Nearly two-thirds of Rishi Sunak's newly appointed Cabinet attended a private school, a new analysis reveals.
The educational charity The Sutton Trust said 65% of the Prime Minister’s top team went to fee-paying schools - over double that of Theresa May's 2019 Cabinet.
The proportion is similar to Boris Johnson's first Cabinet but three percentage points lower than Liz Truss's government that was brought to a bitter end on Tuesday.
It shows that members of the Cabinet are a staggering nine times more likely to have gone to an independent school compared to the general population.
They include Mr Sunak who attended the elite Winchester College before studying at Oxford University - similar to the vast majority of post-war Prime Ministers.
Just under a quarter - 23% - attended a comprehensive, including Mr Sunak's Tory leadership rival Penny Mordaunt and the new Education Secretary Gillian Keegan.
Sir Peter Lampl, founder and chairman of the Sutton Trust, said: “ Rishi Sunak faces unprecedented challenges as he enters Number 10.
"In his new Cabinet, 65% went to private schools - over nine times the number in the general population - and 45% went to Oxbridge, more than double the average for all MPs."
He added that the "appointments highlight how unevenly spread opportunities to enter the most prestigious positions continue to be.
"Making the most of Britain’s talent regardless of background must be a priority.”
The research was published as Mr Sunak held his first meeting of senior ministers on Wednesday - less than 24 hours after entering No10 as Prime Minister.
It was also highlighted on Tuesday that just under a quarter - 22% - of the Tories attending Cabinet are women, down from nearly a third under Liz Truss.
Five of the 31 people are non-white, including Mr Sunak, who became the first Prime Minister of South Asian descent on Tuesday after a meeting with King Charles.
Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, the Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer welcomed Mr Sunak, saying it was a "significant moment in our national story".
He added: "It's a reminder for all our challenges we face as a country, Britain is a place where people of all races and all beliefs can fulfill their dreams."
