Rishi Sunak has refused to comment on claims that he is a “Swiftie”, following a US holiday that reportedly included a Taylor Swift gig.
While the British prime minister declined to comment personally on claims that he was a fan of the singer-songwriter, a Downing Street spokesperson did not deny reports that Sunak attended a Swift concert in Los Angeles and took part in a cycling class set to the “Shake It Off” singer’s music.
Asked if Sunak was a “Swiftie” – as fans of the star are known – the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson said: “I’m not going to guide you away from it.”
Tickets to Swift’s Eras tour are like gold dust for fans but reports from the US suggested that Sunak was at one of the sold-out Los Angeles gigs during his California vacation.
Asked if the reports were correct, the Prime Minister’s spokesperson said: “I’m just not going to get into what activity the PM did whilst taking a break.
“I think it’s an important principle to maintain that.”
Earlier in his holiday, a fellow SoulCycle participant said that Sunak was at the Swift-themed indoor cycling session.
Hannah Harmelin posted a video on TikTok saying she spotted the prime minister at the end of a 7am class in Santa Monica.
Sunak, who visited California with his wife Akshata Murty and two young daughters, Krishna and Anoushka, is known to favour cycle classes as a way of keeping fit.
He is now back at work following his break in California, where he and his wife have an apartment.
Rishi Sunak and Taylor Swift— (Getty)
At a Buckinghamshire hospital, Sunak was asked directly whether he was a fan of Swift. He replied: “I was very lucky to have a really nice holiday over the past week.I spent a lot of time with my kids.
“But I’m back at work, focusing on the things that matter to people and that is about ensuring the NHS has the investment it needs now so it can perform well in the winter and get the care we need.
“It is about ensuring we can make progress on stopping the boats and crucially it is about halving inflation so we can ease the burden on the cost of living. Those are the things I’m focused on.”
The Prime Minister’s predecessor Liz Truss is also a Swiftie and was once photographed alongside the star.
During the occasionally bitter 2022 Tory leadership contest, Sunak said: “I agree with Liz on far more than we disagree on – and I don’t just mean our shared love for Whitney Houston and Taylor Swift.”
Due to Swift’s immense popularity, some fans have suggested that Sunak was exagerating his love of the singer in a bid for pop cultural cache. He is not the first polititian to face such claims, with Boris Johnson having previously faced backlash for his professed love of punk-rockers The Clash, and David Cameron prompting derision after expressing his fondness for The Smiths.
Additional reporting by PA
