion pounds soon. They are already twice as wealthy as the King,” said Caroline Hirons, a writer and skincare expert, in a comment on Instagram. She added, “Ain’t no-one in this family doing ‘chores’.” Similarly, several others pointed out how the attempt to make the couple seem more relatable backfired. “It’s like they’ve been given 24 hours to prove they’re real people,” said one user on X. The interview comes as Sunak is preparing for his first general election as the leader of the Conservative Party, and it may take place during the second half of this year. (With inputs from agencies)

Akshata Murty says husband Rishi Sunak is the better cook, tidier; netizens call couple ‘out of touch’

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak joked that the leader of the opposition Labour Party could not define what a woman was, during a parliamentary exchange on Wednesday that the mother of a murdered transgender girl had been invited to watch.

UK PM Sunak makes transgender jibe during visit of murdered girl's mother

Rishi Sunak invited Tory backbenchers to dinner at a five-star hotel in London in an attempt to boost the morale of his troops. Watch the video to know more.

UK: Conservative Party faces internal strife; exclusive survey reveals Tory discontent

A fourth prime ministerial change of guard in London's Downing Street is being plotted by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Conservative Party colleagues, whom the Indian-origin politician has outfoxed in recent years to become the prime minister, a report in The Times newspaper indicated.&nbsp;

Rishi Sunak, who took over the helm of affairs in the UK after Boris Johnson's exit triggered by the 'partygate' scandal and Liz Truss' inability to steer the economy in a better direction, is reportedly being targeted by individuals linked to Suella Braverman, Robert Jenrick and Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Also watch |&nbsp;Gravitas Plus: The untold story of Rishi Sunak

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-plus-the-untold-story-of-rishi-sunak-529456/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Sir Jacob William Rees-Mogg is a British politician and member of the Conservative Party serving as the Member of Parliament for North East Somerset since 2010. While Suella Braverman is a Conservative heavyweight who served as Home Secretary under Prime Minister Liz Truss and is widely seen as a rival to Sunak&nbsp;within the Conservative Party circles.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-pm-sunak-at-centre-of-tory-breakdown-over-secret-election-talks-with-dominic-cummings-675371">UK PM Sunak at centre of Tory breakdown over 'secret election talks' with Dominic Cummings</a>

Robert Jenrick served as Minister of State for Immigration from 2022 to 2023 and is reported to be the person who stirred opposition to Sunak's much-debated Rwanda plan to combat illegal immigration in the United Kingdom.

<h2>Spotlight on Tories' showing in May 2024 by-elections</h2>

The Times report claimed that potential&nbsp;poor performance in May's local elections could be the cue to strike Sunak by individuals linked with his Tory colleagues. These colleagues, such as Braverman, are&nbsp;deemed antagonistic towards Sunak.&nbsp;

The report added that while Sunak's position is safe for now, those plotting to get rid of him are preparing for a campaign of attrition between now and the local elections on May 2.&nbsp;

The May by-elections are expected to be the "moment of maximum" danger for the UK prime minister.&nbsp;

One senior Tory leader told the publication: "There was a school of thought that Simon Clarke had jumped and expected others to follow and been surprised that no one else had. That is not the case. I expect there to be a constant dribble of people coming forward to call for a change in leadership in a bid to gradually destabilise Sunak in the run-up to the local elections. Once those are over, Sunak could face a challenge. Those who oppose him believe that things can’t get any worse and want him to take ownership of the mess before they seek to install a new leader."

(With inputs from agencies)

A fourth prime ministerial change of guard in London's Downing Street is being plotted by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Conservative Party colleagues, whom the Indian-origin politician has outfoxed in recent years to become the prime minister, a report in The Times newspaper indicated.

A fourth prime ministerial change of guard in London's Downing Street is being plotted by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Conservative Party colleagues, whom the Indian-origin politician has outfoxed in recent years to become the prime minister, a report in The Times newspaper indicated. Rishi Sunak, who took over the helm of affairs in the UK after Boris Johnson's exit triggered by the 'partygate' scandal and Liz Truss' inability to steer the economy in a better direction, is reportedly being targeted by individuals linked to Suella Braverman, Robert Jenrick and Jacob Rees-Mogg. Also watch | Gravitas Plus: The untold story of Rishi Sunak × Sir Jacob William Rees-Mogg is a British politician and member of the Conservative Party serving as the Member of Parliament for North East Somerset since 2010. While Suella Braverman is a Conservative heavyweight who served as Home Secretary under Prime Minister Liz Truss and is widely seen as a rival to Sunak within the Conservative Party circles. Also read | UK PM Sunak at centre of Tory breakdown over 'secret election talks' with Dominic Cummings Robert Jenrick served as Minister of State for Immigration from 2022 to 2023 and is reported to be the person who stirred opposition to Sunak's much-debated Rwanda plan to combat illegal immigration in the United Kingdom. Spotlight on Tories' showing in May 2024 by-elections The Times report claimed that potential poor performance in May's local elections could be the cue to strike Sunak by individuals linked with his Tory colleagues. These colleagues, such as Braverman, are deemed antagonistic towards Sunak. The report added that while Sunak's position is safe for now, those plotting to get rid of him are preparing for a campaign of attrition between now and the local elections on May 2. The May by-elections are expected to be the "moment of maximum" danger for the UK prime minister. One senior Tory leader told the publication: "There was a school of thought that Simon Clarke had jumped and expected others to follow and been surprised that no one else had. That is not the case. I expect there to be a constant dribble of people coming forward to call for a change in leadership in a bid to gradually destabilise Sunak in the run-up to the local elections. Once those are over, Sunak could face a challenge. Those who oppose him believe that things can’t get any worse and want him to take ownership of the mess before they seek to install a new leader." (With inputs from agencies)

Danger looms on Rishi Sunak as crafty Tories plot to throw him out of Downing Street: Report

Facebook ads have emerged featuring Deepfake images of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, research by the communications company, uncovered such 143 fake ads on social network platform.

UK: Fake Rishi Sunak ads spark concerns, Facebook flooded with Deepfake ads of UK PM

United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, on Wednesday (Jan 10) said that his government would introduce an emergency law to grant an unprecedented blanket acquittal for hundreds of wrongly convicted employees of the state-owned Post Office in&nbsp;the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-what-is-the-uk-post-office-scandal-all-about-677930">Horizon IT scandal</a>.&nbsp;

<h2>‘One of the greatest miscarriages of justice’</h2>

Between 1999 and 2015, the Post Office prosecuted hundreds of sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses for alleged theft, fraud and false accounting based on the information from a recently installed IT system.&nbsp;

The decades-long scandal involves thousands of branch owner-operators and hundreds of wrongful convictions. According to the BBC, there are more than 900 convictions linked to the scandal over 16 years.&nbsp;

In a statement, Sunak, describing the scandal as “one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in our nation’s history” said that his government will introduce new legislation to make sure that the victims of the scandal are “swiftly exonerated and compensated”.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-government-mulls-clearing-names-of-post-office-scandal-convicts-677851">UK government mulls clearing names of Post Office scandal convicts</a>

He added, “People who worked hard to serve their communities had their lives and their reputations destroyed through absolutely no fault of their own. The victims must get justice and compensation.”&nbsp;

British media reports citing government officials said that the bill would be introduced “within weeks” as they have sought to grant the acquittals this year.

<h2>How will it help the victims of the scandal?</h2>

Speaking in the House of Commons after the UK PM, Kevin Hollinrake, member of Parliament and Post Office minister said hundreds fell victim to a “brutal and arbitrary exercise of power” by the state-owned entity.&nbsp;

Hollinrake told the Commons that amid the ongoing public inquiry about the scandal, they have found evidence that suggests that the Post Office acted with “incompetence and malevolence”.&nbsp;

He also noted that the bill that the government has sought to introduce could lead to some people fraudulently claiming compensation, but it will be a price worth paying.&nbsp;

“The risk is that instead of unjust convictions, we should end up with unjust acquittals,” said the Post Office minister. He added, “These are exceptional circumstances, and we need to act quickly and decisively. Time is one thing that we and the convicted postmasters do not have.”

