Rishi Sunak asks homeless man in shelter if we 'works in business'

Rishi Sunak has been filmed awkwardly asking a homeless man if he works in business as he served up food at a shelter ahead of Christmas.

The Prime Minister visited a homeless shelter in London run by the Passage on Friday. 

In footage while serving breakfast to people, Sunak was asked by one man called Dean: 'Are you sorting the economy out?'.

'That's exactly what I'm trying to do,' the Tory party leader responded, before asking the man if he works in business.

The man replies: 'No, I'm homeless. I'm actually a homeless person.' 

Dean then said he was interested in business, prompting Sunak to ask him what kind of business.

When Dean replied finance, the Prime Minister said: 'I used to work in finance, actually.'

Sunak then asked: 'Is that something you'd like to get into?'

'Yeah I wouldn't mind. But, I don't know, I'd like to get through Christmas first,' the homeless man said.

Sunak continued: 'What's your plan, what are you doing this weekend?'

Dean replied that he was hoping the homeless charity St Mungo's could help him get into temporary accommodation 'so I'm not on the street'.

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner tweeted the ITV clip and wrote: 'Excruciating.'

Another Labour MP, Bill Esterson, said the exchange demonstrated Mr Sunak was 'out of touch'. 

Yesterday, Sunak posted a photo of his visit on Twitter, along with the words: 'For too many people, the opportunity to celebrate Christmas in a warm and safe environment is beyond reach. 

'Words are not enough. We are investing £2 billion to give some of the most vulnerable people a roof over their heads, with targeted support to rebuild their lives.'

Sunak's comments follow a series of blunders this year, with the ex-Chancellor pictured in July in £500 brown Prada suede loafers in a visit to Teesside to argue that inflation must be restrained.

Standing alongside the north-east region's mayor, Ben Houchen, Sunak doubled down on his cautious remedies to the cost-of-living crisis.

He said: 'I think the number one economic priority we face as a country is inflation.

'I want to get a grip of inflation because inflation is what makes everybody poorer.

'If we don't get a grip of it now it will last longer and that is not a good thing.

'Once we've done that, I will deliver tax cuts.'

The millionaire was also mocked for posing for publicity shots pumping gas into a Kia Rio - worth about £12,000 - outside a Sainsbury's in March.

And he was later ridiculed for bungling his contactless payment, by pressing the card to a barcode scanner.

At the time, Sunak slashed fuel duty by 5p and demanded retailers pass on the reduction to hard-pressed motorists. 

To celebrate the cut he posed for the photographs with the Kia Rio outside New Cross Sainsbury's in south east London.

Still wearing the suit he delivered the Spring Statement in, the Chancellor rolled up his sleeves and plonked the tap into the hatchback as the sun beamed down on him.

He tweeted: 'It's 6pm - the biggest cut to all fuel duty rates ever has just come into effect. #SpringStatement2022.'

HM Treasury's Twitter account added: 'Following today's #SpringStatement2022 Chancellor @RishiSunak visited New Cross @Sainsburys and petrol station to talk to shoppers about how they'll be helped by the tax cuts we introduced today.'

But it all appeared to unravel when he headed inside to pay for the gas and a full fat can of Coke, which he has previously admitted to being addicted to.

The cashier held up the bar scanner to register the price of the drink, but the Chancellor tried to tap his contactless card while he was being recorded on live TV.

Social media users ruthlessly mocked him for the publicity shots - which he has become well known for - as well as mishap when paying.