Sunak's Starmer swipe let on what he thinks about mums

He could have kept quiet. As a father-of-two, Rishi Sunak will be very familiar with trying in vain to step away from his desk to spend a few hours with his family.

- ANNA WHITEHOUSE

But the prime minister’s reaction to Keir Starmer’s hopes of finishing work at 6pm to have dinner with his family speaks volumes about his character. Even more disappointing to hear these words used by one dad to attack another.

His smug remark – “I haven’t finished at 6pm ever” – is about more than one-upmanship. He isn’t just saying “I work harder as prime minister than you would,” he is suggesting presenteeism and overworking trumps the importance of family time.

For a parent to continue working, the other often has to stop, and therein lies the huge problem with his comment. Sunak is assuming – like many workplaces, big bosses and the government in the past – that women are the primary carers and they will pick up the slack.