The former chancellor Rishi Sunak has been named Britain's next Prime Minister as rival Penny Mordaunt crashed out of the leadership race after failing to secure enough Tory backers.
But while he may have convinced his fellow politicians that he is the man for the top job, his past blunders have left a sour taste in the mouths of Twitter users who have criticised the potential future leader for his lavish tastes.
The general public have spoken out against the new PM's penchant for expensive commodities, as images of Sunak posing with a £180 Bluetooth coffee cup have resurfaced online amidst his battle to become PM.
The flashy flask fiasco originally came to light when Rishi Sunak was photographed ahead of a 'mini budget' announcement last year, with the smart-mug sitting loud and proud on the Treasury desk.
The vessel is a Bluetooth-enabled device from Ember costing nearly £200, complete with a charging coaster and heating technology that maintains the temperature of your beverage.
Rumoured to be a Christmas gift from Sunak's millionaire wife, Akshata Murty, many people criticised the then-chancellor for flaunting such an expensive item amidst a surge of job losses during the pandemic.
Now the cost of living crisis is leaving millions of families struggling to afford their bills, the upcoming Prime Minister is facing hot water over the mug once more as people have taken to Twitter to criticise his tastes.
One person wrote: "Rishi Sunak is the type of guy who thinks nothing of owning a £180 'smart' coffee mug - not exactly the kind of leader you want at a time when you need a Prime Minister who understands the struggles of everyday people."
While another said: "Rishi Sunak's coffee mug is the price of my energy bill this month #smh [shakes my head]"
A third added: "Man who has a £180 Bluetooth coffee cup wants you all to know... he's one of the little people just like you...."
The former chancellor's finances have come into sharp focus since he announced his leadership bid at the weekend, as his staggering wealth makes him the richest prime minister the country has ever seen.
Sunak and his wife are worth a combined fortune of around £730m. When he becomes Prime Minister, it will be the first time in history that those living in No 10 will be richer than the monarch.
Despite his former leadership bid being mired with controversy surrounding his wife's personal finances, Sunak beat his rival Penny Mordaunt as she failed to secure enough votes from Tory politicians to enter the ballot.
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