Another Tory scandal, just another day of the week. Now it is about ‘Scandalous’ Tory government spending on lavish hotels, furnishings and booze rand Sunak’s wife’s use of covid loans.
Let’s start with the lavish spending…
Number 10 has said that officials signed off £3,000 spend on fine art pictures and not the PM.
But it might leave some people unconvinced. That aside why are the government spending these sums on fine art snaps during an economic meltdown?
The prime minister’s official spokesperson said: “Hotels for G20 finance ministers and central bank governors … the hotels were recommended by hosts and as such the prime minister was not involved in those decisions at all.
In terms of art work in the Treasury, the PM – when chancellor – was not involved in that decision either.
It was a non-ministerial decision related to refurbishment of some of the offices.”
Also Labour raised concern about dining and alcohol purchases, including almost £345,000 by Foreign Office (FCDO) officials in 2021 under the heading “restaurants and bars.”
The explosive dossier includes use of five-star hotels, expensive restaurants, luxury furnishings, high-priced away days and many more examples of lavish spending.
Here was Angela Rayner’s take on it.
There is also this about Greg Hands and PPE, but we will leave the Good Law Project to explain!
Sunak’s Wife
So what has the Suank household been up to?
Well, Akshata Murty held shares in collapsed firm that had near £300k ‘Sunak’ taxpayer loan.
The loan was handed out while husband Rishi was Chancellor.
Now employees and Lloyds Bank among creditors, after liquidation of firm that benefited from pandemic aid devised by her husband.
The New Craftsmen, whose upmarket range included a £7,340 mirror, collapsed into liquidation in November 2022.
It also emerged last year that Murty held “non-dom” tax status, allowing her to legally minimise tax on dividends from from firm Infosys. She then gave up her non-dom status, when the story broke.
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