The opposition Labour Party has welcomed the decision indicating that the bill introduced would swiftly pass through the parliament.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/children-committing-more-than-half-of-child-sexual-abuse-crimes-says-new-data-678653">UK: Children committing more than half of child sexual abuse crimes, says new data</a>

Hollinrake said those applying for compensation after they have been acquitted would have to sign a statement saying they did not commit the crimes of which they were accused.&nbsp;

He also acknowledged that it is not a “foolproof device” but called it “proportionate” and respectful of those who would have suffered the ordeal.&nbsp;

The bill will be introduced in response to the alarmingly slow pace at which the wrongly convicted Post Office staff is being exonerated and involve the parliament overturning the verdicts of multiple courts.&nbsp;

The bill would be introduced despite many raising concerns about the parliament interfering with the courts’ decision and setting a concerning precedent.&nbsp;

While the full details of the proposed law are yet to be known, Downing Street said it would amount to a blanket overturning of convictions tied to the scandal.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, on Wednesday (Jan 10) said that his government would introduce an emergency law to grant an unprecedented blanket acquittal for hundreds of wrongly convicted employees of the state-owned Post Office in the Horizon IT scandal.

United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, on Wednesday (Jan 10) said that his government would introduce an emergency law to grant an unprecedented blanket acquittal for hundreds of wrongly convicted employees of the state-owned Post Office in the Horizon IT scandal. ‘One of the greatest miscarriages of justice’ Between 1999 and 2015, the Post Office prosecuted hundreds of sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses for alleged theft, fraud and false accounting based on the information from a recently installed IT system. The decades-long scandal involves thousands of branch owner-operators and hundreds of wrongful convictions. According to the BBC, there are more than 900 convictions linked to the scandal over 16 years. In a statement, Sunak, describing the scandal as “one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in our nation’s history” said that his government will introduce new legislation to make sure that the victims of the scandal are “swiftly exonerated and compensated”. ALSO WATCH | UK government mulls clearing names of Post Office scandal convicts He added, “People who worked hard to serve their communities had their lives and their reputations destroyed through absolutely no fault of their own. The victims must get justice and compensation.” British media reports citing government officials said that the bill would be introduced “within weeks” as they have sought to grant the acquittals this year. How will it help the victims of the scandal? Speaking in the House of Commons after the UK PM, Kevin Hollinrake, member of Parliament and Post Office minister said hundreds fell victim to a “brutal and arbitrary exercise of power” by the state-owned entity. Hollinrake told the Commons that amid the ongoing public inquiry about the scandal, they have found evidence that suggests that the Post Office acted with “incompetence and malevolence”. He also noted that the bill that the government has sought to introduce could lead to some people fraudulently claiming compensation, but it will be a price worth paying. “The risk is that instead of unjust convictions, we should end up with unjust acquittals,” said the Post Office minister. He added, “These are exceptional circumstances, and we need to act quickly and decisively. Time is one thing that we and the convicted postmasters do not have.” The opposition Labour Party has welcomed the decision indicating that the bill introduced would swiftly pass through the parliament. ALSO READ | UK: Children committing more than half of child sexual abuse crimes, says new data Hollinrake said those applying for compensation after they have been acquitted would have to sign a statement saying they did not commit the crimes of which they were accused. He also acknowledged that it is not a “foolproof device” but called it “proportionate” and respectful of those who would have suffered the ordeal. The bill will be introduced in response to the alarmingly slow pace at which the wrongly convicted Post Office staff is being exonerated and involve the parliament overturning the verdicts of multiple courts. The bill would be introduced despite many raising concerns about the parliament interfering with the courts’ decision and setting a concerning precedent. While the full details of the proposed law are yet to be known, Downing Street said it would amount to a blanket overturning of convictions tied to the scandal. (With inputs from agencies)

UK Post Office scandal: PM Sunak announces new emergency law to overturn convictions

UK’s Conservative Party is going through its toughest phase under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s watch, as more and more voters turn to the right-wing Reform Party.

A pollster has found that Sunak’s popularity has dipped below that of his short-lived predecessor Liz Truss, who put the embattled party in power the last time.

JL Partners in a ‘deep-dive analysis’ claimed that Sunak’s period had caused ‘an implosion’ within the Conservatives, thus handing over a clear edge to the Labour Party in the January 2025 elections.

<h2>Sunak’s miseries in numbers</h2>

According to the analysis by JL Partners, a mere 59 per cent of Conservatives who backed Boris Johnson in the 2019 elections, are throwing their weight behind Sunak.&nbsp;

That’s down from 74 per cent in August and 63 per cent in September last year.

The pollster also claimed that the Tories have lost a whopping 520,000 votes since the prime minister’s speech at the Conservative Party conference at the beginning of October.

<h2>Reform Party gaining traction</h2>

The report revealed that 15 per cent of Conservatives who backed the party in the 2019 elections were now rooting for the Reform Party. This translates into a net loss of 1.5 million votes for the Tories.

It also said that five per cent of 2019 voters turned to the centrist Liberal Democrat party, while 18 per cent have now started backing Labour.

<h2>Sunak’s biggest challenge</h2>

Amongst all, the immigration policy remains Sunak’s biggest challenge as his plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda was ruled unlawful by the UK’s top court last month.

Watch:&nbsp;Gravitas Plus: The untold story of Rishi Sunak

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-plus-the-untold-story-of-rishi-sunak-529456/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Now, it remains to be seen how far Sunak is willing to go to risk Britain’s commitments to international human rights law as he vows to erect a strong, hardline migration policy.

<h2>Silver lining</h2>

The only silver lining for Sunak that came out of the poll analysis is the ‘confusion’ of fence-sitters.

The poll said around 50 per cent of voters who say they are undecided are expected to vote Conservative on election day, a phenomenon which pundits often term the “shy Tory” effect.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rishi-sunak-feels-special-as-he-jokes-about-being-referred-to-as-son-in-law-of-india-633758">Also read:&nbsp;UK PM Rishi Sunak feels `special` as he jokes about being referred to as `son-in-law of India`</a>

“Rishi Sunak can count on some undecided voters to narrow the Labour lead, and the British public is hardly elated by the prospect of a Labour government,” James Johnson, the founder of JL Partners, was quoted as saying by Bloomberg.&nbsp;

“That’s where the good news for the Tories stops: They are in dire straits,” he added.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

UK’s Conservative Party is going through its toughest phase under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s watch, as more and more voters turn to the right-wing Reform Party.

UK’s Conservative Party is going through its toughest phase under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s watch, as more and more voters turn to the right-wing Reform Party. A pollster has found that Sunak’s popularity has dipped below that of his short-lived predecessor Liz Truss, who put the embattled party in power the last time. JL Partners in a ‘deep-dive analysis’ claimed that Sunak’s period had caused ‘an implosion’ within the Conservatives, thus handing over a clear edge to the Labour Party in the January 2025 elections. Sunak’s miseries in numbers According to the analysis by JL Partners, a mere 59 per cent of Conservatives who backed Boris Johnson in the 2019 elections, are throwing their weight behind Sunak. That’s down from 74 per cent in August and 63 per cent in September last year. The pollster also claimed that the Tories have lost a whopping 520,000 votes since the prime minister’s speech at the Conservative Party conference at the beginning of October. Reform Party gaining traction The report revealed that 15 per cent of Conservatives who backed the party in the 2019 elections were now rooting for the Reform Party. This translates into a net loss of 1.5 million votes for the Tories. It also said that five per cent of 2019 voters turned to the centrist Liberal Democrat party, while 18 per cent have now started backing Labour. Sunak’s biggest challenge Amongst all, the immigration policy remains Sunak’s biggest challenge as his plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda was ruled unlawful by the UK’s top court last month. Watch: Gravitas Plus: The untold story of Rishi Sunak × Now, it remains to be seen how far Sunak is willing to go to risk Britain’s commitments to international human rights law as he vows to erect a strong, hardline migration policy. Silver lining The only silver lining for Sunak that came out of the poll analysis is the ‘confusion’ of fence-sitters. The poll said around 50 per cent of voters who say they are undecided are expected to vote Conservative on election day, a phenomenon which pundits often term the “shy Tory” effect. Also read: UK PM Rishi Sunak feels `special` as he jokes about being referred to as `son-in-law of India` “Rishi Sunak can count on some undecided voters to narrow the Labour lead, and the British public is hardly elated by the prospect of a Labour government,” James Johnson, the founder of JL Partners, was quoted as saying by Bloomberg. “That’s where the good news for the Tories stops: They are in dire straits,” he added. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Implosion’ within Conservatives, above 40% supporters turned away under Sunak: Poll

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's approval rating takes a hit. Sunak's rating worse than ex-PM Truss among UK voters. Five prominent Tory ministers are now in negative rating.

