Rishi Sunak has rejected suggestions he is detached from the everyday concerns of the public after it emerged his new heated swimming pool uses so much energy that the local electricity network had to be upgraded to meet its power demands.
The Guardian revealed that, while many Britons are trying to limit their energy use in the face of increased electricity bills, extra equipment had been installed in North Yorkshire to provide more capacity from the National Grid to Sunak’s constituency home.
The prime minister, however, said that he “absolutely understands” that millions of people are struggling with the cost of living, in particular their energy bills, and that the “important thing” was that the government was helping them.
Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor, is expected to extend the government’s £2,500 energy price guarantee for a further three months in the budget on Wednesday in an effort to limit increases in people’s bills.
On a visit to the US, the prime minister was asked by Chris Mason, the BBC’s political editor, whether his decision to personally pay for electricity upgrade work – estimated at tens of thousands of pounds – to heat his private pool left the impression he was out of touch.
Sunak replied: “The important thing is what the government does to help people with energy bills. What I announced as chancellor is a windfall tax on energy companies, because the profits they’re making as a result of the [Ukraine] war, I thought it was right that we tax those. We have used that money to help reduce people’s energy bills.”
Pressed on whether he was able to understand the public’s day-to-day lives given his immense wealth, he added: “I absolutely understand that the number one challenge people are facing is with the cost of living and particularly energy bills.
“So what do I do? We tax energy companies more, and we’ve used that money to reduce people’s energy bills by £1,000. That’s the actions of this government, the actions of me as prime minister and chancellor. I think people can see from that, that I do take this really seriously.”
Sunak had constructed a heated pool, gym and tennis court in the grounds of the manor house he occupies at weekends. The 12-metre pool was completed just as many council-run baths, including in his local area, were being forced to reduce their opening hours owing to increased energy costs.
A spokesperson for the prime minister declined to comment on the works at his constituency home.
The energy price guarantee holds down gas and electricity tariffs so that the typical household bill is no more than £2,500 a year. That ceiling was due to rise to £3,000 a year from April, but the Treasury wants to keep it down until wholesale prices have fallen further.
A Labour spokesman said: “It’s a slap in the face to millions of hard working families that the energy crisis doesn’t apply in this case, when it applies in so many others.”
