As shivering Britain battles the cost-of-living crisis and soaring fuel bills, the Prime Minister is today feeling the heat.
Rishi Sunak’s millionaire wife has escaped it all by jetting off with the children on a luxury, money-no-object sunshine break.
And it’s added to uproar from critics over a PM happy to let money-grabbing energy giants make record profits as hard-up customers face crippling rising bills, with no prospect of any kind of holiday this year.
Akshata Murty, 42, left her husband’s Richmond constituency in North Yorkshire – where temperatures plunged to 2C this week with 70mph winds – to lap up India’s 36C sunshine on the expensive paradise beaches of Goa along with daughters Krishna, 11, nine-year-old Anoushka, and billionaire parents Naranya and Sudha.
The family enjoyed speedboat and jet-ski rides across crystal-clear Goan waters and Ms Murty – who has a £690million stake in her father’s tech firm Infosys – was snapped basking on Benaulim beach where a seven-night full board break costs £7,500.
Meanwhile, her husband is under fire back home, accused by unions of failing to impose a tough windfall tax on money-grabbing energy giants.
British Gas owner Centrica has coined in record profits of £3.3bn while sending bailiffs to force-fit prepay meters on vulnerable customers.
A couple of weeks ago Shell announced doubled profits at £32.2bn while BP banked £23bn.
And hiking up electricity prices helped the UK wing of France-owned EDF Energy turn a £1.12bn profit.
Labour MP Justin Madders stormed: “The contrast between the PM’s wife soaking up the sun in the lap of luxury and the people of the UK paying exorbitant prices to greedy energy companies couldn’t be starker.”
Gavin Sibthorpe of the GMB union, said: “Millions are struggling as a direct result of policies forcing millions of households to cut back, with bills going up and their pay down.
“Many are questioning whether they can even afford any kind of break this year.
“Rishi Sunak will never have a clue how that feels. He and his ministers are completely out of touch.”
Back in Goa, Indian heiress Ms Murty – who used her former non-dom status to save an estimated £20million in taxes – went on a £10-a-head jet ski ride with a local fisherman who runs water sports for tourists.
Pele Fernandes, 49, told us: “I didn’t know who she was at first. A friend told me she was the wife of the UK prime minister.
“I asked her ‘do you want any water sports?’. Then she said ‘I’ve got two children - can they come?’
“I took her on a ride for three or four kilometres on my jet ski. They all loved it. She was smiling and having a good time.
“It looked like she had no worries at all. She was letting her hair down. I thought she was a very nice person - she seemed very down to earth.”
Goa, in south India, has long been famed for its heritage and yoga retreats. In the 60s it was a haven for hippies.
Celebs including Sadie Frost and Kate Moss are frequent visitors. Designer Jade Jagger had a home in Goa for a decade and owned a fashion boutique on Ashwem Beach.
It is understood the holiday was the first time in over a year Ms Murty has visited her family in India. Mr Sunak and Ms Murty declined to comment.
