RISHI Sunak dealt a brutal breakfast time sacking to Nadhim Zahawi for a “serious breach” of ministerial rules over his controversial tax affairs.
The Tory party chair was jettisoned after the Prime Minister was handed a four-page document revealing repeated failures to disclose details of his finances.
Rishi Sunak dealt a brutal breakfast time sacking to Nadhim Zahawi
The Tory chair lost his job for a ‘serious breach’ of ministerial rules over his controversial tax affairs
Rishi Sunak’s letter to Nadhim Zahawi
The PM was in his North Yorks constituency when he received the ethics inquiry dossier at around 7am before delivering the blow to the ex-Chancellor an hour later.
Mr Sunak, who is “livid” over the incident, said: “Following the completion of the independent adviser’s investigation it is clear that there has been a serious breach of the ministerial code.
“I have informed you of my decision to remove you from your position in His Majesty’s government.”
He told Mr Zahawi, who also faces calls to quit as an MP, that when he entered No10 he said his government would have “integrity, professionalism and accountability” at every level.
Mr Zahawi didn’t say sorry for the tax controversy and didn’t express any regret for his actions, in his resignation letter yesterday.
He had settled an estimated £4.8million tax bill with HMRC while Chancellor — which included a £1million penalty.
It came after Trending In The News on Sunday revealed two weeks ago he agreed to pay millions in tax after scrutiny of his family’s finances.
But the probe, led by Sir Laurie Magnus, found seven breaches of the Ministerial code where he didn’t disclose details about the inquiry into his tax affairs.
The report stated he was originally quizzed about the issue in April 2021 but didn’t treat it as “serious” and should have declared it.
He also didn’t raise it when made Education Secretary in September 2021 and Chancellor last July.
He also failed to correct a public statement made last summer about an HMRC probe being “inaccurate” until January this year.
He did not disclose paying the financial penalty when it was formally settled in September.
He also did not tell Liz Truss or when appointed to her Cabinet and Mr Sunak’s government.
Mr Magnus said he “failed to meet the requirement to declare any interests that might give rise to a conflict”.
Mr Zahawi has not responded to the findings.
Meanwhile, former Cabinet Minister Jacob Rees-Mogg has touted Boris Johnson to replace Mr Zahawi in the run-up to the local elections and for the general election.
