✕CloseNadhim Zahawi releases statement in response to tax affair claims
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Rishi Sunak is in danger of “looking indecisive” as the ethics inquiry into Nadhim Zahawi’s tax affairs “drags on”, Conservative MPs have told The Independent – as No 10 revealed no deadline had been set for its conclusion.
Former Tory leader Lord Hague had urged Mr Sunak to ensure a “very quick” resolution to the probe into whether there had been any breaches of the ministerial code, as Downing Street said only that it would be conducted “swiftly” and would be “thorough”.
No 10 declined to say whether Mr Sunak was confident that the under-fire cabinet minister had always told the truth about his tax affairs, as he faced calls to resign over the news that he came to a multimillion pound settlement with HMRC over unpaid tax – following a “careless” error.
One Tory ex-minister told The Independent it was a matter of “when not if” Mr Zahawi was made to step down, as another senior colleague said it was the “general view” of MPs in the Commons tea room that he should do so now to avoid further embarrassing the government, having become “such a distraction”.
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KEY POST: Sunak at risk of ‘looking indecisive’ as ethics probe ‘drags on’, warn Tory MPs
Rishi Sunak is in danger of “looking indecisive” as the ethics probe into Nadhim Zahawi’s tax affairs “drags on”, a senior Tory has told The Independent.
“There is now a danger the prime minister looks indecisive, because questions will be raised as the investigation drags on,” they said.
One former minister told The Independent it was “insanity” that the row would now hang over the prime minister until the probe was complete.
Andy Gregory24 January 2023 17:331674579615
London mayor Sadiq Khan announces funding for 800 homes for rough sleepers
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has announced funding for 800 new homes for rough sleepers and homeless young people in the capital.
The pledge came as he visited a Crisis at Christmas service in east London that has been extended during the cold snap, and met people who have recently been sleeping rough.
The mayor has been allocated around £75 million from the Government for the up to 800 new homes for Londoners who are rough sleepers with complex needs, and for homeless young people and those at risk of homelessness.
Mr Khan toured Crisis at Christmas in Newham. Services here typically end shortly after the new year, but for the second year in a row City Hall has partnered with charities Crisis and St Mungo’s to continue the initiative over the coldest weeks of January.
Staff told the mayor how all of the beds available for rough sleepers had been filled, and that service users are often vulnerable, grappling with mental health difficulties or struggling with migration-related problems.
He said: "On behalf of all Londoners, I also want to thank Crisis and St Mungo’s for their tireless efforts supporting some of the most vulnerable in our city.
"We can’t do this alone, and to end rough sleeping in our capital, particularly amid the cost-of-living crisis, the Government must intervene to prevent the circumstances that lead to people sleeping rough before thousands more are forced to face a winter on the streets."
Matt Downie, Crisis chief executive, said: "Our services are just the start of someone’s journey, and to end their homelessness long-term we need accommodation that is safe and affordable.
"That’s why this funding for more homes for people to rebuild their lives in is hugely welcome. With rapidly rising rents and the cost-of-living crisis pushing more and more people into poverty and destitution there has never been a more pressing time to ensure that people are protected from life on the streets."
Matt Mathers24 January 2023 17:001674577222
Home Office will investigate ‘full circumstances’ of asylum seeker guilty of murder
An investigation will take place into the "red flags missed" for an Afghan asylum seeker who killed a man in a row over an e-scooter.
Immigration minister Robert Jenrick said the Home Office will look at the "full circumstances" surrounding the case of Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai.
Abdulrahimzai was found guilty of killing 21-year-old Thomas Roberts outside a Subway sandwich shop in Bournemouth, Dorset, in March, last year.
Mr Roberts was acting as the "peacemaker" in the early hours of March 12, 2022 after his friend James Medway got into an argument with Abdulrahimzai.
Abdulrahimzai, who arrived in the UK in December 2019, told the authorities at the time of his arrest that he was 16, before it was determined at Salisbury Crown Court that his true age now is 21.
