Sunak insists personal attacks by Labour leader ‘don’t worry me’

Rishi Sunak has insisted he is not bothered by the increasingly personal attacks from Sir Keir Starmer.

The Labour leader has suggested the Prime Minister is out of touch with a nation suffering a cost-of-living crisis because of his extreme wealth.

Mr Sunak has also been targeted by Opposition attack ads, which have drawn criticism from within Labour, claiming he does not want to see child sex attackers jailed.

I think we've moved beyond judging people by what's in their bank account

Speaking to reporters travelling with him to the G7 summit in Japan, Mr Sunak said he had not “actually focused” on the attacks or “seen all of it”.

“These things generally don’t worry me. I don’t think most people sitting at home actually are much bothered about these things either,” the Prime Minister said.

“I think we’ve moved beyond judging people by what’s in their bank account. I think they’re interested in whether I’m going to deliver for them and their families.”

Labour has also targeted Mr Sunak’s wife, Akshata Murty, who is travelling with him in Japan on their first official foreign trip together since he entered No 10.

They have linked the Prime Minister’s refusal to end the non-dom tax status, which his wife has held, to a benefit it confers on his family.

Mr Sunak said: “These things don’t bother me.”

Clashes between the Prime Minister and Labour are only likely to get more fierce as a general election approaches.

Earlier this month Sir Keir spoke of the “anxiety and the shame” felt when his family had their phone cut off because they could not pay their bills.

“He’s a wealthy man – that’s good, I don’t knock that,” the Labour leader said of Mr Sunak.

“But it means that he doesn’t understand, he doesn’t know the anxiety that people are going through.”