Rishi Sunak has spoken of the racism he experienced as a child and how his parents were so determined that he fit in and speak without an accent that he was sent to extra drama lessons.
“You’re conscious of being different,” he told ITV News’ deputy political editor Anushka Asthana. “It’s hard not to be, and of course I experienced racism as a child.”
Ms Asthana was given permission to meet the Prime Minister on the upcoming show Rishi Sunak: Up Close – Tonight. and detailed her encounter to the Times. Ms Sunak recalled the pain of hearing the slurs directed at her younger siblings, adding that racism “stings” and “hurts like nothing else can”. He felt that what he went through would not happen to his children today.
Speaking about his Indian heritage, Sunak said his parents were keen for him and his siblings, an older brother and sister, to “integrate” and “not let it become a barrier in any way”.
He added that his mother was especially conscious of how her children spoke. “One of the things my mother insisted on was that we speak properly and without accents,” he says. “So she was keen to give us additional drama.”
“I think racism in any form is absolutely unacceptable,” he added, adding that when speaking to world leaders, “most people look to Britain as an example of how to get this right.” I will direct you,” he added.
Mr Sunak admitted: “I never dreamed that one day we might have an ethnic minority prime minister because we didn’t have any role models like that.” [It] It hadn’t happened yet. ”
The show follows Sunak as he visits key constituencies, spends time with his family and in Southampton, where he grew up.
Rishi Sunak: Up Close – airs tonight on Thursdays at 8.30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