UK's PM Rishi Sunak falls to his lowest negative ratings to date

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Rishi Sunak held a telephonic conversation on Friday (Nov 3) and discussed the development in West Asia and the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The two leaders also discussed the recent progress on Free Trade Agreement negotiations, said Downing Street, in a statement.&nbsp;

<h2>About Israel-Hamas war</h2>

“Both leaders expressed deep concern at terrorism, worsening security situation and the loss of civilian lives. They agreed on the need for regional peace, security, stability and continued humanitarian assistance,” said the Indian PM’s Office, in a statement.&nbsp;

The leaders also discussed the “deeply distressing situation in the Middle East and condemned Hamas’&nbsp;attacks on Israel,” Sunak’s office said in a readout.&nbsp;

“They reiterated that Hamas did not represent the Palestinian people and reflected on the need to de-escalate tensions in the wider region,” it added.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-35-killed-after-israel-strikes-ambulance-school-in-gaza-says-hamas-run-health-ministry-654931">At least 35 killed after Israel strikes ambulance, school in Gaza, says Hamas-run health ministry</a>

This comes as countries including the United Kingdom and the United States have previously said that the Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people.&nbsp;

Sunak also “underscored the importance of protecting innocent civilians in Gaza and ensuring aid was able to flow into the country,” said his office.&nbsp;

This comes as the UK PM has previously said that they would send millions of dollars worth of humanitarian aid to support civilians in Gaza.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/g20-summit-pm-modi-holds-bilateral-talks-with-uk-pm-rishi-sunak-634224">G20 Summit: PM Modi holds bilateral talks with UK PM Rishi Sunak</a>

Last month, India sent nearly 6.5 tonnes of medical aid and 32 tonnes of disaster relief material on an Indian Air Force (IAF) flight to Egypt where it was handed over to the Egyptian Red Crescent for the people of Gaza.&nbsp;

<h2>Bilateral ties and FTA</h2>

The two leaders also agreed on the importance of securing an “ambitious” trade deal, as talks continue over a deal which could be finalised this year.&nbsp;

“The leaders discussed recent progress on Free Trade Agreement negotiations. They agreed on the importance of securing an ambitious deal that benefited both sides,” said a spokeswoman for Sunak’s office said in a readout following the call.&nbsp; 
 
In an interview with PTI,&nbsp;Sunak, earlier this year had said&nbsp;there was “still some way to go” for a free trade pact with India to be finalised.

PM Modi also congratulated his British counterpart&nbsp;on the successful completion of one year of his tenure in office.

After the call, PM Modi also took to X and said that he discussed “means to strengthen bilateral relations and exchanged views on the situation in West Asia,” with his British counterpart.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-pm-announces-extra-ps20-mn-aid-for-civilians-in-gaza-650412">UK PM Rishi Sunak announces extra £20 million aid for civilians in Gaza</a> 
 
“We agree that there is no place for terror and violence. Death of civilians is a serious concern. Need to work towards regional peace, security, stability and continued humanitarian assistance,” said the Indian PM, in a post on X.&nbsp;

Both leaders agreed to remain in touch and exchanged greetings for the festive occasion of Diwali, PM Modi's office said in a statement.&nbsp;

The leaders reiterated their commitment to continue to strengthen bilateral ties and Comprehensive Strategic partnership, including in the areas trade, investment, emerging technology, defence, security, health and others, the statement by the PMO added.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Rishi Sunak held a telephonic conversation on Friday (Nov 3) and discussed the development in West Asia and the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Rishi Sunak held a telephonic conversation on Friday (Nov 3) and discussed the development in West Asia and the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The two leaders also discussed the recent progress on Free Trade Agreement negotiations, said Downing Street, in a statement. About Israel-Hamas war “Both leaders expressed deep concern at terrorism, worsening security situation and the loss of civilian lives. They agreed on the need for regional peace, security, stability and continued humanitarian assistance,” said the Indian PM’s Office, in a statement. The leaders also discussed the “deeply distressing situation in the Middle East and condemned Hamas’ attacks on Israel,” Sunak’s office said in a readout. “They reiterated that Hamas did not represent the Palestinian people and reflected on the need to de-escalate tensions in the wider region,” it added. ALSO READ | At least 35 killed after Israel strikes ambulance, school in Gaza, says Hamas-run health ministry This comes as countries including the United Kingdom and the United States have previously said that the Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people. Sunak also “underscored the importance of protecting innocent civilians in Gaza and ensuring aid was able to flow into the country,” said his office. This comes as the UK PM has previously said that they would send millions of dollars worth of humanitarian aid to support civilians in Gaza. ALSO READ | G20 Summit: PM Modi holds bilateral talks with UK PM Rishi Sunak Last month, India sent nearly 6.5 tonnes of medical aid and 32 tonnes of disaster relief material on an Indian Air Force (IAF) flight to Egypt where it was handed over to the Egyptian Red Crescent for the people of Gaza. Bilateral ties and FTA The two leaders also agreed on the importance of securing an “ambitious” trade deal, as talks continue over a deal which could be finalised this year. “The leaders discussed recent progress on Free Trade Agreement negotiations. They agreed on the importance of securing an ambitious deal that benefited both sides,” said a spokeswoman for Sunak’s office said in a readout following the call. In an interview with PTI, Sunak, earlier this year had said there was “still some way to go” for a free trade pact with India to be finalised. PM Modi also congratulated his British counterpart on the successful completion of one year of his tenure in office. After the call, PM Modi also took to X and said that he discussed “means to strengthen bilateral relations and exchanged views on the situation in West Asia,” with his British counterpart. ALSO READ | UK PM Rishi Sunak announces extra £20 million aid for civilians in Gaza “We agree that there is no place for terror and violence. Death of civilians is a serious concern. Need to work towards regional peace, security, stability and continued humanitarian assistance,” said the Indian PM, in a post on X. Both leaders agreed to remain in touch and exchanged greetings for the festive occasion of Diwali, PM Modi's office said in a statement. The leaders reiterated their commitment to continue to strengthen bilateral ties and Comprehensive Strategic partnership, including in the areas trade, investment, emerging technology, defence, security, health and others, the statement by the PMO added. (With inputs from agencies)

Indian PM Modi, UK counterpart Rishi Sunak discuss Israel-Hamas war, progress on FTA

Rishi Sunak, the British prime minister, has proposed a peculiar way to create a 'smoke-free' generation. He wants to raise England's legal age for buying cigarettes by one year, every year. However, critics of the plan say it would just create a "black market."

Defending his plan, Sunak said in an interview with Radio 4: "Smoking is unequivocally the single biggest preventable cause of death, disability and illness."

<h2>One year, every year</h2>

As per Sunak, raising the legal age to purchase a cigarette by one year every year would mean a "14-year-old today will never legally be sold a cigarette and that they and their generation can grow up smoke-free".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rishi-sunak-to-announce-scrapping-of-hs2-train-line-to-manchester-642453">Rishi Sunak announces scrapping of HS2 train line to Manchester</a>

Speaking at the annual Tory party conference on Wednesday (Oct 4), the UK PM also promised to bring in a restriction on the availability of vapes.

This, he said, would be part of the government's plans to "put the next generation first."

<h2>Criticism of the plan</h2>

Critics claim that the move would lead to the creation of a "black market."&nbsp;They also challenge him on his earlier push back against a part of the government's anti-obesity strategy.&nbsp;

At the time, he had chalked it up to "people's right to choose". The anti-obesity strategy plans to ban two-for-one junk deals. However, the scheme has been delayed by the government for another two years.

In an interview with BBC, Sunak said that smoking cigarettes and eating crisps or a piece of cake. He said that while junk food means an unbalanced diet, there is no safe level of smoking.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thats-just-common-sense-sunak-says-people-cannot-be-any-sex-they-want-to-be-642642">'That's just common sense': Sunak says people cannot be any sex they want to be</a>

"Smoking is unequivocally the single biggest preventable cause of death, disability and illness in our society," said Sunak.

He also claimed, "Everyone recognises this measure will be the single biggest intervention in public health in a generation."&nbsp;

The British PM said that measures restricting choices were "never easy", but that nobody would want their children or grandchildren to grow up smoking.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Rishi Sunak, the British prime minister, has proposed a peculiar way to create a 'smoke-free' generation. He wants to raise England's legal age for buying cigarettes by one year, every year.

