The Nadhim Zahawi tax affair is not going away any time soon. However, now the questions about Rishi Sunak’s tax payments have have caused alarm at Number 10.
The Downing Street press office refused to say wether the PM himself has ever paid a penalty to the HMRC.
The press secretary declined to say whether Sunak was disappointed that Zahawi did not reveal full details of his tax affairs earlier. Asked if this was the case, she said: “I am not going to comment on the PM’s emotional state. A lot of what we understand is via media reports, and some of it quite speculative, that is why it is right that the independent adviser establishes the facts before any further action is taken.”
When pressed on Sunak’s tax background she said: “You wouldn’t expect me to get into the prime minister’s tax affairs, they are confidential. The tax affairs of an individual, irrespective of who they are, are confidential.”
Rishi Sunak has indicated that he will publish his tax return, which will be highly anticipated as you can see.
This summary is spot on.
“So to summarise, Rishi Sunak, who promised a new era of “accountability and integrity” – Won’t sack Nadhim Zahawi who had to pay a penalty for failing to pay his taxes – Won’t reveal what Zahawi told him about the penalty – Won’t say if he has also ever had to pay a penalty.”
Related: “Monbiot: ‘Everything wrong with our politics, in one story’”
