Rishi Sunak Has Electricity Network Upgraded To Heat His Private Swimming Pool
Rishi Sunak has had the electricity network in his constituency upgraded in order to heat his private swimming pool, it has emerged.
According to The Guardian, the multi-millionaire prime minister paid out of his own pocket for extra capacity from the National Grid to supply his constituency home in North Yorkshire.
Engineers installed equipment and a new connection to the Grid that runs across open fields, the paper reported.
It comes after he paid hundreds of thousands of pounds to install a new heated pool, gym and tennis court at the massive property.
Although there is no suggestion that the PM has done anything wrong, voters struggling with the cost of living may well be surprised at the extent of his wealth.
The revelation comes just days after a senior Tory urged the government to provide more support for council-run swimming pools as local authorities struggle with soaring energy costs.
Damian Green, who was Theresa May’s deputy when she was prime minister, said in the Commons last week: “Will ministers join me in urging their cabinet colleagues to allow public pools to have the support available to other sectors to enable them to continue to play their essential role in keeping people healthy?”
Sports minister Stuary Andrew said: “I am acutely aware of the difficulties that are being felt.
“But they’re in different parts of the country, and that is why we are taking time to have a look at exactly where those specific problems are, what measures we may be able to do to introduce some help and support.
“But I think the other thing to think about is that some of these buildings are very old and they are very expensive to run. So we perhaps need to look at a longer-term solution as well.”
He added: “The multiple questions that I’ve had on this today certainly help my case and my discussions with other colleagues across Government.”
Downing Street has been contacted for comment.