Rishi Sunak, the British prime minister, has proposed a peculiar way to create a 'smoke-free' generation. He wants to raise England's legal age for buying cigarettes by one year, every year. However, critics of the plan say it would just create a "black market." Defending his plan, Sunak said in an interview with Radio 4: "Smoking is unequivocally the single biggest preventable cause of death, disability and illness." One year, every year As per Sunak, raising the legal age to purchase a cigarette by one year every year would mean a "14-year-old today will never legally be sold a cigarette and that they and their generation can grow up smoke-free". Also read | Rishi Sunak announces scrapping of HS2 train line to Manchester Speaking at the annual Tory party conference on Wednesday (Oct 4), the UK PM also promised to bring in a restriction on the availability of vapes. This, he said, would be part of the government's plans to "put the next generation first." Criticism of the plan Critics claim that the move would lead to the creation of a "black market." They also challenge him on his earlier push back against a part of the government's anti-obesity strategy. At the time, he had chalked it up to "people's right to choose". The anti-obesity strategy plans to ban two-for-one junk deals. However, the scheme has been delayed by the government for another two years. In an interview with BBC, Sunak said that smoking cigarettes and eating crisps or a piece of cake. He said that while junk food means an unbalanced diet, there is no safe level of smoking. Also read | 'That's just common sense': Sunak says people cannot be any sex they want to be "Smoking is unequivocally the single biggest preventable cause of death, disability and illness in our society," said Sunak. He also claimed, "Everyone recognises this measure will be the single biggest intervention in public health in a generation." The British PM said that measures restricting choices were "never easy", but that nobody would want their children or grandchildren to grow up smoking. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

UK PM Rishi Sunak defends plan to create 'smoke-free' younger generations

UK PM Rishi Sunak raised his concern over interference in UK's democracy with China's Premier Li Qiang. The words were exchanged after the reported arrest of two alleged Chinese spies in UK.

Rishi Sunak raises concern over interference in UK democracy with China's Premier Li Qiang

In pics | UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and wife Akshata Murty visit Akshardham Temple in Delhi

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak offered prayers at Akshardham temple in the national capital. He was accompanied by his wife Akshata Murthy. Rishi Sunak also performed pooja and aarti at the sacred place of worship. Sunak was provided a tour of the temple.

Inside Visuals of UK PM Rishi Sunak visiting Akshardham Temple

As the British economy falters, many in the UK view the prospect of the UK-India free trade agreement (FTA) as a blessing in disguise. Successive governments in the country had promised an FTA between the UK and the world’s fastest-growing major economy by October last year; however, the idea still remains a distant dream.

Now UK&nbsp;Prime Minister Rishi Sunak&nbsp;himself has ruled out a quick-fix trade deal with India ahead of the G20 summit in New Delhi later this week. In fact, many in the administration believe the talks may not get through even before next year’s general elections.

<h2>Sunak sees no early harvest deal</h2>

The much-awaited FTA between the two large economies would see India lower tariffs on goods such as whisky and the UK slash&nbsp;those on Indian textiles.

As both the UK and India are set to hold general elections next year, many believe the trade deal will be negotiated only after that. That’s why many officials in the UK government now insist on taking the deadline off the table altogether for concluding the deal.&nbsp;

“There was talk last year of a deal by last Diwali, but that was only going to happen if it was a shallow deal based around a limited number of goods. Kemi Badenoch [the trade secretary] and Rishi Sunak have decided they don’t want to go down that route and so have taken a deadline off the table,” The Guardian reported citing a government source.

Watch:&nbsp;UK: PM Rishi Sunak under fire over India-UK trade deal

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-pm-rishi-sunak-under-fire-over-india-uk-trade-deal-630004/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

“India wants to do an early agreement on goods, but the risk is that instead of being the start of a wider trade agreement, that becomes the endpoint and the UK doesn’t get any of the more fundamental things it wants,” said another top source in the UK government.

<h2>Disagreements still remain</h2>

People familiar with the negotiations suggest that there have been agreements in specific areas. Recent reports indicated India's willingness to cut tariffs on scotch whisky by one-third (from 100 per cent) in exchange for tax incentives for Indian workers in the UK. However, precise figures have yet to be finalised, according to British officials.

Sources suggest that these agreements could have led to the signing of a simplified trade deal this week. However, Sunak and Secretary of State for Business and Trade Kemi Badenoch have rejected this idea, fearing it would hinder the possibility of a more comprehensive agreement.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/uk-economy-is-so-bad-that-some-are-mocking-indias-chandrayaan-3-to-earn-a-living-628818">Also read:&nbsp;Success of Chandrayaan-3 roils fringe Brits but here`s truth about UK`s `aid` to India</a>

UK officials refer to the Australia-India agreement from last year, which covered a limited number of sectors and was meant to initiate broader negotiations. However, observers note that the Indian side has shown little urgency in reaching a comprehensive deal since then.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

As the British economy falters, many in the UK view the prospect of the UK-India free trade agreement (FTA) as a blessing in disguise. Successive governments in the country had promised an FTA between the UK and the world’s fastest-growing major economy by October last year; however, the idea still remains a distant dream.

As the British economy falters, many in the UK view the prospect of the UK-India free trade agreement (FTA) as a blessing in disguise. Successive governments in the country had promised an FTA between the UK and the world’s fastest-growing major economy by October last year; however, the idea still remains a distant dream. Now UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak himself has ruled out a quick-fix trade deal with India ahead of the G20 summit in New Delhi later this week. In fact, many in the administration believe the talks may not get through even before next year’s general elections. Sunak sees no early harvest deal The much-awaited FTA between the two large economies would see India lower tariffs on goods such as whisky and the UK slash those on Indian textiles. As both the UK and India are set to hold general elections next year, many believe the trade deal will be negotiated only after that. That’s why many officials in the UK government now insist on taking the deadline off the table altogether for concluding the deal. “There was talk last year of a deal by last Diwali, but that was only going to happen if it was a shallow deal based around a limited number of goods. Kemi Badenoch [the trade secretary] and Rishi Sunak have decided they don’t want to go down that route and so have taken a deadline off the table,” The Guardian reported citing a government source. Watch: UK: PM Rishi Sunak under fire over India-UK trade deal × “India wants to do an early agreement on goods, but the risk is that instead of being the start of a wider trade agreement, that becomes the endpoint and the UK doesn’t get any of the more fundamental things it wants,” said another top source in the UK government. Disagreements still remain People familiar with the negotiations suggest that there have been agreements in specific areas. Recent reports indicated India's willingness to cut tariffs on scotch whisky by one-third (from 100 per cent) in exchange for tax incentives for Indian workers in the UK. However, precise figures have yet to be finalised, according to British officials. Sources suggest that these agreements could have led to the signing of a simplified trade deal this week. However, Sunak and Secretary of State for Business and Trade Kemi Badenoch have rejected this idea, fearing it would hinder the possibility of a more comprehensive agreement. Also read: Success of Chandrayaan-3 roils fringe Brits but here`s truth about UK`s `aid` to India UK officials refer to the Australia-India agreement from last year, which covered a limited number of sectors and was meant to initiate broader negotiations. However, observers note that the Indian side has shown little urgency in reaching a comprehensive deal since then. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

UK PM Sunak sees no quick-fix trade deal with India, deadline now ‘off the table’: Report

Protesters drape home of UK PM Sunak in black fabric , meanwhile Britain's prime minister Rishi Sunak defends climate record despite new oil and gas licenses, says UK's climate record is fantastic

Climate protest: Protesters drape home of UK PM Sunak in black fabric

Another embarrassing defeat for the Rishi Sunak government in the House of Lords - this over the controversial plan to tackle small boat crisis. The latest defeat has been backed by the Archbishop of the Canterbury.

Fresh defeat for Sunak govt in House of Lords, ministers forced to change migration bill

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is going back to the issue that had earlier given a spike in the popularity. He is expected to travel the Port of Dover - this is the first point of entry for the migrants arriving on boats from Europe.

UK PM Rishi Sunak seeks to regain Tory trust, will visit Port of Dover

A car has crashed into the gates of Downing Street, the official residence of the British Prime Minister. Authorities say one person has been arrested. What was his motive?

Gravitas: Downing Street: Car crashes into gates of British Prime Minister's official residence

Indian author and philanthropist Sudha Murthy recently described her awkward encounter with an immigration officer during her visit to the United Kingdom. She spoke about how an immigration officer refused to believe her when she filled in her residential address in London as 10 Downing Street, where her son-in-law and current British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak lives.

She shared the story during an appearance at Indian Hindi-language stand-up comedy TV show, The Kapil Sharma Show.&nbsp;

10 Downing Street, which is the official residence and office of the UK prime minister, is currently home to Rishi Sunak. The first Indian-origin prime minister is married to Sudha Murthy’s daughter Akshata Murthy.&nbsp;

“Once when I had gone, they asked me my residential address. ‘Where are you staying in London?’ My elder sister was with me and I thought should I write ‘10 Downing Street’,” said the Indian philanthropist. She also spoke about how even though her son also lived in the UK at the time, she couldn’t recall his complete address.&nbsp;

“But I finally wrote 10 Downing Street,” she added. “The fellow [the immigration officer] looked at me and said ‘Are you joking?!’” To which she responded, “Nahi, sachchi bolti hu [No, I am telling you the truth].”

