What COULD he possibly be referring to? Awkward moment Rishi is photobombed at Sainsbury's by a biker making drinking and 'money' hand gestures to mock him over his wife's millions and Boris's Partygate boozing

by · Mail Online
  • Rishi Sunak went to Sainsbury's store for photo op after unveiling fuel duty cut
  • Chancellor borrowed a Kia Rio and put £30 worth of petrol in it, paying himself
  • In the background a biker can be seen making hand gestures mocking him  

This is the awkward moment Rishi Sunak was photobombed during a Spring Statement photo-op by a biker miming drinking in a nod to Partygate

The photo bomber also made 'money' gestures behind the multi-millionaire Chancellor on a Sainsbury's forecourt in New Cross, south-east London, as he filled up a £12,000 Kia Rio he had borrowed from a member of staff. 

The Chancellor was pictured chatting to the vehicle's owner as he filled it with £30.01 worth of petrol after announcing a temporary 5p fuel duty cut.

He then popped inside to pay from his own pocket from checkout worker Billy - but struggled with the contactless payment, at one point presenting his card to a barcode reader. 

When MailOnline tracked down Billy at the supermarket today he explained that, under company obligations, he was unable to speak to the press. However, he added: 'There's not much to say – the man bought a Coke and a Twix and left.'  

The photo bomber also made 'money' gestures behind the multi-millionaire Chancellor
The biker was seen making drinking gestures behind Mr Sunak during his photo-op 
Rishi Sunak was pictured chatting on a south east London forecourt as he put £30.01 worth of petrol into the Kia Rio after announcing the temporary 5p fuel duty cut
Mr Sunak also struggled with the contactless payment, at one point presenting his card to a barcode reader

MailOnline can reveal that he had a bruising exchange with angry motorists who gave him a 'right earful' over the 'pathetic' support package in the Spring Statement. 


Rishi Sunak refuses to answer questions about his millionaire wife's stake in Indian firm with Russian connections 

David Wilcock, Deputy Political Editor for MailOnline 

Rishi Sunak refused to answer questions about his millionaire wife's business affairs after being asked if his family was benefitting from the Putin regime.

The Chancellor was grilled in the wake of his spring statement about Akshata Murthy's £490million stake in multinational business technology giant Infosys.

The firm, which is owned by her father, NR Narayana Murthy, has an office in Moscow. But as it is Indian-owned it is not subject to UK sanctions.

Delhi has so far refused to follow the West's example and hit Putin's war machine economically and businesses continue to trade there.

On Sky this morning, Mr Sunak was asked about his wife's stake and whether he was 'giving advice to others you're not following in your own home.'

The Chancellor said: 'I'm an elected politician and I'm here to talk to you about what I'm responsible for. My wife is not.' 


In a round of interviews yesterday, Mr Sunak - reputedly one of the richest MPs - confirmed that the Rio was not his own, revealing that he and his wife, Akshata Murty, have a VW Golf and 'she filled it up the other week'. 

Ms Murty's father, Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy, 75, has a net worth of £3.5billion.  

Top ranking Cabinet ministers are often prevented from driving themselves due to security concerns, although Downing Street refused to be drawn on the Chancellor's arrangements.

Mr Sunak told Sky News that he had announced the 'biggest ever cut to fuel duty'.

Pressed that even a Rio would not have been filled up with £30.01 of petrol, he said: 'Well, that's what was required.' 

He added: 'My wife and I have a Volkswagen Golf and actually she's filled it up... the other week. It is going up and of course we know it is going up.' 

With his own camera crew in tow and a team of security guards standing by, eyewitnesses told how the chancellor made a hasty retreat and headed off to the store nearby. 

One onlooker said: 'There were a couple of ladies sitting in their car. He went over to speak to them and they gave him a right earful. 

'He was surrounded by big security men and had his own camera team to show everyone what a great job he was doing. 

'He appeared quite taken aback. He made his excuses and quickly headed off round the back of the shop.' 

Describing the incident one Sainsbury's worker, who asked not to be named, told MailOnline: 'There were two women in a car and he went over to talk to them but they were complaining to him - telling him what they really thought about his budget. 'He talked to them. 

'He answered them but he didn't want to hang around and get into an argument so he looked at his watch and told them he had to rush off.' 

The Chancellor visited the Sainsbury's story after delivering his Spring Statement to MPs yesterday
Told on Sky News this morning that even a Rio would not have been filled up with £30.01 of petrol, mr Sunak said: 'Well, that's what was required.'

Mr Sunak was ribbed on social media after he was filmed struggling with his contactless payment by swiping his card on the scanning machine as he went to pay the bill for his fuel, a small can of coke and a Twix.

After the Treasury posted a picture of the visit on Twitter other motorists reacted with anger.

One woman told how the price cut would reduce her costs by £4 a month.

She added: 'My energy has increased from £97 to £200pm. Call that help? You have no idea - not a clue what real life is like for most of us.

'If I'd been at Sainsbury's I'd have told you what I think.'

The garage he visited was selling petrol at a cheaper rate today. When he visited on Wednesday it was selling a litre of unleaded petrol at 163.9p according to the website. Today the price was reduced to 157.9p.