Sunak denies being ‘hopelessly weak’ over Nadhim Zahawi

• Rishi Sunak defended his decision to hold an ethics investigation into Nadhim Zahawi.
• Sir Keir Starmer said the PM was “hopelessly weak” for not firing him.
• Mr Sunak said it would have been “politically expedient” to remove Mr. Zahawi before PMQs.

At Prime Minister’s Questions, Rishi Sunak defended his choice to hold an ethics investigation into Nadhim Zahawi rather than fire ham.

Sir Keir Starmer said the PM was “hopelessly weak” for not firing the minister for “seeking to avoid tax”.

“Is he starting to wonder if this job is just too big for him?” asked the Labor leader.

Mr. Sunak said it was Sir Keir that was weak because “he has no principles just petty politics”.

According to Labour, Mr. Sunak must disclose whether, like Mr. Zahawi, he has ever paid a fine to Revenue and Customs. Downing Street has so far refrained from commenting, citing the “private nature” of an individual’s tax arrangements.

Mr. Sunak stated in the Commons that it would have been “politically expedient” to remove Mr. Zahawi from his position as a minister before PMQs began at noon, but he believed in “full due process.”

He said that this was the reason he had requested that his ethics counsel look into the possibility that the Conservative Party chairman had infringed ministerial regulations.

At the time the estimated £4.8 million settlement with HMRC was reached, Mr. Zahawi served as chancellor.

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