PMQs: Sir Keir Starmer attacks ‘hopelessly weak’ Rishi Sunak for failing to sack Nadeem Zahawi | Politics news

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Sir Keir Starmer suggested that the post of prime minister was “too big” for the “hopelessly weak” Rishi Sunak as he attacked him for failing to sack Nadim Zahawi.

At PMQs, the Labor leader asked if “any politician seeking to avoid the taxes they owe in the country is unfit to be responsible” for UK finances – referring to Mr Zahawi’s seven-figure settlement with HMRC, including Penalty, while the chancellor.

Sir Keir said “we all know why the prime minister has been reluctant to ask the head of his party questions about family finances and tax evasion” – and it appears a dig into the prime minister’s tax affairs has previously come under scrutiny.

Politics live: Some conservatives tell Zahawi ‘game over’

“But his failure to sack him when the whole country can see what is going on shows how hopelessly weak he is – a prime minister presiding over chaos, mired at every turn.”

Referring to the problems with the public services, Sir Keir added: “He can’t say when ambulances will get to heart attack victims again. He can’t say when the prison system will keep the streets safe again. He can’t even deal with tax evaders.” in his own government.

“Is he starting to wonder if this job is too much for him?”

Mr Sunak accused Sir Keir of being a “hypocrite” for having sought to get him to sack his colleague rather than abide by due process of the parliamentary inquiry into Mr Zahawi’s tax affairs, which he said Labor had called for.

The Prime Minister said: “Of course, the politically appropriate thing to do is to say that this matter must be resolved by Wednesday afternoon.

“But I believe in proper procedures.”

Read more: Nazem Al-Zahawi’s tax affairs: What did the head of the Conservative Party do? The refugee who turned into a millionaire – who is Zahawi? “Many unanswered questions,” MP calls for Zahawi’s departure

Sunak added that he was not aware of the investigation into Zahawi’s taxes when he appointed him to his cabinet in October.

On Sir Keir’s line of attack, he said: “It’s simple political opportunism and everyone can see through it.”

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6:50 Political Editor Beth Rigby analyzes PMQs.

Questions have swirled about Mr Al Zahawi’s tax affairs since the summer when allegations surfaced that he was under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office, the National Crime Agency and HM Revenue & Customs, accusations he deemed “distortion”.

The case made headlines 10 days ago after The Sun on Sunday published an article alleging he paid a seven-figure sum to the tax office to settle a dispute over the sale of his YouGov shares.

A week after saying nothing more than his taxes “were and still are fully up to date and being paid in the UK” – and publicly receiving Mr Sunak’s support at PMQs last week – Mr Al Zahawi issued a statement saying he had paid what HMRC said “were due” after he “I disagreed about the exact allocation” of the shares.

The Conservative Party chairman said this was a “careless mistake rather than a deliberate one” and would not confirm whether any penalty had been imposed either. But Sky News understands that as part of the settlement with HMRC – believed to be around £4.8m – the chairman paid a fine.

Al-Zahawi is 100% not resigning

Mr Sunak has now asked his ethics advisor to launch an investigation into whether Mr Al Zahawi breached the ministerial law, and the investigation could extend to his past tax arrangements and whether he lied to the media.

Speaking after the PMQs, a Downing Street spokesperson said Mr Sunak still had full confidence in the Tory MP, who will travel to Checkers tomorrow for Cabinet meetings.

They will not confirm whether Mr Sunak will sack Zahawi if he is found to have lied, saying they will not enter into assumptions.

“100% he’s not quitting,” said a source close to the former adviser to Sky’s political editor Beth Rigby.

In a statement released on Monday, following the Prime Minister’s announcement that an inquiry into the matter would be launched, Mr Al Zahawi said: “I am confident that I have acted correctly throughout and look forward to answering any and all specific questions in a formal hearing to Sir Lowry.”

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