Charity Begins at Home: Unfortunately, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak sees that as America

UK Schools Struggle as Rishi Sunak’s Donations Flow Overseas: A Stark Contrast in Priorities

In a striking display of misplaced priorities, Rishi Sunak, the prime minister of the United Kingdom, and his wife, Akshata Murty, have donated a staggering $3million to Claremont McKenna College in California.

The prestigious American college boasts a state-of-the-art computing lab, named the Murty Sunak Quantitative and Computing Lab, complete with top-of-the-range computers and high-end chairs costing £650 each.

While Sunak and Murty bask in the glory of their names emblazoned on a sign outside the lab, schools in Sunak’s own North Yorkshire constituency are left struggling to afford the basics.

Leyburn Primary, a school in North Yorkshire, had to resort to organising a family fun day just to purchase computers. Despite the valiant efforts of the Parents, Teachers, and Friends Association (PTFA), which managed to raise £5,000 for new computers, the school still requires an additional £10,000 to provide every pupil in a class with their own computer.

It is a stark reminder of the vast disparity between the opulence enjoyed by Claremont McKenna College, and the dire financial situations faced by schools like Leyburn Primary.

After graduating in 2002, Ms Murty studied for a Masters in Business Administration at Stanford University, where she met Mr Sunak. They married in 2009 and have two daughters. 

The perplexing question arises: Why did Sunak and Murty opt to lavish funds on an American college while the educational institutions in Sunak’s very own constituency languish in dire need? Does this decision stem from a desire to curry favour among the elite circles they frequent, or does it indicate a more profound disregard for the communities they are duty-bound to serve?

Could it be emblematic of the quintessential behaviour of a Tory politician, prioritising personal gain over the public’s well-being? You just can’t help but ponder about that green card he held onto for so long or where the Sunaks envision sending their children or even retiring once Sunak’s tenure as Prime Minister concludes, and let’s face it he ant got long.

Mel Wise, chair of the PTFA, aptly commented, “It’s a joke. Like Whitney Houston would say, the children are our future. Why are we not investing in them more?” This sentiment resonates with many who see the government’s failure to adequately fund education as a betrayal of future generations.

Labour’s Bridget Phillipson expressed her astonishment at the Prime Minister’s decision to donate funds to a US college while UK state schools are starved of resources. She rightly points out that the Tories have consistently failed children, investing less in education over the past 13 years compared to the previous Labour government.

Parents are increasingly burdened with the costs of education, even as their own incomes decline and expenses rise. Meanwhile, private schools in both Britain and America enjoy handouts from a detached Prime Minister who seems out of touch with the struggles of ordinary people.

Rishi Sunak’s American Dream: UK Education Left in the Shadows

The situation at Leyburn Primary is unfortunately emblematic of schools across England, grappling with financial constraints. Heads are forced to appeal to parents for donations of essential items like toilet roll, pens, and paper. Teachers frequently dip into their own pockets to purchase equipment, and many work unpaid hours due to limited resources.

A recent survey by the Sutton Trust revealed that 42% of teachers have had to cut back on IT equipment, a significant increase from the previous year. As schools battle to provide quality education, Claremont McKenna College boasts its status as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the United States. Located on a picturesque campus 30 miles east of Los Angeles, the institution prides itself on modelling aspects of Oxford University. Notable alumni include the late actor Robin Williams, and Akshata Murty has served as a trustee since 2011.

While the Murty Sunak Quantitative and Computing Lab stands as a testament to their generosity, the Sunaks have also established the Akshata Murty and Rishi Sunak Professorship in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at the university.

Their names grace the Founders Wall, reserved for those who have contributed more than $1 million.

The Sunaks’ immense wealth, estimated at £520 million, places them as the richest occupants of No. 10 Downing Street in history, according to the Sunday Times Rich List. A substantial portion of their fortune is derived from Akshata Murty’s £481 million stake in Infosys, the Indian IT firm co-founded by her billionaire father, Narayana Murty.

As criticism mounted against the couple, While chancellor it came to light that the former Goldmann sack banker still held onto his Green card. By holding a green card Mr Sunak would have been required to pay taxes to America on his international earnings and still have permanent resident status in the US.

Revelations also emerged regarding Ms Murty’s non-dom status, exempting her from UK taxes on overseas income. While Mr Sunak defended his wife as a “private citizen,” she eventually opted to pay UK taxes in response to the negative publicity. However, the saga continues, with Mr Sunak now under investigation by the Commons sleaze watchdog for allegedly failing to properly disclose his wife’s interests.

Questions arise about his priorities as a public servant. A source close to him claims that he and his wife contribute to a wide range of philanthropic causes and charities. However, the stark contrast between their generosity abroad and the neglect of UK schools demands an explanation that has yet to be provided.

In a time when education funding in the UK is slowly being restored to 2010 levels, many schools remain in poverty. The sight of heads appealing to parents for basic supplies should serve as a wake-up call for those in power, but we know it won’t.

The future of the nation lies in the hands of our children, and their education should not be compromised due to the neglect of politicians who prioritise personal glory over public welfare, maybe schools should start offering brass plaques for donations.