Trailer for Piers Morgan's interview with Rishi Sunak
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Rishi Sunak has admitted his first 100 days in No 10 have been “challenging” while being interrogated by broadcasting heavyweight Piers Morgan.
The TalkTV host is grilling the prime minister on a range of issues, from mounting Tory sleaze claims and the winter crisis in the NHS, to growing unrest in the public sector and deepening cost of living fears.
Mr Sunak said he stood for the premiership “out of a sense of duty” and had assumed his time in front-line politics had ended when he resigned as Boris Johnson’s chancellor. He then chose to replace Liz Truss due to feeling he was “the best person to make a difference at that moment.”
The PM is also under pressure to say exactly what he knew and when about Dominic Raab’s conduct, as his deputy PM faces an investigation into bullying allegations.
It comes after Remain campaigner Gina Miller claimed, in an article written for The Independent, that Mr Raab had launched an “abusive attack” on her – calling her “stupid” and “naive” during an “aggressive” encounter at the BBC in 2016.
Rishi Sunak has insisted he would “love to give the nurses a massive pay rise”, saying it would make his “life easier.”
The last few months have seen nurses take to the picket lines in their tens of thousands in a deepening dispute over pay and conditions.
Speaking to Piers Morgan, Mr Sunak said: “It’s the right thing for the country to stay the course” and not offer higher pay rises because of inflation.
Rishi Sunak has insisted that the government’s Rwanda migrant scheme will happen, but said ministers were working hard to get the law “absolutely right.”
The prime minister said the UK was “always going to be a compassionate country”, but not a “soft touch” on immigration.
Rishi Sunak: I believe wholeheartedly I can turn UK mess around
Rishi Sunak says he “wholeheartedly believes” he can turn around the mess the country is in by controlling inflation, growing the economy, cutting NHS waiting lists and stopping migrant boats.
In his first 100 days in office, he is proud of what the government has achieved, firstly taking action to stabilise the economy, he claimed, saying he was confident he will deliver on those aims.
The Sunak doctrine, he said, was about making sure people could feel proud of the UK and have peace of mind things would be better for their children and grandchildren.
Prime minister tells Piers Morgan he is proud of what he has done in first 100 days in office
Rishi Sunak tells Piers Morgan his message to the public, given the cost of living crisis, is to “have hope because I can make it better and I will make it better.”
Sunak was ‘bowling with family’ when Liz Truss resiged
Rishi Sunak claims he was at a bowling alley with his family when he was made aware that Liz Truss was resigning as prime minister.
“The whole thing came as a big surprise and the country was in a tight spot,” he tells Piers Morgan.
He admitted to “asking myself the same question on occasion” when the host asked him why he wanted to be prime minister following the market turmoil under Ms Truss.
“It was going to be a nightmare job,” Mr Sunak said, adding “It was not an easy situation. But, for me, it’s about duty. That’s how I was raised.”
Explaining his decision to make a second bid for No 10, he said: “I felt I was the best person to make a difference at that moment.”
Follow along here for a live round-up of the key moments as Rishi Sunak faces Piers Morgan.
Rishi Sunak understands public anger over ‘extraordinary’ Shell profits, No 10 says
In the meantime, read Whitehall editor Kate Devlin‘s latest report:
Rishi Sunak “absolutely” understands people’s anger over Shell’s record profits at a time of soaring household energy bills, Downing Street has said.
No 10 also suggested that the oil giant should invest more of its record-breaking $40bn bonanza in the UK.
But the prime minister’s official spokesperson would not be drawn on calls for a higher windfall tax on energy firms, saying he was “not aware” of any plans to reform the levy.
Shell should invest more of the money in the UK, Downing Street suggest
What do the Dominic Raab bullying allegations mean for Rishi Sunak?
With Zahawi gone and perhaps soon Raab too, Sunak can demonstrate that he is his own man, and prepared to jettison figures who, in his judgement, do not live up to the ideals he declared himself committed to on his first day in No 10 – “integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level”.
Read the latest from Sean O’Grady here:
If a prime minister knows about certain sensitive issues concerning an MP, but appoints them anyway, it can reflect badly on their judgement, writes Sean O’Grady
Piers Morgan recalls Boris Johnson hiding in fridge to avoid interview ahead of Sunak stand-off
Piers Morgan appears to have praised Rishi Sunak for agreeing to be interviewed on tonight’s show – taking a swipe at his predecessor Boris Johnson for hiding in a fridge while a reporter attempted to speak to him.
On the eve of the 2019 general election, then-PM Johnson was joining an early morning milk round in Leeds when he was confronted by a Good Morning Britain reporter about his “promise to talk to Piers [Morgan] and Susanna [Reid]”.
“I’ll be with you in a second,” Mr Johnson replied, before famously escaping into a large fridge.
Taking to Twitter this afternoon, Mr Morgan reflected on the bizarre dodge:
Scandals, sackings and U-turns: Rishi Sunak’s first 100 days in the job
Michael Gove proudly boasted that “boring is back” when Rishi Sunak walked through the door of No 10 in October. But his first 100 days in office have been much more eventful than anyone expected.
The prime minister has suffered from a series of scandals, some partly inherited from Boris Johnson’s time in Downing Street. There have been poor poll ratings, probes into his ministers’ conduct and some major policy climbdowns, with his authority with Tory MPs already under threat.
Our political correspondent Adam Forrest took a closer look at the sleaze problems and rebellions swirling around Mr Sunak as he tries to reset his premiership ahead of crucial local elections.
PM feeling the pressure over probes, policy rebellions and ever-present ex-PM Boris Johnson
