With ex-PM Boris Johnson pulling out of the race to become the UK’s new prime minister yesterday evening and fellow MP Penny Mordaunt not reaching the required 100 public backers by 2pm, Rishi Sunak, as the only participant in the race, has become the new leader of the Conservative Party and also take the role of Prime Minister.
So what do we know about Rishi Sunak?
Rishi is currently 42 years old, born on May 12, 1980.
Born to Hindu parents of Punjabi descent, Rishi’s father Yashvir was born and raised in Kenya and worked as a GP for the NHS. His mother Usha was born in Tanzania and worked as a pharmacist.
He is originally from Southampton but now lives in Kensington.
He studied at Winchester College Oxford where he read Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. He then took his education to the USA studying at Stanford University where he went on to earn an MBA as a Fulbright Scholar.
Rishi married his wife, Akshata Murthy, in a two-day wedding ceremony in Bangalore back in 2009.
Akshata is the daughter of billionaire N.R. Narayana Murty, a co-founder of IT company Infosys. Akshata runs her own fashion label, Akshata Designs, and is also a director of her dads venture capital.
Together the couple have two daughters, Krishna and Anoushka.
The family own another flat in Central London, a property in Santa Monica, California, and their Manor House in North Yorkshire.
He has been a member of parliament since 2015 where he was an MP for Richmond and has served in various roles including Chief Secretary to the Treasury and most recently the Chancellor of Exchequer during Boris Johnson’s time as Prime Minister.
Rishi was a public supporter of the Leave campaign ahead of the Brexit referendum, selling Brexit as a “once in a generation opportunity to take back control”.
Whilst running against Liz Truss for the leadership position following Boris Johnson’s resignation, Rishi put immigration and the NHS at the top of his agenda. He has also committed to the UK’s Rwanda scheme previously sating “This country has a proud history of welcoming people but it’s also vital that we’re in control of who’s coming here.”
