The British prime minister is under intense pressure, even from within his own party, to sack Nadeem Zahawi after it was revealed he had been fined by the tax office for unpaid taxes.
London, Thanasis Gavos
Ignorance of the current controversial tax affairs Chairman of the Conservative Party and at the same time Minister without Portfolio Nadim Zahawi stated the Rishi Sunakdefending his placement in the government scheme.
During the prime minister’s questions session on Wednesday lunchtime, Mr Sunack responded to criticism from Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer by saying the issue was about the period before he took over as leader of the country.
He added that during the appointment of Mr. Zahawi, the usual procedure was followed, during which he was not raised with concerns about the tax affairs of the current head of the party apparatus.
He went on to say that as further information became known, within the past week, he had ordered an investigation into the case by Downing Street’s independent ethics adviser. He called on the opposition to respect this process.
Mr Sunak is under intense pressure, even from within his own party, to sack Nadeem Zahawi after it was revealed he had been fined by the tax office for unpaid taxes.
Mr. Zahawi attributed the fine to “honest negligence,” but he is under additional fire because he reached the specific settlement with the tax office while he was Minister of Finance, i.e. the agency’s political head.
In the House debate Mr Starmer quipped that everyone understood why the current prime minister did not ask Mr Zahawi about his tax affairs, an indirect reference to the uproar caused by the revelation that Mr Sunak’s wife, also a former Minister of Finance, he did not pay taxes in the UK as he declared a tax residence abroad.
The official opposition leader added that the failure to depose Zahawi shows how “desperately weak” the prime minister is. “Is he starting to wonder if the position is too big for him?” Keir Starmer asked closing.
Mr Sunak responded by saying he stands by his values and principles even when it is difficult, referring to his resignation over disagreements with Boris Johnson’s government. Instead, he added, Mr Starmer had supported Jeremy Corbyn for the Labor leadership for four years amid rising anti-Semitism.
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