A deep dive into new prime minister Rishi Sunak’s most cringe and chaotic moments

So, Rishi Sunak is now our third prime minister in as many months. Just another normal day in the UK. In honour of this momentous day, here’s a look back at his most cringe and chaotic moments. Unlike Liz Truss, he’s not a die-hard Taylor Swift fan and hasn’t done a weird curtsey (yet), but there are still so many tragic Rishi Sunak moments. Whether it’s interview blunders, forgetting how to use contactless card, telling two children he’s “a Coke addict” before quickly having to clarify he meant the drink, or the absolute fever dream that was Eat Out To Help Out, Rishi’s done it all. Let’s get into it, then:

When he couldn’t use contactless

Who could forget when Rishi did the photo op in a petrol station, posting a picture of him filling up a car with petrol. Then he went to buy a can of Coke – and people said it looked like he didn’t know how to use contactless payment. The cashier was trying to scan the Coke’s barcode, but Rishi held up his card instead.

‘I’m a Coke addict’

Speaking of Coke, Rishi did a disastrous interview with two students in a school, who asked him if he prefers Coke or Pepsi. He called himself “a total Coke addict”, before quickly clarifying he meant Coca-Cola. He said he collects Coke memorabilia, has “seven fillings to show” for his “addiction”, and now only allows himself one a week.

 

Eat Out To Help Out

Rishi’s Eat Out To Help Out scheme was one of the only highlights of politics in 2020, but when he tried to promote it, it was pure chaos. The Sun called him “the worst waiter we’ve ever seen” after he visited Wagamama, accidentally tried to serve chicken to vegans, and generally had some very awks and not-at-all-staged conversations with customers who were just trying to enjoy their noodles in peace.

Also, never forget the jokes everyone made out of the name of the scheme. Whoever came up with Eat Out To Help Out definitely knew what they were doing.

His Instagram is chaos

Exhibit A: “You can’t beat a good Yorkshire brew!”

Exhibit B: “Best Furriends”

Exhibit C: Eat Out To Help Out, 2019 edition?

Exhibit D: Francis Bourgeoios who?

When he revealed his favourite Maccies food … but it was discontinued two years ago

This summer, Rishi went onto This Morning the day after being photographed in a McDonald’s, and was asked what he’d eaten there. He replied saying he’d had a bacon roll with ketchup and pancaked – but said: “If I’m with my daughters then we get the wrap. My eldest daughter – if I’m with her, it’s the wrap with hash browns and everything in it. It’s what we do.”

People were quick to point out that Maccies had stopped selling the breakfast wraps in March 2020, and a McDonald’s spokesperson confirmed this.

A source from Rishi’s campaign tried to make it better by saying he’d eaten the wraps with his children when they were on the menu, and said: “I think given he’s barely seen his kids in the last two-and-a-half years, it’s likely he hasn’t been to McDonald’s in that time.”

This

I don’t even need to say anything else.

He thought Darlington was in Scotland

Rishi seemed to suggest that he thought Darlington (which is in Country Durham in England) was actually in Scotland. In an interview, he was asked whether he would spend more time north of the Scottish border, and said he takes the Union “seriously” – but then referenced setting up a government office for the Treasury in Darlington, which is around 100 miles from the border.

Featured image overlay via Rui Vieira/AP/Shutterstock

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