Trending
Rishi Sunak becomes first frontline politician to join Sunday Times Rich List with £730 million fortune
He was added to the list just days after he warned the nation of a ‘tough few months’ ahead
Rishi Sunak has joined The Sunday Times Rich List, making him the first frontline politician to do so.
While Sunak enjoyed a successful career in investment banking before entering politics, the majority of his household’s wealth stems from his wife Akshata Murthy and her £690 million stake in IT giant Infosys, founded by her billionaire father NR Narayana Murthy.
The couple’s wealth is estimated at £730 million, placing the pair at 222= equal in the ranking.
The Rich List measures identifiable wealth, whether it be through land, property, racehorses, art or significant shares in publicly quoted companies.
Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said it is ‘fantastic’ that Sunak and his wife have joined the list, saying the chancellor is a ‘fantastic example’ of someone who has been successful in business and who’s ‘coming to make a big impact in public service.’
Raab told Times Radio: “I think we want more of those people. I think it’s fantastic that you’ve got someone of British-Indian origin, showing all people in our country that you can get to the top of politics.”
Read More: Rishi Sunak says it would be ‘silly’ to give families more support with energy bills
Speaking of Murthy, Raab added: “His wife is an incredibly successful entrepreneur in her own right… Again, someone that’s here, British-Indian, and actually I think we want to see more women succeeding in both business and politics.”
However, not everyone has celebrated Rishi’s inclusion on the list quite like Raab has, with many pointing out his wife’s non-dom status, which has allowed her to only pay tax on earnings in this country.
This comes just days after Sunak warned the British public to brace for a ‘tough’ few months ahead as the cost of living continues to spiral.
In his speech to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) on Wednesday, he said: “We need you to invest more, train more, and innovate more.
“In the autumn Budget we will cut your taxes to encourage you to do all those things. Our role in Government is to cut costs for families. I cannot pretend this will be easy.
“The next few months will be tough, but where we can act, we will.”