RISHI Sunak hit back at critics who claim his trousers are too short – and revealed his love for a breakfast from Wetherspoons.
The Prime Minister took part in a quick-fire question session declaring how baggy trousers are a real turn-off.
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He was taking part in a grilling by The Sun’s Political Editor when he revealed his sartorial favourites.
When asked why he wears his trousers up to two inches too short, he laughed: “Well I don’t think they are that short.”
Pushed on whether he thought his style was trendy or the latest style, he added: “I tend not to like lots of baggy, baggy stuff at the bottom of my ankle. I don’t think they are that short.”
The PM was also asked when he last went to one of the nation’s favourite pub chains Wetherspoons.
He said: “I was in Wetherspoons actually not that long ago. I think it was in Rother Valley actually… doing one of my events talking to everyone there in the local community.
“We have a Wetherspoons at home in Northallerton which is fantastic.”
When asked what his go-to order is, he said: “Well, actually I used to go there with my kids in the old days when I had more time.
“We used to do the junior Park Run, from memory. But we’d go there for breakfast more than anything else, cos I used to like the breakfasts there. I think I probably still have the app on my phone.”
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Mr Sunak has also revealed he doesn’t know the general election date – but Boris Johnson is welcome to join the campaign trail.
The PM insists he has yet to make his mind up on when the country goes to the polls – adding to even more speculation about the timing.
He told The Sun’s Never Mind The Ballots show that he’s too busy focused on issues such as the economy and immigration to pin down a date.
Mr Sunak said: “What matters is the general election and that’s what I’m focused on. I have been clear actually, I’ve said that my working assumption is we’ll have an election in the second half of the year.”
He added: “But ultimately we have a long-standing tradition. It’s Prime Ministers that decide when we’re going to call an election and I haven’t decided because I’m busy focusing on the things that matter to people.”
It comes after aides in Downing Street were understood to want to go to the country before the summer fearing a vote of confidence in his leadership after the May elections.
But he told The Sun’s YouTube show that Boris Johnson would be welcome to join the campaign trail as the Prime Minister gears up for the election.
The smart choice
Rishi Sunak revealed both his daughters have a smartphone – as he warns parents to be wary of dangers to mental health.
The Prime Minister spoke out after more than eighty-three per cent of parents insisted the devices are harmful to children and young people.
He revealed that his two girls Krishna and Anoushka both got phones as they came to the end of their time at Primary School.
But both the PM and his wife Akshata discuss how to “juggle” about the right thing to do with their time on the devices.
When asked whether the girls have smartphones, he said: Yeah. I have two girls 11 and 12, about to be 13, who thankfully probably won’t be watching this.
“They do both have phones. And they got them near the end of Primary School.
“I talked to my wife about this a lot. And we’re trying to juggle that like all parents are. I’m forming my views about what the right to do with my wife.”
His comments come as some of his MPs are demanding an outright ban on smartphones for under-16s.
The mum of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey demands mobile phones should be made specifically for under-16s to protect them.
Brianna was stabbed 28 times in February last year and was described as anxious and vulnerable – with her family insisting this was partly due to the time with her phone.
The PM added: “I think we certainly need to be very cognisant of the impact that social media is having on young people.
“You’ve seen the rise in mental health. And there’s not a definitive link. But there’s lots of people saying you need to be careful about this.
“Obviously it’s distracting at schools which is why we’ve been much clearer now that people should not be having mobile phones in schools obviously.”
Cabinet Minister Michelle Donelan said the recent online safety laws “ensures the online safety of British society not only now, but for decades to come”.
The ex-Prime Minister could be deployed in battleground seats to shore up Tory support after his stonking 80-seat majority in 2019.
Mr Sunak insists BoJo may be drafted in as part of a last-ditch attempt to stave off an election annihilation.
He told the show that any sign of a frosty relationship may have thawed since last year.
The PM said: “I spoke to him in person at the end of last year. Anyone from the Conservative family who wants to see a Conservative re-elected and who doesn’t think Keir Starmer is the right person to lead our country will be welcome on the campaign trail.
“Ultimately that’s the choice. It’s myself or Keir Starmer after the next election.
“If you want to cut taxes, if you want a better approach to net zero, if you want a better approach to immigration, we’re the ones to do that for you.”
It was revealed last month that Mr Johnson was being lined up to campaign in the Midlands and northern seats – in the so-called Red Wall.
His allies and senior government figures say he will make speeches and appear on campaign literature.
During the interview, Mr Sunak highlighted how the upcoming local elections were a “great opportunity” to highlight Labour holding power in places such as Birmingham.
But experts have predicted the Tories may lose 500 town hall seats and face a fight to hold onto the mayoral races in the West Midlands and Tees valley.
He added: “Local elections are a great opportunity to see the contrast of what Labour in power means.
“Look at Birmingham, Labour council there bankrupted the largest local authority in Europe and handed everyone a 21 per cent council tax increase.”
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