Rishi Sunak says 'toughest' part of job is being a good father to his daughters

The Prime Minister says he feels it "acutely" when he cannot be there for his two daughters, Krishna and Anoushka.

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Rishi Sunak says being a good father is the toughest part of being PM (Image: Getty)

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says the "toughest" part of being the country's political leader is juggling being a good father to his two daughters.

In an interview with William Hague for The Times, Sunak said he felt it "acutely" when his work meant he could not be there for duaghters Krishna and Anoushka, who he shares with wife Akshata Murty.

However, Sunak accepted that being Prime Minister is an "important job" in which he has to put the nation's interests ahead of his own family life.

He said: "I’ve got two young girls who mean the world to me. And obviously it’s hard to balance being a good dad and doing the job well.

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Rishi Sunak and wife Akshata Murty (Image: Getty)
“You have to prioritise this job because it’s an important job and you’re doing it on behalf of the whole country. So not being there for them as much as any dad would like to be is a challenge.
“There’s particular moments where you really feel that acutely because there’s something very difficult going on. That’s tough, but that’s the job.”

Sunak said life as Prime Minister is significantly different to his previous role as chancellor due to the scope of the work involved. He told Hague his day was split into blocks, with his focus having to switch at any given moment.

Something he described as "challenging and distinctive". He explained a typical day could see him speaking to primary school children one moment and meeting the National Security Council the next.

Rishi Sunak Visits An Engineering Company In Cumbria

Rishi Sunak (Image: Getty)

When discussing his family, Sunak also said he would like to have a chance to find out "a little bit more" about his grandparents and their journey to the United Kingdom - something that led him to becoming the first Indian heritage PM.

He told The Times his grandparents travelled from India to east Africa before arriving in the UK as immigrants. He says the journey would have been the first time his grandmother had flown on an aeroplane.

Sunak explained they arrived "not quite knowing how that would all work” and within a couple of generations he was in Downing Street.

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