She also went on to point out how no one believes that a 72-year-old, “simple lady” can be the mother-in-law of the PM.&nbsp;

In a video that went viral last month, Murthy was heard saying, “I made my husband a businessman. My daughter made her husband the Prime Minister of the UK."&nbsp;

"The reason is the glory of the wife. See how a wife can change a husband. But I could not change my husband,” she went on to say.

Sudha Murthy is the wife of NR Narayana Murthy, the co-founder of Indian IT giant Infosys. She is also the Infosys Foundation chairperson.

Murthy, who was recently awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award in India, also recalled another incident where she was brushed aside by two business class passengers because of her simple apparel.&nbsp;

On the show, she also recalled a separate incident and&nbsp;being called “cattle class”.

She&nbsp;overheard the passengers say, “What do these economy class people know of Business Class?” She immediately confronted them and asked them what is this “cattle class” and during the show, went on to criticise this mentality which equates class with the amount of money a person has.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Indian author and philanthropist Sudha Murthy recently described her awkward encounter with an immigration officer during her visit to the United Kingdom. She spoke about how an immigration officer refused to believe her when she filled in her residential address in London as 10 Downing Street, where her son-in-law and current British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak lives.

Indian author and philanthropist Sudha Murthy recently described her awkward encounter with an immigration officer during her visit to the United Kingdom. She spoke about how an immigration officer refused to believe her when she filled in her residential address in London as 10 Downing Street, where her son-in-law and current British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak lives. She shared the story during an appearance at Indian Hindi-language stand-up comedy TV show, The Kapil Sharma Show. 10 Downing Street, which is the official residence and office of the UK prime minister, is currently home to Rishi Sunak. The first Indian-origin prime minister is married to Sudha Murthy’s daughter Akshata Murthy. “Once when I had gone, they asked me my residential address. ‘Where are you staying in London?’ My elder sister was with me and I thought should I write ‘10 Downing Street’,” said the Indian philanthropist. She also spoke about how even though her son also lived in the UK at the time, she couldn’t recall his complete address. “But I finally wrote 10 Downing Street,” she added. “The fellow [the immigration officer] looked at me and said ‘Are you joking?!’” To which she responded, “Nahi, sachchi bolti hu [No, I am telling you the truth].” She also went on to point out how no one believes that a 72-year-old, “simple lady” can be the mother-in-law of the PM. In a video that went viral last month, Murthy was heard saying, “I made my husband a businessman. My daughter made her husband the Prime Minister of the UK." "The reason is the glory of the wife. See how a wife can change a husband. But I could not change my husband,” she went on to say. Sudha Murthy is the wife of NR Narayana Murthy, the co-founder of Indian IT giant Infosys. She is also the Infosys Foundation chairperson. Murthy, who was recently awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award in India, also recalled another incident where she was brushed aside by two business class passengers because of her simple apparel. On the show, she also recalled a separate incident and being called “cattle class”. She overheard the passengers say, “What do these economy class people know of Business Class?” She immediately confronted them and asked them what is this “cattle class” and during the show, went on to criticise this mentality which equates class with the amount of money a person has. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

‘Are you joking?’: UK immigration officer after Sudha Murthy wrote 10 Downing Street as her address

Britain's Indian-origin Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, on Monday, while addressing the National Conservatism Conference in London, issued a stark warning against rapid migration into the country and called on the Conservative Party to re-establish its commitment to bring down immigration.

The 43-year-old Tory MP asserted that the industries facing a labour shortage in the United Kingdom should train more people within the country rather than bringing foreign workers from overseas.

"There is no good reason the UK cannot train its own lorry drivers and fruit pickers to bring immigration down," said Braverman.&nbsp;

She argued that it was 'not racist' to make efforts to control the borders, according to an excerpt of the speech released by the BBC.

She further said, "We must not forget how to do things for ourselves".

"It's not xenophobic to say that mass and rapid migration is unsustainable in terms of housing supply, public services and community relations," she said.

"While illegal migration is rightly our priority given the acute challenges we face in the [English] Channel, we must not lose sight of the importance of controlling legal migration too," she added.

Braverman further stressed that there was nothing wrong about someone from an ethnic minority background making such arguments using her parents' reference as having come to the UK through 'legal and controlled migration'.

"They spoke the language. They threw themselves into the community and embraced British values. When they arrived, they signed up to be part of our shared project because the UK meant something distinct. Integration was part of the quid pro quo," she noted.

"The unexamined drive towards multiculturalism as an end in itself, combined with identity politics, is a recipe for communal disaster. We cannot have immigration without integration," she said.

Braverman claimed that she had 'voted and campaigned for' Brexit as she wanted Britain to control migration and also have a call on what works for the country and what doesn't.

"High-skilled workers support economic growth. And where the labour market has acute or structural shortages, as with the NHS, it is of course right that we should have an immigration system agile enough to plug those shortages. But we need to get overall immigration numbers down," the Brexit-backing Cabinet minister said. &nbsp;

Her speech is being viewed by many as a warning shot to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to focus more on his efforts of cutting down immigration.

<h2>"More immigration needed in short term to boost economic growth," say senior Conservatives</h2>

Trade Minister Nigel Huddleston was quoted as saying by the BBC, "Every now and again we also need more people to come into the country, but the key thing was to have control."

"In the long term, we need immigration to come down because that's what has been causing some challenges in local areas for a long period of time," he added.

<h2>PM Sunak's promise to 'stop the boats'</h2>

PM Rishi Sunak vowed to 'stop the boats' used by dozens of immigrants every year to travel to Britain's shores from northern Europe in his efforts to reduce immigration.

According to AFP, more than 45,000 arrived last year, continuing a trend that took off in 2018.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Britain's Indian-origin Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, on Monday, while addressing the National Conservatism Conference in London, issued a stark warning against rapid migration into the country and called on the Conservative Party to re-establish its commitment to bring down immigration.

Britain's Indian-origin Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, on Monday, while addressing the National Conservatism Conference in London, issued a stark warning against rapid migration into the country and called on the Conservative Party to re-establish its commitment to bring down immigration. The 43-year-old Tory MP asserted that the industries facing a labour shortage in the United Kingdom should train more people within the country rather than bringing foreign workers from overseas. "There is no good reason the UK cannot train its own lorry drivers and fruit pickers to bring immigration down," said Braverman. She argued that it was 'not racist' to make efforts to control the borders, according to an excerpt of the speech released by the BBC. She further said, "We must not forget how to do things for ourselves". "It's not xenophobic to say that mass and rapid migration is unsustainable in terms of housing supply, public services and community relations," she said. "While illegal migration is rightly our priority given the acute challenges we face in the [English] Channel, we must not lose sight of the importance of controlling legal migration too," she added. Braverman further stressed that there was nothing wrong about someone from an ethnic minority background making such arguments using her parents' reference as having come to the UK through 'legal and controlled migration'. "They spoke the language. They threw themselves into the community and embraced British values. When they arrived, they signed up to be part of our shared project because the UK meant something distinct. Integration was part of the quid pro quo," she noted. "The unexamined drive towards multiculturalism as an end in itself, combined with identity politics, is a recipe for communal disaster. We cannot have immigration without integration," she said. Braverman claimed that she had 'voted and campaigned for' Brexit as she wanted Britain to control migration and also have a call on what works for the country and what doesn't. "High-skilled workers support economic growth. And where the labour market has acute or structural shortages, as with the NHS, it is of course right that we should have an immigration system agile enough to plug those shortages. But we need to get overall immigration numbers down," the Brexit-backing Cabinet minister said. Her speech is being viewed by many as a warning shot to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to focus more on his efforts of cutting down immigration. "More immigration needed in short term to boost economic growth," say senior Conservatives Trade Minister Nigel Huddleston was quoted as saying by the BBC, "Every now and again we also need more people to come into the country, but the key thing was to have control." "In the long term, we need immigration to come down because that's what has been causing some challenges in local areas for a long period of time," he added. PM Sunak's promise to 'stop the boats' PM Rishi Sunak vowed to 'stop the boats' used by dozens of immigrants every year to travel to Britain's shores from northern Europe in his efforts to reduce immigration. According to AFP, more than 45,000 arrived last year, continuing a trend that took off in 2018. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

'No good reason UK cannot train its own fruit pickers, butchers to reduce immigration': Suella Braverman

