While volunteering at a soup kitchen, Rishi Sunak asked a homeless man if 'he would like to get into the finance industry '

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From the guardian:Rishi Sunak has been criticised over an awkward exchange with a homeless person while volunteering at a soup kitchen in front of television cameras.

The prime minister visited a shelter on Friday, where after a brief exchange he asked the man whether he worked in business. The man replied that he was homeless. Sunak then discussed his background in the finance industry and asked if it would be something the man would “like to get in to”.

The man replied: “I wouldn’t mind, but I don’t know, I’d like to get through Christmas first.”

...I have no words.

www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/society/2022/dec/24/rishi-sunak-rebuked-over-excruciating-exchange-with-homeless-man

It’s extraordinary isn’t it.

Absoluyelt extraordinary.

the political class in this country - and it is a class - are so out of touch that it can’t be exaggerated

It was tragic from start to finish. When he said it was a "lovely" place, when he was offering him sausages and eggs! The whole exchange was incredibly excruciating. Even on that little jaunt he did eating dinner with the soldiers - he looked completely out of place. He's not going to last long and he knows it.

I suspect context is everything and the Guardian will have out their own spin on it (and I'm very left leaning as a general rule). I don't think it hurts for the PM to tell the man it could be possible if that's what he wants.

Is he trying to be alan partridge ffs

Jesus.🤦‍♀️

What a fucking moron Sunak is. Clueless about anyone in the real world - but then, he's a millionaire.

My thoughts exactly.

Even Boris would have wheeled out his 'bamboozled baboon' clown act to get through it. It was all terrible yet who in his team honestly thought he'd manage to pull it off!?? He's a billionaire serving food in soup kitchen! It's not a lovely place - it shouldn't even exist!

Utterly incapable of not making a fool of himself any time he sets foot in anything resembling the real world.

It’s just embarrassing. Real man of the people.

That or he'd have found a convenient fridge

I don't think it hurts for the PM to tell the man it could be possible if that's what he wants.

I'm not too knowledgable about the finer points of it but I don't think you can 'want' yourself out of poverty. I dunno but I reckon when working people are having to use food banks, and footballers are having to get involved in battling for kids to get meals and people in otherwise 'normal' jobs are choosing between eating or heating then I just think the issue goes far deeper than just 'working a bit harder'.

He seems to become less and less human every time we see him attempt to interact with the real world.

Rishi Sunak helped to serve breakfast on a visit to the Passage, a shelter for the homeless

Why does the 5th/6th/7th wealthiest country on the planet even have shelters for the homeless?

Even when a millionaire, married to a billionaire whose family are gazillionaires decides to spend a morning giving crumbs to the poor unfortunates who are forced to use a homeless shelter, crumbs are still crumbs. On Christmas Day he'll still be a millionaire and they'll still be homeless.

Maybe the batteries are wearing out...

Well considering inflation and the cost of living, it's perfectly reasonable to assume someone with a successful career would be homeless. In fact, pretty soon, only millionaires will be able to afford the rent on a one bed flat in London.

Ok it's clumsy and insensitive.
But ... the role of a politician is to improve people's lives. And why can't a homeless person find a job in the Finance industry or any other industry for that matter. It shouldn't be out of reach to anyone. People should be given the means and support to improve their situation.

Rishi asked, "How are you?" and the man said, "Hungry".

So let the bloke eat his bloody breakfast before it gets cold rather than blathering on at him about the finance industry.

I quite like Rishi but honestly, that was painful.

Actually I was ready to mock, no love for the Tories here but the bloke said he was interested in finance and why assume someone will always be homeless and not make any moves forward. I work in the third sector and that sounded like an attempt at not patronising someone tbh from someone out of his comfort zone.

The bit where he asks about plans for the weekend 🤦‍♀️
"Well I've got a canape reception invite tomorrow, maybe a trip to Fortnum and Masons for some nibbles, then I'll find doorway to sleep in and hopefully not get pissed on."

Didn't the guy mention being interested in finance? I can't make out that bit of the convo.

He seemed to me to be in 'work water cooler mode'. That's how people talk in the office when they are making a cup of tea in the kitchen. It seemed he didn't understand he was at a homeless shelter..

Jesus wept

It was an ITV broadcast I think. Saw it on Twitter this AM, long before the Guardian article about it was published at lunchtime.