As the UK’s General Election campaign begins to rev up, Akshata Murty has vowed to be with her husband “every step of the way” as he appeals to voters for another five-year term as the country’s first British Indian Prime Minister.
Over the weekend, the couple shared a cup of tea with voters in Harrow, north London, before posting a joint statement in which they reflected upon their shared values that unite them in life and politics.
Their statement reads: “People always ask us – ‘What is the thing you have most in common?’ It’s not just our shared love of watching Friends reruns and eating Spanish food. It’s the values that we share.
“We share the belief that hard work should decide where you go in life. We share the belief that it takes bold action to make a difference. We share the belief that our children will inherit a better world than the one we share today.
“It was great to be together speaking to people in Harrow about the values that matter to them, and the future they want for their children.”
Days after Sunak took the decision to call a snap summer election on July 4, he has been very active on the campaign trail including making a pledge to reintroduce mandatory National Service. The Conservative Party leader said his plan would see 18-year-olds given the choice of a full-time military placement for 12 months or a scheme to volunteer for one weekend a month for a year. The military placement would be selective, with tests used to decide eligibility, and involve working with the armed forces or in cyber defence.
He explained: “We have so much to be proud of in Britain but one of the problems in our society is that we have generations of young people who don’t have the opportunities they deserve.
“Britain today faces a future that is more dangerous and more divided. There’s no doubt how democratic values are under threat; that is why we will introduce a bold new model of National Service for 18 year olds to be spent either in a competitive full-time military commission over 12 months or with one weekend per month volunteering in roles within the community, like delivering prescriptions and food to infirm people or in search and rescue.”
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