Rishi Sunak has hit back at a £1,000 bet he made with broadcaster Piers Morgan over whether deportation flights to Rwanda will take off before the general election, saying he is “not a gambler”. Ta.
The Prime Minister said on Tuesday he was “surprised” when Mr Morgan told him during an interview on Talk TV: [that] No one will board a plane before the election. Would you take that bet? ”
Mr. Sunak shook Mr. Morgan’s hand at the bet and said, “They work incredibly hard to get people on planes.”
The government’s attempt to send people who arrived in the UK by irregular means back to Rwanda to process their claims was blocked by the Supreme Court, which ruled in November that the policy was illegal. did. Mr. Sunak said the plan could be salvaged.
But when asked about the “bet” in an interview on BBC Radio 5 Live on Tuesday, Mr Sunak said:
“The main point I was trying to make, to my complete surprise, was actually about Rwanda policy and tackling illegal immigration, which I care deeply about.
“Obviously, people have strong opinions about this. I just emphasized my absolute commitment to this policy, my desire to get it through Congress and get it implemented, because deterrence Because I believe it’s necessary.”
“I think we need a deterrent. We need a place where we can send people so that people who come here illegally can’t stay.”
But shortly after Mr Sunak claimed on social media that he was “not a gambling person”, he said he had worked as a hedge fund manager in the past and had discovered the “dangerous” pleasures of spread betting online. It was pointed out that he was bragging about it. At about the same time.
In an interview on an episode of the BBC’s Test Match Special podcast last year, Sunak recalled: Wicket partnership, next wicket, innings total. I just discovered this and it’s really great. ”
Opposition parties criticized Mr Sunak’s decision to agree to the bet with Mr Morgan. Jonathan Ashworth, shadow paymaster, said: ‘Not many people facing rising mortgages, bills and food prices will feel free to put down a £1,000 stake. It just shows that Sunak is completely out of touch with the workers.”
The Scottish National Party reported Mr Sunak to independent adviser on ministerial interests Rory Magnus, claiming the bet could be in breach of the ministerial code.
Asked if he understood the financial pressures faced by ordinary households given the £1,000 bet he made on a whim, Mr Sunak said: “When it comes to cost of living, when I first took this job, I set five priorities, as I completely understood that the most pressing issue most families face is the cost of living. The aim was to cut inflation in half.”
Asked if he was shocked by reports that poor families were having to dilute infant formula, the Prime Minister said: “Of course I am sad to hear that people are in that situation.”
He said it was difficult to comment on individual cases brought to him and said he would discuss any letters with those involved.
