First shoes, now his backpack: Why is UK PM Rishi Sunak facing heat?

In a surprise move, United Kingdom prime minister Rishi Sunak announced a snap election to be held on 4 July — six months earlier than many had expected.

Amid the busy election campaigning, the 44-year-old is receiving flak for wearing a 750-pound (~Rs 79,497) backpack on Wednesday while visiting one of the country’s poorest areas.

The criticism comes about a month after he received online hate for wearing Adidas Sambas for an interview.

Let’s take a look.

Sunak and his luxury bag

As Sunak boarded a train to Cornwall, he was pictured carrying the expensive backpack.

As part of the South West England campaign for the Conservative Party, the prime minister visited Cornwall’s Penzance on a sleeper service.

Before embarking on his 280-mile overnight journey, Sunak spoke with station staff while swinging a black bag embossed with his initials “RS” over his right shoulder.

The Daily Mirror reports that the backpack in question is a Tumi Arrive Bradley, which is sold for £750 in high-end stores, including Selfridges.

As per UK-based outlet Joe, the description of the aesthetically pleasing bag says, “This sleek design is as functional as it is stylish, letting you protect and carry everything from your laptop and tablet to your glasses, phone, and keys.

“The Arrivé collection takes its cues from automotive design, with high-polish chrome details, elegant curves, and sleek magnetic zippers. Our ultra-modern pieces make world-class business partners and travel companions.”

Criticism

The British prime minister has received an array of criticism on social media for, ironically, travelling to the poorest areas while on his campaign trial while wearing the luxury backpack.

“I thought it would be nice to wear my £750 monogrammed backpack when visiting Cornwall - one of the poorest areas of the UK," said a Rishi Sunak parody account on X.

I thought it would be nice to wear my £750 monogrammed backpack when visiting Cornwall - one of the poorest areas of the UK. pic.twitter.com/86VgZFfA27

— Parody Rishi Sunak (@Parody_PM) May 29, 2024

“That would go well with Keir’s £500 hoodie he loves to wear… lets face it they’ve both got money to waste (I believe KS is worth £7,000,000). This argument about how much is being spent on clothing and accessories is very tired and very boring," wrote another user, drawing a comparison between the two leaders.

“Maybe if you ever get a proper job, maybe YOU can afford “nice things”,” commented another X user.

That would go well with Keir’s £500 hoodie he loves to wear ….lets face it they’ve both got money to waste (I believe KS is worth £7,000,000). This argument about how much is being spent on clothing and accessories is very tired and very boring

— Andrew Bucklee (@Andythereds) May 29, 2024

History of flaunting wealth

Well, this is not the first time, Sunak sported an expensive piece.

In April this year, he was seen wearing the $100 Adidas Sambas sneakers during an interview at 10 Downing Street to promote his tax policies.

While visiting a building site in July last year, he donned 490-pound Prada suede shoes, as per Dailymail. While touring Teesside Freeport, the millionaire wore the brown loafers. “I know things are tough and people are feeling anxious about how they’re going to pay these bills,” he said to Teesside Live while donning the shoes.

Additionally, Sunak was seen posing with a £180 coffee mug during his tenure as Chancellor.

Reportedly a gift from his wife, the Ember travel mug was said to do ‘more than simply keep your coffee hot’.

Richer than King Charles

The wealthiest couple in the UK, Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty, surpassed King Charles, according to the most recent Sunday Times Rich List.

The couple’s wealth has grown by more than 120 million pounds in the last year, according to this index.

They surpassed King Charles in wealth, going from 529 million pounds to 651 million pounds in 2024.

The main factor driving it is Murty’s ownership of Infosys, an Indian IT firm her father started, as per Mint.

The survey did note that it is difficult to gauge a monarch’s finances, though. It should be mentioned that the monarchy’s overall fortune, which includes a variety of estates and palaces, is thought to be in the dozens of billions of pounds.

The campaign trail

Upon his arrival in Cornwall, Sunak was confronted with tough questions over his decision to level up county funds for his National Service plan.

Some of the poorest communities of the UK may lose out on funding for high street regeneration and community safety as a result of the scheme, according to The Mirror.

According to research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), the regions that stand to lose the most from shutting the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and substituting £1.5 billion for paying for National Service are Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales, Cornwall, and the Tees Valley.

In Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, the UKSPF is valued at £145 per person.

However, Sunak emphasised that he is “absolutely committed” to Cornwall’s levelling up, as per the report.

Additionally, he went to the Long Rock train depot in Penzance, Cornwall, where he spoke with apprentices about initiatives to increase apprenticeships and eliminate “rip off” degrees, as per Dailymail.

Later, the PM got to know apprentices at a Cornwall-based broadband company and had the opportunity to test out their technical abilities.

With inputs from agencies