Speaking in the Commons, Conservative former minister Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East) said: "Could I ask for a formal Home Office investigation into the Afghan asylum seeker Abdulrahimzai, who murdered Tom Roberts in Bournemouth last year?
Afghan asylum seeker Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai claimed to be 16 when he was arrested for murder in the UK but a court determined he is 21 (Dorset Police/PA)
"Abdulrahimzai had a criminal record for murder in Serbia, a criminal record for drugs in Italy and then threatened his foster carer here in the UK and bluffed his way into our asylum system posing as a minor.
"So many red flags missed that could have revealed what a threat to society this individual was.
"There are lesson to be learned. Please will the minister launch an investigation?"
Mr Jenrick replied: "This is a terrible case and our thoughts are with the family and friends of Thomas Roberts.
"As you’ll know sentencing is yet to take place, but we will be investigating the full circumstances surrounding the case so that we can ensure we learn all the lessons.
"One that we will certainly be taking forward is … a more robust method for assessing the age of those coming into the country, taking advantage of modern scientific methods."
Abdulrahimzai will be sentenced at Salisbury Crown Court on Wednesday
Matt Mathers24 January 2023 16:201674577025
KEY POST: Ex-Tory leader urges ‘very quick’ resolution to ethics inquiry
A former Conservative Party leader has urged Rishi Sunak to ensure that the ethics inquiry into Nadhim Zahawi’s tax affairs is resolved “very quickly” – as No 10 revealed no deadline had been set for its conclusion (see post at 1:43pm).
Asked this morning if would he sack the Tory chair if he were prime minister, Lord Hague told Times Radio: “I think I would have the investigation. You have got to be fair to people.
“The prime minister has just appointed an ethics adviser, that is a step forward because we have had some months without one, he has just appointed him, that is exactly what this person is for, to advise on ministerial interests and so on.
“So I would want to give people a fair hearing and clearly these things are very embarrassing for any government when they happen
He added: “But if I was the prime minister I would say I want to resolve this very quickly because it does become a distraction of course.”
Andy Gregory24 January 2023 16:171674575270
No 10 dodges question on whether Sunak is confident Zahawi has always told truth on tax
Downing Street dodged a question on whether prime minister Rishi Sunak is confident Nadhim Zahawi has always told the truth about his tax affairs.
Mr Zahawi, the Conservative Party chairman and cabinet minister without portfolio, is facing calls to resign after it emerged he came to a multimillion pound settlement with HMRC over unpaid tax.
Asked if the PM was confident that Mr Zahawi had always told the truth to him about his tax affairs, the spokesman said: "The investigation looks at any potential breaches of the ministerial code.
"As you’ll know, I won’t get into being prescriptive about how the advice goes about ascertaining that." He referred to the PM’s comments on Mr Zahawi on Monday.
Mr Sunak on Monday ordered his new ethics adviser to look into the affair but his spokesman was earlier today unable to confirm when the probe would be completed, saying only that it would be done “swiftly”.
Matt Mathers24 January 2023 15:471674574222
Labour: we’ll prioritise law and order
As we reported a little earlier, David Lammy, Labour’s shadow foreign secretary, is delivering a speech from Chatham House in London.
We have some more comments from Lammy’s speech now: he says his party would seek to restore Britain’s “tarnished” reputation when it came to respecting the rule of law.
He said: "As a lawyer, and with a boss who is a lawyer, the rule of law will be at the heart of our approach to foreign policy.
"Britain’s record of respect for the rule of law has become tarnished – through the Overseas Operations Bill, the Internal Markets Bill, the Protocol Bill, and two prime ministers fined for breaking the law.
"This record damages our moral authority and political credibility…. it is unbefitting of this great country."
Mr Lammy added: "Britain should be a country that keeps its word.
"And let me tell you, with Keir Starmer – King’s Counsel – as Prime Minister, he would keep his."
