Meet Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's piano teacher

It might not be a view shared by all across the political spectrum.

But it's one held by 72-year-old David Vane who has seen the Chancellor turned Prime Minister hard at work - on the piano.

Experienced pianist Mr Vane taught a nine-year-old Master Sunak the basics.

He said Mr Sunak - who this morning was asked to form a Government by King Charles III - would always practice hard.

Mr Vane taught the politician - and his brother - piano pieces for beginners and said Mr Sunak was keen on his lessons and a good pupil to teach.

He said: “When you think back at your pupils you have people who practised and got the results, and you had people who didn’t practice and didn’t get the result.

“Rishi was one of those who practised and was always keen in his lessons, he was a good pupil to teach.

“Out of all the pupils that I taught he was in the top 20 per cent, and he got his results because he practised.”

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He met Mr Sunak's parents a few times, while the two children learnt their instruments.

He said: “I met the parents a couple of times - Mrs Sunak had a pharmacy on Hill Lane while Dr Sunak was a GP.

“Very often there are mixed reasons as to why they learn an instrument, it usually is because their parents want them to learn something.

“I didn’t get that impression with Rishi, I think it was something he wanted to do, and he was keen to keep doing it.”

Mr Vane taught music at Winchester College but didn’t teach Mr Sunak while he studied there.

The teacher confesses his pride in seeing his former student meeting the King and becoming the UK's first British Asian Prime Minister.

He said: "We are all very proud of him as a Southampton born and bred (man) and it’s great to see his success.

"I can’t say that me teaching the piano had any effect on him, but I think a lot of the Hindu community."

After studying at the boarding school in Winchester, Mr Sunak studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at Oxford University and then went on to work for the investment bank Goldman Sachs.

He later became an MP for Richmond (Yorks) in 2015 and was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer in 2020 shortly before the Covid pandemic. 

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