UK PM Rishi Sunak fires Nadhim Zahawi over tax scandal

• UK PM dismisses Nadhim Zahawi as chairman of the Conservative Party.
• Zahawi had come under fire for his own tax planning.
• He paid a penalty as part of a rumored $5.96 million settlement with tax officials.

In response to pressure, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak dismissed Nadhim Zahawi as chairman of the Conservative Party on Sunday.

Zahawi had come under fire for his own tax planning.

Following allegations that Zahawi had paid a penalty as part of a rumored £4.8 million ($5.96 million) settlement with tax officials, Sunak last week instructed his ethics counsel to look into the matter.

Zahawi was accused of failing to disclose the conflict with the tax authorities.

Former prime minister Boris Johnson appointed Zahawi as chancellor of the exchequer, or finance minister, in July of last year.

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He remained in the Cabinet under Liz Truss, who succeeded Johnson, and Sunak, who appointed him party chairman.

In a letter to Zahawi, Sunak said that, after the investigation completed its work, “it is clear that there has been a serious breach of the Ministerial Code.”

“As a result, I have informed you of my decision to remove you from your position in His Majesty’s Government.”

British citizens, many of whom are struggling to survive during the cost-of-living crisis, were astonished to hear of Zahawi’s multi-million pound settlement with tax inspectors.

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