The United Kingdom Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak expected to continue his bid to make maths education&nbsp;compulsory until 18, as he believes that Britain possesses an inherent “anti-maths mindset” which&nbsp;is costing the country. In an upcoming speech, the excerpts of which were released by 10 Downing Street, Sunak, on Monday (April 17) might argue that failure to consider numeracy as a basic skill like reading is costing the UK economy huge sums.&nbsp;

Sunak’s upcoming speech in north London

“We’ve got to change this anti-maths mindset. We’ve got to start prizing numeracy for what it is – a key skill every bit as essential as reading,” the UK PM is&nbsp;to say, as per his speech briefed in advance by Downing Street, reported the Guardian.&nbsp;

It added, “I won’t sit back and allow this cultural sense that it’s OK to be bad at maths to put our children at a disadvantage.” Sunak is&nbsp;to pitch his campaign to “transform” UK’s supposed national approach to the subject saying that it is not some “nice to have” and change how Britain values maths.&nbsp;

The UK PM is also expected to cite statistics showing that Britain&nbsp;is below average for numeracy among industrialised countries as more than eight million adults reportedly have maths skills below those expected in schools for a child aged nine.&nbsp;

“If we are going to grow the economy not just over the next two years, but the next 20, we simply cannot allow poor numeracy to cost our economy tens of billions a year or to leave people twice as likely to be unemployed as those with competent numeracy,” Sunak is expected to say.&nbsp;

The UK PM will also say that this change will not be delivered overnight and how they&nbsp;“need to recruit and train the maths teachers.”&nbsp;

UK government’s previous response to the issue

This comes months after the British government had pledged to set up an advisory committee to determine if they should&nbsp;make maths&nbsp;compulsory from the current minimum of 16 to 18. The group would include mathematicians, education experts and business representatives to advise on the numeracy content needed.&nbsp;

However,&nbsp;critics, some of which are from the&nbsp;opposition parties have called the promise meaningless saying that the incumbent Tory government does not have a plan or the means including money to recruit and train more maths teachers to implement their mandates.&nbsp;

“Once again, the prime minister needs to show his working: he cannot deliver this reheated, empty pledge without more maths teachers,” said UK’s Shadow Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, as per the Guardian.&nbsp;

She added that the Tory government has failed UK’s children for 13 years and “repeatedly misses their target for new maths teachers, with maths attainment gaps widening and existing teachers leaving in their droves.” 
 
&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

The United Kingdom Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak expected to continue his bid to make maths education compulsory until 18, as he believes that Britain possesses an inherent “anti-maths mindset” which is costing the country.

The United Kingdom Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak expected to continue his bid to make maths education compulsory until 18, as he believes that Britain possesses an inherent “anti-maths mindset” which is costing the country. In an upcoming speech, the excerpts of which were released by 10 Downing Street, Sunak, on Monday (April 17) might argue that failure to consider numeracy as a basic skill like reading is costing the UK economy huge sums. Sunak’s upcoming speech in north London “We’ve got to change this anti-maths mindset. We’ve got to start prizing numeracy for what it is – a key skill every bit as essential as reading,” the UK PM is to say, as per his speech briefed in advance by Downing Street, reported the Guardian. It added, “I won’t sit back and allow this cultural sense that it’s OK to be bad at maths to put our children at a disadvantage.” Sunak is to pitch his campaign to “transform” UK’s supposed national approach to the subject saying that it is not some “nice to have” and change how Britain values maths. The UK PM is also expected to cite statistics showing that Britain is below average for numeracy among industrialised countries as more than eight million adults reportedly have maths skills below those expected in schools for a child aged nine. “If we are going to grow the economy not just over the next two years, but the next 20, we simply cannot allow poor numeracy to cost our economy tens of billions a year or to leave people twice as likely to be unemployed as those with competent numeracy,” Sunak is expected to say. The UK PM will also say that this change will not be delivered overnight and how they “need to recruit and train the maths teachers.” UK government’s previous response to the issue This comes months after the British government had pledged to set up an advisory committee to determine if they should make maths compulsory from the current minimum of 16 to 18. The group would include mathematicians, education experts and business representatives to advise on the numeracy content needed. However, critics, some of which are from the opposition parties have called the promise meaningless saying that the incumbent Tory government does not have a plan or the means including money to recruit and train more maths teachers to implement their mandates. “Once again, the prime minister needs to show his working: he cannot deliver this reheated, empty pledge without more maths teachers,” said UK’s Shadow Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, as per the Guardian. She added that the Tory government has failed UK’s children for 13 years and “repeatedly misses their target for new maths teachers, with maths attainment gaps widening and existing teachers leaving in their droves.” WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

PM Sunak wants to make maths education mandatory until 18 in UK. Here’s why

The United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met with his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu at No. 10 Downing Street, on Friday (March 24). This comes as Netanyahu has been facing weeks of protests with tens of thousands of people taking to the streets across Israel over his proposed judicial overhaul. In fact, he could not escape demonstrators even after flying across the sea, as hundreds gathered outside 10 Downing Street prior to his meeting with Sunak.&nbsp;

During the meeting, Sunak stressed the importance of “upholding democratic values”, said the UK PM’s spokesperson after the talks. This comes as Israel is witnessing widespread protests over the proposed judicial overhaul by Netanyahu’s government which would supposedly be directed toward weakening the Israeli Supreme Court and giving more power to the ruling party, which typically holds a majority in the Knesset (Israeli parliament).&nbsp;

Prior to Netanyahu’s meeting with Sunak, he was greeted by hundreds of protesters outside No 10 Downing Street who held Israeli flags and shouted various chants including “Boosha!” which means “for shame” in Hebrew and “Netanyahu go to jail, you can't speak for Israel!”, reported Reuters. 
 
Similar scenes were witnessed in Germany, last week, when hundreds gathered at the Brandenburg Gate to protest the proposed bills.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-israel-thousands-protest-outside-parliament-as-it-holds-first-vote-on-proposed-judicial-reform-564087">Explained | Israel: Netanyahu govt's controversial legal plan passes first reading amid protests</a>

The readouts issued by both countries said how the leaders spoke about “strengthening the close partnership between the UK and Israel and challenges they share, including the threat posed by Iran and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.&nbsp;

However, the Israeli readout of the meeting did not mention anything about the judicial overhaul, as per Israeli media reports. The statement by the UK government said, “The prime minister stressed the importance of upholding the democratic values that underpin our relationship, including in the proposed judicial reforms in Israel.”&nbsp;

Furthermore, Sunak also expressed his solidarity with Israel “in the face of terrorist attacks in recent months. The UK would always stand with Israel and its ability to defend itself,” said the statement by the British government. Netanyahu also said that he invited Sunak to visit Israel in the near future, while the British readout said that the UK PM “looked forward to visiting Israel at the earliest opportunity.”&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/king-charles-france-visit-postponed-as-pension-protests-turn-violent-575344">King Charles III’s state visit to France postponed as pension protests turn violent</a>

According to reports, the Israeli PM left Downing Street less than an hour after he arrived. The leaders in the meeting also discussed Iran's “destabilising activity” and that their governments “would continue to work closely together to push back against aggression and manage the risk of nuclear proliferation”, said the UK. While a statement by Netanyahu’s office about the topic said that the conversation centred around the Iranian nuclear threat and the Israeli PM thanked his British counterpart for his position on the issue but called for more pressure on Tehran.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

The United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met with his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu at No. 10 Downing Street, on Friday (March 24). This comes as Netanyahu has been facing weeks of protests with tens of thousands of people taking to the streets across Israel over his proposed judicial overhaul.

