Rishi Sunak reveals ‘key’ to marriage with Akshata Murty

‘She is a total nightmare,’ Sunak joked

Conservative party leader candidate Rishi Sunak has revealed the “key” to his successful relationship with his millionaire wife, Akshata Murty.

The former chancellor, who along with his wife is valued at £730m, met Murty at Stanford University in the US while he was studying for an MBA.

The pair got married in 2009, and now Sunak has said that the secret to their marriage is that they are very different people.

“I’m incredibly tidy, she’s very messy,” he told The Sunday Times. “I’m much more organised, she is more spontaneous ... she is not going to love me for saying this but I’ll be honest with you, she is not big on the whole tidying thing.

“She is a total nightmare, clothes everywhere ... and shoes ... oh God shoes …”

Sunak and Murty, who is the daughter of billionaire businessman Narayana Murthy, share two daughters, Krishna, 11, and Anoushka, nine.

Sunak added that because he ran his own business when his children were born, he was able to be around a lot of the time.

“I always say my parenting sweet spot is zero to three and I was really lucky that when they were that age I had the time to just be there a lot and do a lot,” he said.

Sunak has faced criticism due to his wealth, with some speculating that he is “too wealthy” to understand the concerns of many voters.

“I do think in this country we judge people by their character and their actions, not by what’s in their bank account,” he said in the interview.

“I am fortunate today but I didn’t grow up like this. I worked really hard for what I’ve got, my family worked hard and that’s why I want to do this job.”

Sunak and Liz Truss are both vying to be the new Conservative party leader, with the new prime minister expected to be announced on 5 September.