Matt Mathers24 January 2023 15:301674572422
Labour: we’ll ‘fix Tories’ bad Brexit deal’ if we win next election
Labour will seek to "fix the Tories’ bad Brexit deal" if it wins the next election, the shadow foreign secretary has said.
David Lammy said Britain would "not rejoin" the European Union, the single market or customs union under a Sir Keir Starmer premiership.
But he said the party would take action to reverse the "damage" the current UK-EU trade deal is doing to the British economy, while also restoring European relations.
In a speech at Chatham House in London, Mr Lammy said: "It has been a central principle of British strategy for centuries that we should never find ourselves isolated in our own continent.
"But that is exactly what this government has done."
Matt Mathers24 January 2023 15:001674570922
No 10 vows ‘robust’ age checks for asylum seekers after fatal stabbing
The government has said it is seeking to put in place "robust" measures to determine the age of asylum seekers arriving in the UK following the conviction of an Afghan man for the killing of a man in a row over an e-scooter.
Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai – who had previously been convicted of murder in Serbia – was found guilty on Monday of the murder of 21-year-old Thomas Roberts last year outside a sandwich shop in Bournemouth, Dorset.
The defendant, who arrived in the UK in December 2019, told the authorities at the time of his arrest that he was 16 but it was determined at Salisbury Crown Court that his true age now is 21.
Downing Street described the case as "shocking" and said it underlines the need for "robust age measurement measures".
The prime minister’s official spokesman said scientific checks are already in place in other countries and that the UK is now looking to follow suit.
"We are considering the report of the Age Estimation Science Advisory Committee on scientific methods to assess the age of asylum seekers – and resolve the age disputes – which are indeed in place in countries like Norway, Denmark and Sweden," the spokesman said.
"We are taking this issue very seriously and will come forward with further measures in due course."
Matt Mathers24 January 2023 14:351674568584
Dinner with Boris Johnson was to ‘bat for the BBC’, says chairman
BBC chairman Richard Sharp has said he only went to dinner at Chequers with Boris Johnson to “bat” on behalf of the broadcaster, as he again denied any conflict of interest, reports our political correspondent Adam Forrest.
Mr Sharp said he believed his selection process was conducted “by the book” following claims that he helped then-prime minister secure a loan facility of up to £800,000.
The chair has been facing calls to stand down after it emerged that in late 2020 he had introduced billionaire Sam Blyth to the cabinet secretary Simon Case to discuss whether the billionaire could act as a guarantor for the credit line.
But Mr Sharp insisted he would remain in place and was “confident” he had been given the job on merit rather than any favouritism in an interview with the BBC on Tuesday.
Dinner with Boris Johnson was to ‘bat for the BBC’, says chairman
Richard Sharp says his appointment done ‘by the book’, as he shares details of meal with then-PM
Andy Gregory24 January 2023 13:561674566064
KEY POST: No 10 fails to give deadline for ‘swift’ ethics inquiry into Nadhim Zahawi
There is no deadline for when the ethics investigation into Nadhim Zahawi should be completed, Downing Street has said – but insisted that the probe would be carried out “swiftly”.
Rishi Sunak’s official spokesperson told reporters: “We haven’t set a timeline for it because whilst we want this to be conducted swiftly, it’s important equally that it is thorough, hence why we’re not restricting to a particular date.”
Mr Sunak ordered an investigation in Mr Nadhim’s tax affairs after it emerged that the PM had been in the dark about his cabinet minister paying a fine to settle a tax dispute with HMRC.
Asked if the PM was confident that Mr Zahawi had always told the truth to him about his tax affairs, the spokesperson said: “The investigation looks at any potential breaches of the ministerial code. As you’ll know, I won’t get into being prescriptive about how the advice goes about ascertaining that.”
Our political correspondent Adam Forrest has more details here:
No deadline for ‘thorough’ Nadhim Zahawi investigation, says No 10
Rishi Sunak wants probe to be carried out ‘swiftly’
Andy Gregory24 January 2023 13:14
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