The United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met with his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu at No. 10 Downing Street, on Friday (March 24). This comes as Netanyahu has been facing weeks of protests with tens of thousands of people taking to the streets across Israel over his proposed judicial overhaul. In fact, he could not escape demonstrators even after flying across the sea, as hundreds gathered outside 10 Downing Street prior to his meeting with Sunak. During the meeting, Sunak stressed the importance of “upholding democratic values”, said the UK PM’s spokesperson after the talks. This comes as Israel is witnessing widespread protests over the proposed judicial overhaul by Netanyahu’s government which would supposedly be directed toward weakening the Israeli Supreme Court and giving more power to the ruling party, which typically holds a majority in the Knesset (Israeli parliament). Prior to Netanyahu’s meeting with Sunak, he was greeted by hundreds of protesters outside No 10 Downing Street who held Israeli flags and shouted various chants including “Boosha!” which means “for shame” in Hebrew and “Netanyahu go to jail, you can't speak for Israel!”, reported Reuters. Similar scenes were witnessed in Germany, last week, when hundreds gathered at the Brandenburg Gate to protest the proposed bills. ALSO READ | Explained | Israel: Netanyahu govt's controversial legal plan passes first reading amid protests The readouts issued by both countries said how the leaders spoke about “strengthening the close partnership between the UK and Israel and challenges they share, including the threat posed by Iran and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, the Israeli readout of the meeting did not mention anything about the judicial overhaul, as per Israeli media reports. The statement by the UK government said, “The prime minister stressed the importance of upholding the democratic values that underpin our relationship, including in the proposed judicial reforms in Israel.” Furthermore, Sunak also expressed his solidarity with Israel “in the face of terrorist attacks in recent months. The UK would always stand with Israel and its ability to defend itself,” said the statement by the British government. Netanyahu also said that he invited Sunak to visit Israel in the near future, while the British readout said that the UK PM “looked forward to visiting Israel at the earliest opportunity.” ALSO READ | King Charles III’s state visit to France postponed as pension protests turn violent According to reports, the Israeli PM left Downing Street less than an hour after he arrived. The leaders in the meeting also discussed Iran's “destabilising activity” and that their governments “would continue to work closely together to push back against aggression and manage the risk of nuclear proliferation”, said the UK. While a statement by Netanyahu’s office about the topic said that the conversation centred around the Iranian nuclear threat and the Israeli PM thanked his British counterpart for his position on the issue but called for more pressure on Tehran. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Israel’s Netanyahu meets Sunak at Downing Street amid protests; UK PM stresses on ‘democratic values’

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's&nbsp;North Yorkshire home is once again in news and not for good reasons. The&nbsp;$4,80,000 (£400,000) private heating swimming pool installed on Sunak's property uses so much energy that the local electricity grid has had to be upgraded to meet the surging power demand, as per a Guardian report.&nbsp;

While UK residents brave a cost&nbsp;of living crisis, compounded by increased electricity bills, Sunak's 12-metre swimming pool receiving an upgraded grid has irked many.&nbsp;

Sunak has been the owner of the property since 2015, having bought it for&nbsp;£1.5m, shortly after becoming an MP from Richmond. Sunak upgraded the manor house by starting the&nbsp;construction of a new heated swimming pool, gym and tennis court.

Consequently, the engineers had to install a substantial amount of equipment and a new connection to the National Grid that runs across the fields. The publication stated that Sunak had paid the&nbsp;upgradation money from his personal funds.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-rishi-sunaks-opulent-private-pool-amid-rising-cost-of-living-sparks-row-507498">UK: Rishi Sunak's opulent private pool amid rising cost of living sparks row</a>

Sunak's pool property receiving extra attention comes in the backdrop of over 350 pools and leisure centres being closed or forced to cut back hours due to high energy costs, across the UK.&nbsp;

Notably, this is not the first instance when Sunak has&nbsp;garnered headlines for his expensive tastes or extravagant splurging of money.&nbsp;

Last year, Sunak visited a building site in Teesside, Northern England where he was spotted wearing $595 Prada suede loafers.&nbsp;In 2020, as the Chancellor of the country, he was spotted using a $220 mug in a traditional pre-Budget photograph.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-dispatch-video-shows-rishi-sunak-in-a-moving-car-without-his-seat-belt-on-554561">WATCH |&nbsp;WION Dispatch: Video shows Rishi Sunak in a moving car without his seat belt on</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-dispatch-video-shows-rishi-sunak-in-a-moving-car-without-his-seat-belt-on-554561/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Reports of Akshata Murthy, Sunak's wife touted to be wealthier than late British Queen Elizabeth II with assets worth $495 million also invited the spotlight on the Tory leader.&nbsp;

Similarly, when Sunak decided to run for the PM position, a clip from a video documentary went viral on social media platforms where Sunak could be seen talking about his "aristocratic"&nbsp;friends.&nbsp;

"I have friends who are aristocrats, I have friends who are upper-class, I have friends who are, you know, working-class. Well, not working class," Sunak said in the BBC documentary titled 'Middle Classes- Their Rise &amp; Sprawl'.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tory-leader-rishi-sunak-wears-595-prada-loafers-on-a-visit-to-a-building-site-501764">Tory leader Rishi Sunak wears $595 Prada loafers on a visit to a building site</a>

The video brought a lot of flak for Sunak who was dubbed&nbsp;'out-of-touch' with reality.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's North Yorkshire home is once again in news and not for good reasons. The $4,80,000 (£400,000) private heating swimming pool installed on Sunak's property uses so much energy that the local electricity grid has had to be upgraded to meet the surging power demand, as per a Guardian report.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's North Yorkshire home is once again in news and not for good reasons. The $4,80,000 (£400,000) private heating swimming pool installed on Sunak's property uses so much energy that the local electricity grid has had to be upgraded to meet the surging power demand, as per a Guardian report. While UK residents brave a cost of living crisis, compounded by increased electricity bills, Sunak's 12-metre swimming pool receiving an upgraded grid has irked many. Sunak has been the owner of the property since 2015, having bought it for £1.5m, shortly after becoming an MP from Richmond. Sunak upgraded the manor house by starting the construction of a new heated swimming pool, gym and tennis court. Consequently, the engineers had to install a substantial amount of equipment and a new connection to the National Grid that runs across the fields. The publication stated that Sunak had paid the upgradation money from his personal funds. ALSO READ | UK: Rishi Sunak's opulent private pool amid rising cost of living sparks row Sunak's pool property receiving extra attention comes in the backdrop of over 350 pools and leisure centres being closed or forced to cut back hours due to high energy costs, across the UK. Notably, this is not the first instance when Sunak has garnered headlines for his expensive tastes or extravagant splurging of money. Last year, Sunak visited a building site in Teesside, Northern England where he was spotted wearing $595 Prada suede loafers. In 2020, as the Chancellor of the country, he was spotted using a $220 mug in a traditional pre-Budget photograph. WATCH | WION Dispatch: Video shows Rishi Sunak in a moving car without his seat belt on × Reports of Akshata Murthy, Sunak's wife touted to be wealthier than late British Queen Elizabeth II with assets worth $495 million also invited the spotlight on the Tory leader. Similarly, when Sunak decided to run for the PM position, a clip from a video documentary went viral on social media platforms where Sunak could be seen talking about his "aristocratic" friends. "I have friends who are aristocrats, I have friends who are upper-class, I have friends who are, you know, working-class. Well, not working class," Sunak said in the BBC documentary titled 'Middle Classes- Their Rise & Sprawl'. ALSO READ | Tory leader Rishi Sunak wears $595 Prada loafers on a visit to a building site The video brought a lot of flak for Sunak who was dubbed 'out-of-touch' with reality. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Energy crisis? UK PM Rishi Sunak has local electricity grid upgraded for his heated private pool

The eyes of the world are on the Munich Security Conference with key focus on the war in Ukraine and allied support. Now, key speakers will include the United States's Vice President Kamala Harris and the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

UK PM likely to call for a new NATO charter for peace in Ukraine

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s trip to his constituency in North Yorkshire cost thousands of pounds, the&nbsp;Guardian&nbsp;reported amidst criticism over his use of taxpayer-funded private jets to visit different parts of the country as the premiere.

The newspaper reported that Sunak used private helicopters from London on dates in November and December, costing about £16,000. It is said that the trips were privately funded.

Responding to the report, No 10 clarified that the prime minister paid for all his own travel. A spokesperson said, “We don’t comment on the prime minister’s travel.”

Sunak’s trip has triggered a wave of criticism within the British media, which have pointed out that a train journey from London to Northallerton, a town near Sunak’s constituency home, costs way less than the charge incurred.

<h2>UK PM Rishi Sunak drops in at India-UK NSA meet</h2>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-pm-rishi-sunak-drops-in-at-india-uk-nsa-meet-559171/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

For example, a train journey covering 200 miles, which takes about two hours and 15 minutes, would cost about £87.

According to the aircraft purchasing advisers Conklin and de Decker, hiring the jet would cost more than £2,500 an hour on the commercial market,&nbsp;

Another factor that has ticked off the local media is the use of private jets. They have argued that the PM’s use of private jets to visit his constituency has contributed to carbon emissions. Questions are now being raised over his commitment to climate change.

