By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak and his family plan to live in the flat above number 10 Downing Street, despite owning an array of luxury properties including one in London.
Although the number 10 flat in Downing Street, traditionally London home of the British Prime Minister is in a prime location, it is relatively small.
The portfolio of Sunak’s properties, a super wealthy leader reportedly includes a penthouse in California, a house in London’s exclusive Kensington district and a mansion in his Yorkshire constituency in the north of England.
The Prime Minister’s press secretary has confirmed he will be moving into Downing Street.
“They will be moving into the No 10 flat,” the spokeswoman said, adding that she did not know if they had any plans to redecorate.
Former PM, Boris Johnson got into trouble over an expensive renovation of his prime ministerial flat believed to have cost more than £200,000 ($230,000).
Boris Johnson’s expensive refurbishment of his flat, next door at number 11 Downing Street, was handled by his wife Carrie. Controversy over the way it was funded handed ample ammunition to Johnson’s critics.
The details of expensive rolls of wallpaper, hyper-fashionable soft furnishings and deep-pocketed donors became the stuff of endless newspaper articles that ultimately undermined his authority.
Sunak’s move there will mark a return to the flat being the London home of the British prime minister.
Traditionally, British leaders lived in the flat above number 10 Downing Street. The main building it sits above is the official residence and office of the country’s prime ministers.
Chancellors generally lived in the larger flat above number 11.
However, when Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were prime ministerss and chancellor, they swapped flats to accommodate Blair’s growing family.
Sunak only recently moved out of the number 10 flat as he lived there during his time as Johnson’s finance minister, until resigning in July.
Asked why he had chosen to live at number 10 and not the bigger number 11 flat, the spokeswoman said: “They were very happy there.”
