Sunak shakes off Taylor Swift question as he gets back to work

Rishi Sunak said he was “back at work, focusing on the things that matter to people” after a US holiday which reportedly included a Taylor Swift concert.

The Prime Minister swerved a question on whether he was a Swiftie following his return from a “really nice holiday” in California.

Downing Street did not deny reports that Mr Sunak attended a Swift concert in Los Angeles and took part in a cycling class set to the Shake It Off singer’s music.

But on a visit to a hospital in Buckinghamshire, Mr Sunak declined to say whether he was a “Swiftie” – as devoted fans of the star are known.

Laughing off the question, he said: “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.”

Tickets to Swift’s Eras world tour are like gold dust for fans but reports from the US suggested Mr Sunak was at one of the sold-out Los Angeles gigs during his California vacation.

Earlier in his holiday, a fellow SoulCycle participant said Mr Sunak was at the Swift-themed indoor cycling session.

Mr 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.

The Prime Minister’s predecessor Liz Truss is a Swiftie and was once photographed alongside the star.

During the occasionally bitter 2022 Tory leadership contest, Mr 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.”