The government has pledged to cut carbon emissions in its drive to reach&nbsp;net zero by 2050. Part of that includes reducing emissions from the domestic aviation market as part of a programme called “jet zero”, aimed at reducing the 7 per cent of emissions that come from the aviation sector, the Guardian argues.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s trip to his constituency in North Yorkshire cost thousands of pounds, the Guardian reported amidst criticism over his use of taxpayer-funded private jets to visit different parts of the country as the premiere.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s trip to his constituency in North Yorkshire cost thousands of pounds, the Guardian reported amidst criticism over his use of taxpayer-funded private jets to visit different parts of the country as the premiere. The newspaper reported that Sunak used private helicopters from London on dates in November and December, costing about £16,000. It is said that the trips were privately funded. Responding to the report, No 10 clarified that the prime minister paid for all his own travel. A spokesperson said, “We don’t comment on the prime minister’s travel.” Sunak’s trip has triggered a wave of criticism within the British media, which have pointed out that a train journey from London to Northallerton, a town near Sunak’s constituency home, costs way less than the charge incurred. UK PM Rishi Sunak drops in at India-UK NSA meet For example, a train journey covering 200 miles, which takes about two hours and 15 minutes, would cost about £87. According to the aircraft purchasing advisers Conklin and de Decker, hiring the jet would cost more than £2,500 an hour on the commercial market, Another factor that has ticked off the local media is the use of private jets. They have argued that the PM’s use of private jets to visit his constituency has contributed to carbon emissions. Questions are now being raised over his commitment to climate change. The government has pledged to cut carbon emissions in its drive to reach net zero by 2050. Part of that includes reducing emissions from the domestic aviation market as part of a programme called “jet zero”, aimed at reducing the 7 per cent of emissions that come from the aviation sector, the Guardian argues. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Questions raised on Sunak for spending thousands on helicopter trips since becoming PM

British Police is now looking into an interesting case which involves the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak himself. The police response has now been prompted by a viral social media clip in which Sunak is seen sitting in a moving car but without a seat belt.

UK: No seat belt drives PM Rishi Sunak into controversy, later apologises

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak consistently refused to mention details about his healthcare insurance providers, asserting that 'it was not important.'

In an interview on BBC with Laura Kuenssberg, PM Rishi Sunak faced questions on education and health policies. She claimed that former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher did not hide her decision to use private healthcare.&nbsp;

Kuenssberg stated that Thatcher was transparent about her use of medical insurance, claiming that she needed to get admitted whenever and wherever she wished. However, when the interviewer asked PM Sunak about his health insurance, he said, "it's a personal choice."

Also Read|&nbsp;<a href="www.wionews.com/world/classified-documents-from-obama-administration-found-in-bidens-private-office-550962">Classified documents from Obama administration found in Biden's private office</a>

However, many healthcare workers like Pat Cullen, head of the nursing union, have raised concerns about it. She said it's 'important' that the PM clarifies it because he is a public servant.&nbsp;

The National Health Service (NHS) provides free medical care to all citizens of the United Kingdom. Backed up by taxpayers' money, the healthcare body is in trouble due to the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and several years of low investments.

Watch|&nbsp;'Wealthy' UK Prime Minister accused of being 'Disconnected' from masses

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wealthy-uk-prime-minister-accused-of-being-disconnected-from-masses-551018/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Nevertheless, the Sunak mentioned that he was brought up in an NHS family, adding that his father was a general practitioner and his mother was a pharmacist.&nbsp;

An eager Kuenssberg did not move to the next question for a long time, but Sunak dusted the question each time. He revealed that his insurance was private, but it was his personal choice. Patients must have the right to choose where they get their treatment, said Sunak.&nbsp;

Sunak's interview with Kuenssberg has sparked a controversy about his healthcare options. Sunak might have registered with a private general practitioner's office providing same-day consultations and charges £250 for a half-hour session.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak consistently refused to mention details about his healthcare insurance providers, asserting that 'it was not important.' In an interview on BBC with Laura Kuenssberg, PM Rishi Sunak faced questions on education and health policies.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak consistently refused to mention details about his healthcare insurance providers, asserting that 'it was not important.' In an interview on BBC with Laura Kuenssberg, PM Rishi Sunak faced questions on education and health policies. She claimed that former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher did not hide her decision to use private healthcare. Kuenssberg stated that Thatcher was transparent about her use of medical insurance, claiming that she needed to get admitted whenever and wherever she wished. However, when the interviewer asked PM Sunak about his health insurance, he said, "it's a personal choice." Also Read| Classified documents from Obama administration found in Biden's private office However, many healthcare workers like Pat Cullen, head of the nursing union, have raised concerns about it. She said it's 'important' that the PM clarifies it because he is a public servant. The National Health Service (NHS) provides free medical care to all citizens of the United Kingdom. Backed up by taxpayers' money, the healthcare body is in trouble due to the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and several years of low investments. Watch| 'Wealthy' UK Prime Minister accused of being 'Disconnected' from masses Nevertheless, the Sunak mentioned that he was brought up in an NHS family, adding that his father was a general practitioner and his mother was a pharmacist. An eager Kuenssberg did not move to the next question for a long time, but Sunak dusted the question each time. He revealed that his insurance was private, but it was his personal choice. Patients must have the right to choose where they get their treatment, said Sunak. Sunak's interview with Kuenssberg has sparked a controversy about his healthcare options. Sunak might have registered with a private general practitioner's office providing same-day consultations and charges £250 for a half-hour session. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

UK PM Rishi Sunak's hesitancy to reveal healthcare preferences raises concerns

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is in the dock amid a public health crisis as series of strikes by industry workers and huge shortcomings in the National Health Service (NHS).

'Wealthy' UK Prime Minister accused of being 'Disconnected' from masses

On the eve of Christmas, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak found himself in a tricky situation. The moment happened when he was distributing food at a homeless shelter on Friday. Sunak asked the homeless man at one point if 'he worked in a business' and wanted to get into the finance industry. Watch the video to know more about their awkward exchange.

UK PM Rishi Sunak visits homeless shelter on Christmas eve, asks man if 'he is in business?'

British PM Rishi Sunak, in a change in the usual tradition of Christmas message, called public sector workers around the world and thanked them for their service.

Thanking them for their dedication and sacrifice, Sunak paid tribute to the various staff based across the globe, including the crew on a Royal Navy ship sailing in Antarctica and diplomats based in Somalia and Ukraine.

The prime minister's office on Saturday (December 24) released a video in which Sunak was seen calling childcare providers, diplomats as well as military personnel who were working over the festive period.

In one phone call Sunak spoke with Chris Mitchell, who runs Smart Play, a government-funded Holiday Activities and Food programme in Barnet, to discuss the support he and his team offer to vulnerable children throughout the school holidays.

"Just calling to say thank you for all the work you do at smart play. What you do is fantastic. It makes a big difference to people who need that extra bit of help. You know, we're delighted to fund work like yours and in particular at this time of year is that it makes a big difference. I just want to call and say thank you to you for that," Sunak said.

"it means so much to me to get that feedback, it really does. And I hope you have a lovely Christmas, your family too and everyone else. And thank you again. It's just such a shock," responded Mitchell.

His calls come as strikes by unions representing workers in sectors including rail, health and border staff continue to cause disruption across the country.

(With inputs from agencies)

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

British PM Rishi Sunak, in a change in the usual tradition of Christmas message, called public sector workers around the world and thanked them for their service.

British PM Rishi Sunak, in a change in the usual tradition of Christmas message, called public sector workers around the world and thanked them for their service. Thanking them for their dedication and sacrifice, Sunak paid tribute to the various staff based across the globe, including the crew on a Royal Navy ship sailing in Antarctica and diplomats based in Somalia and Ukraine. The prime minister's office on Saturday (December 24) released a video in which Sunak was seen calling childcare providers, diplomats as well as military personnel who were working over the festive period. In one phone call Sunak spoke with Chris Mitchell, who runs Smart Play, a government-funded Holiday Activities and Food programme in Barnet, to discuss the support he and his team offer to vulnerable children throughout the school holidays. "Just calling to say thank you for all the work you do at smart play. What you do is fantastic. It makes a big difference to people who need that extra bit of help. You know, we're delighted to fund work like yours and in particular at this time of year is that it makes a big difference. I just want to call and say thank you to you for that," Sunak said. "it means so much to me to get that feedback, it really does. And I hope you have a lovely Christmas, your family too and everyone else. And thank you again. It's just such a shock," responded Mitchell. His calls come as strikes by unions representing workers in sectors including rail, health and border staff continue to cause disruption across the country. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

UK PM Sunak surprises public sector workers with call to say thanks

uk-pm

Uk Pm, News on Uk Pm, stories on Uk Pm, articles on Uk Pm, Uk Pm stories at Wion, Uk Pm news, Uk Pm latest news

uk pm