Rishi Sunak earns nearly as much as his PM annual salary for just a single speech

Rishi Sunak earned nearly as much as he was paid for being prime minister in a year with just a single speech. The ex-PM, who stood down after the Conservatives’ crushing 2024 General Election defeat, was paid £160,750 for the speaking engagement to a private equity firm, the House of Commons’ Register of Members’ Financial Interests reveals.

As prime minister, Mr Sunak was entitled to an annual salary of £167,391 – £80,807 being First Lord of the Treasury on top of his MP’s wage of £86,584. But it took him just three hours to earn a comparable amount for the speech to Bain Capital, which was organised by the Washington Speakers Bureau. The £55,797-an-hour sum was received on April 8 and declared to authorities later that month. All MPs must submit details of earnings outside of Parliament.

The register also shows that the former Conservative leader consulted the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba) before taking up the engagement. Acoba, chaired by ex-minister Lord Pickles, advises former ministers and Crown servants whether they can take up outside appointments after leaving office without a conflict of interest.

The payment shows that Mr Sunak, who is still MP for Richmond and Northallerton, has joined the lucrative speaking circuit like so many of his predecessors.

All living former prime ministers have been paid thousands of pounds for speeches around the world.

For example, just weeks after he left Downing Street, Boris Johnson earned nearly £140,000 for a 30-minute talk at the Insurance Leadership Forum in Colorado Springs, followed by a 45-minute “fireside chat”.

Mr Johnson used the speech to defend his decisions while in office, including his support for Brexit and net zero.

The Washington Speaker Bureau advertises Mr Sunak’s availability for speaking engagements on its website.

“Rishi Sunak redefines leadership for a dynamic, interconnected world,” it says.

“As the youngest British prime minister in over two centuries and a trailblazer in technology and global economics, he led the UK through unprecedented crises with vision and clarity.

“A transformative leader, he empowers audiences with insights on innovation, resilience, and navigating change.”