Rishi Sunak were locked out of his 10 Downing Street residence
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak encountered an awkward moment while hosting his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte on Friday. The two leaders were locked out of his 10 Downing Street residence in London briefly.
Several videos and pictures of Rishi Sunak pushing the iconic black door with Mark Rutte on his side have surfaced online.
In the video, shared on X (formerly Twitter), the British Prime Minister can be seen standing on the steps of his residence with Mark Rutte. The two wait for a custodian to open the door. A few seconds later, Rishi Sunak is seen trying to push the door.
The leaders are seen trying to find a way to enter the residence. Finally, the door opens and they go inside.
As per an official press release issued by Rishi Sunak's office, the leader “expressed regret at the breakdown of the pause in fighting to release hostages and agreed that it was vital that more aid was able to get into Gaza, including by exploring new routes.”
“The leaders remarked on their similar outlook on the situation and welcomed continued close cooperation in supporting the defence of Ukraine.”
The leaders agreed on the vital importance of tackling the scourge of illegal migration. Mr Sunak also spoke about the steps taken by his government to tackle illegal migration. “The Prime Minister updated Prime Minister Rutte on the recent steps the UK has taken on this, including our Rwanda policy and Illegal Migration Act,” the release added.
The meeting comes as Rishi Sunak faces opposition over his new anti-immigration plan.
Mr Sunak unveiled his plan, "Stop The Boats", to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. However, due to differences in opinions between the hardliners and moderates, this attempt appears to pull the Conservative Party in opposite directions.
Rishi Sunak's immigration minister Robert Jenrick has also resigned.
“The stakes for the country are too high for us not to pursue the stronger protections required to end the merry-go-round of legal challenges which risk paralysing the scheme and negating its intended deterrent,” Robert Jenrick wrote in his resignation letter.
In his response, Rishi Sunak said, “Opposition to it was based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the situation.”