Rishi Sunak wants people to shut up about his wife’s shares in a company operating in Russia
Whatever else people might be saying about Rishi Sunak – and they’re saying a lot since his Spring Statement – nobody can say he doesn’t have his finger on the pulse of showbiz news.
In an interview with the BBC, he referenced that slap, as he was explaining why people need to stop mentioning that his wife, Akshata Murty, has a multi-million pound stake in an Indian company still operating in Russia.
"Both Will Smith and me having our wives attacked – at least I didn't get up and slap anybody"
Chancellor Rishi Sunak tells @BBCLauraK he finds criticism aimed at his wife over shares she owns in a company operating in Russia "very upsetting"#BBCNewscast https://t.co/gZK861wObg pic.twitter.com/onUBINWDSQ
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) March 31, 2022
Describing references to his wife making millions from a company that’s also providing the Russian government with tax roubles to pay for weapons as attacks seems extreme, but it’s not unusual for spousal earnings to be an issue.
Rishi Sunak describes journalist questions about his wife’s earnings as ‘attacks’
But the ministerial code requires ministers to detail their spouse’s business interests – presumably for a reason
— Anna Mikhailova (@AVMikhailova) March 31, 2022
His request for people to stop talking about his billionaire wife profiting from a country the UK government has told people to boycott, not to mention comparing it to the Chris Rock joke, might not have gone as well as he’d hoped.
1.
There's a difference between mocking someone's medical condition for laughs and being questioned about whether you, a senior politician, are personally profiting from Russian money, when your government is clamping down on Russian money. https://t.co/5JyYX928HB
— Owen Jones 🌹 (@OwenJones84) March 31, 2022
2.
alopecia is just like owning £400m in shares https://t.co/yTEStRHueW
— emma jacobs (@emmavj) March 31, 2022
3.
If I didn’t want my spouse to be criticised I would simply marry someone who didn’t have dodgy business links to an autocratic mass murderer I had just a week earlier advised people to sever all ties with and maybe not be a gigantic fucking hypocrite idkhttps://t.co/atjl5y8Ywj
— Max Morgan 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ (they/them) (@SpillerOfTea) March 31, 2022
4.
Attacking his wife? People are questioning whether she should be making millions from her financial support for a regime that is being sanctioned by the UK government for bombing kids. https://t.co/tCdh2yHgDc
— Nick Murphy (@nickmurftweets) March 31, 2022
5.
I’m sure Fred West felt the same way.https://t.co/oH09mABoCz
— Nick Pettigrew🇺🇦 (@Nick_Pettigrew) March 31, 2022
6.
But Will Smith was never directly implicated in freezing anyone's nan to death, so … https://t.co/lMJmeqCDqr
— Sam Whyte (@SamWhyte) March 31, 2022
7.
Christ alive what a bucket of piss. No-one is attacking his wife. They're asking if she profited from dividends from a family company operating in Russia. https://t.co/rBb7j3NtRl
— Ian Dunt (@IanDunt) March 31, 2022
8.
Hello @RishiSunak ! Your wife's finances are being questioned. Fair, given your profession and standard you set for others. Stop pretending people have said she has a fat bum or something. https://t.co/u3iNlk4xod
— Shaparak Khorsandi 🌻💙💛 (@ShappiKhorsandi) March 31, 2022
9.
This is the problem with treating rising politicians like they're the dauphin. It does them no good at all, just ruins them by destroying any chance they have of actually developing PR skills. https://t.co/bypS4yQipY
— Jonn Elledge (@JonnElledge) March 31, 2022
10.
The Ministerial Code states that:
"Ministers must provide a full list of all interests which might be thought to give rise to a conflict. The list should also cover interests of the Minister’s spouse or partner"Shut up with the crocodile tears. https://t.co/NLFA6PSDwC
— Freddie (@FreddieBailey96) March 31, 2022
11.
This is the guy people wanted as Prime Minister a few months ago. So relieved he's showing his arse. Although that probably means he'll have the top job come June.
— Sooz Kempner (@SoozUK) March 31, 2022
Sometimes, the simplest response says all that needs to be said.
Oh boo hoo….. https://t.co/oSrSPa5iiK
— sue#NHSLove💙💙💙#FBNHS (@SueSuezep) March 31, 2022
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Source BBC Politics Image Screengrab
