Why Rishi Sunak won’t live at No.11 Downing Street

Rishi Sunak will return to live at Downing Street, opting for the flat above No.10

Rishi Sunak will return to live at Downing Street, opting for the flat above No.10 instead of the flat above No. 11.

Sunak and his family actually lived in this very residence while he was Chancellor under Boris Johnson.

Despite the British prime minister’s office being located at Number 10, every leader since Tony Blair has lived in the flat above Number 11.

This is because it’s actually more spacious and better for families.

When asked why Sunak has opted for Number 10, a Downing Street spokesperson said “they were very happy there.”

This follows the PM speculating during the summer leadership contest that his family would ‘probably just move back into the flat where [they] used to live’, if he won.

No. 11 is officially designated for the Chancellor, with Tony Blair and his family the first to make the switch, swapping homes with the then-unmarried Gordon Brown.

First PMQs

Rishi Sunak has faced his first prime minister’s questions, clashing with opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer and undoing the work of Liz Truss in just one day.

Starmer is calling for a general election.

Today, Sunak reintroduced the Conservatives’ moratorium on fracking in England, going against Truss’ decision to lift the ban in areas where there was local consent.

This controversial practice for removing gas and oil from the ground was halted in 2019 after concerns were raised about earth tremors.

Meanwhile, Starmer accused the PM of making a “grubby deal” to reappoint Suella Braverman as home secretary.

This of course comes just six days after she resigned over data breaches.

Rishi Sunak says Braverman made an error of judgement and has since apologised.