Does anyone believe Nadhim Zahawi?

You cannot sack anyone on rumour alone, but they can offer their resignation or agree to step back until the matter is resolved.

It has always struck me that this would be the best tactic anyway. It puts both PM and the accused member in a good light pending the result of the enquiry, whether official, or just clarifications. If guilty, the minister is already gone - and went as soon as rumours started, if innocent they come back on angelic clouds of justified virtue and a reputation for being a clean pair of hands.

MaizieD

^What I cannot understand is why Sunak, or more broadly, any Prime Minister, doesn't sack these errant ministers the moment the rumours start circulating.^

Note. from the Observer article I quoted from earlier. The Cabinet Office has a propriety and ethics team. It's their job to thoroughly investigate potential ministers. I can't see them flagging up 'concerns' on the strength of unsubstantiated rumours.

Problem for me is that the Cabinet Office and No 10 seemed all along to be more interested in defending Johnson than getting him to do the right thing...

And surely they'd be back in force advising Sunak against appointing Zahawi to any post at all...?

It all depends on who the preferred candidate is for the Cabinet Office?
Is this some perverse game to reinstate Boris Johnson?

Also Boris Becker served a jail sentence for less…,

The timeline posted by Foxie is interesting. So, if The Guardian knew about the investigation, and many thousands of others, myself included read the reports on Twitter by those investigative journalists that NZ tried to threaten into silence, are we really mean to believe that Sunak didn't? Does he not have advisors keeping him up to date with what is being reported? Anyone read NZ's acceptance letter? You may have to read it several times to realise what it is about. I will post the link.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-64444315

No shame, no apology, no repentance.

How about this idea for his successor?
‘Jacob Rees-Mogg has suggested today that former prime minister Boris Johnson would make an effective successor to Nadhim Zahawi.
He told GB News that Mr Johnson - who is facing criticism for his alleged financial relationship with the BBC chair - "has all the right attributes for a party chairman".
Mr Rees-Mogg added: "He is charismatic, he rallies the troops. He's a sort of fully loaded Conservative."
However, the Tory MP conceded that this appointment is unlikely.
He said: "The former PM and the prime minister are inevitably not going to be the closest of political allies, just under the circumstances of the summer."’
Sky News.
Word fail me.

Words fail me too Casdon, just what is in these people's heads? Sunak needs to get a grip here, now that he has taken the first step. He needs to fire the Home Secretary, and set up an enquiry into the allegations against Raab.

Casdon Boris Johnson needs to be humanely removed asap. That’s the only way forward.

The ethics advisor's letter to Sunak is here

www.gov.uk/government/publications/advice-from-the-independent-adviser-on-ministers-interests-january-2023/letter-from-sir-laurie-magnus-to-the-prime-minister-29-january-2023--2

It's a long read as indeed it needed to be.

M0nica

You cannot sack anyone on rumour alone, but they can offer their resignation or agree to step back until the matter is resolved.

It has always struck me that this would be the best tactic anyway. It puts both PM and the accused member in a good light pending the result of the enquiry, whether official, or just clarifications. If guilty, the minister is already gone - and went as soon as rumours started, if innocent they come back on angelic clouds of justified virtue and a reputation for being a clean pair of hands.

This.

ronib

Casdon Boris Johnson needs to be humanely removed asap. That’s the only way forward.

Boris Johnson needs to have his arse dragged into court, that's the way forward! |Followed by all those corrupt minsters and their buddies who made millions from covid19 and dodgy PPE contracts. It is eye watering. Johnson is responsible for this whole sorry situation; he is the reason for the catastrophic crop in acceptable standards in public office, the man lies as easily as he breathes. It is because of him that people like Zahawi thought they were untouchable.

foxie48

If you read the report, it mentions the govt appointments in Sept 2022 and October 2022. BJ appointed NZ in July 2022 and Truss appointed KK in Sept 2022. This does not cover the period when BJ was PM.

I know it doesn't, but if you read the Observer report I quoted from and linked to you will see that Johnson was warned against appointing him as chancellor in July. No 10 and Cabinet Office staff must have been aware of this when he was given a Cabinet post by Sunak. Clearly tax cheating was only a bar to being chancellor...

MaizieD

foxie48

If you read the report, it mentions the govt appointments in Sept 2022 and October 2022. BJ appointed NZ in July 2022 and Truss appointed KK in Sept 2022. This does not cover the period when BJ was PM.

I know it doesn't, but if you read the Observer report I quoted from and linked to you will see that Johnson was warned against appointing him as chancellor in July. No 10 and Cabinet Office staff must have been aware of this when he was given a Cabinet post by Sunak. Clearly tax cheating was only a bar to being chancellor...

Absolutely agree, but I don't know what is and what isn't shared in government. As I mentioned in my opening post I prefer to give people the benefit of the doubt. I am, however, totally sick of the sleaze associated with this government and will be delighted to see the back of them! I'm probably in the minority but I believe Sunak is a decent person, I might not like his politics but I think he's honest (until proven otherwise). He has an impossible job which I think he is trying to do as well as he can but he's surrounded by corrupt, untrustworthy people. I was taking to a friend before Sunak was elected as leader and the racist comment that she repeated which came from a group of Conservative party members was vile!

It seems likely to my mind that Sunak lost the Tory election to Truss because of grassroots racism and Truss telling them everything they wanted to hear, rational or otherwise.

Grantanow

It seems likely to my mind that Sunak lost the Tory election to Truss because of grassroots racism and Truss telling them everything they wanted to hear, rational or otherwise.

Everyone I know, except one person, would have chosen Sunak over Truss but none that I know of are members of the Tory Party anyway, although I think some may vote Tory.

Sunak would have been warned about NZs tax affairs and would have been assured that everything was settled. The truth was obviously “economical” with detail, not mentioning a penalty was careless.

but I don't know what is and what isn't shared in government.

Oh, come on, foxie48. If the PM isn't being informed by the Cabinet Office there is something seriously wrong.

The civil servants who lead the administrative side of the Cabinet Office are the most senior in the civil service, including the cabinet secretary and the chief operating officer for the civil service. The cabinet secretary is responsible for leading the cabinet secretariats, advising the prime minister on major government issues...

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/cabinet-office

'major government issues': like the appointment of ministers, perhaps?

From the Guardian in answer to Stephen Timms (Lab) Q in parliament
"Jeremy Quin, the Cabinet Office minister, was unable to say whether Zahawi was telling the truth in the summer when he said he had fully paid his taxes. Quin told MPs he did not know what the actual situation was at that point."

ATM it's pure speculation that RS knew about NZ's tax problems. If NZ was consistently posting declarations to the contrary how would anyone outside HMRC know?
"In addition to our obligations under data protection laws, we also have a statutory duty of confidentiality which is set out in legislation in the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005. HMRC will only disclose your information where we are legally allowed to do so."

I am not aware that there was any LEGAL requirement for HMRC to share information with the Cabinet Office and it would have been in contravention of the 2005 act if they had done so, It's my understanding that NZ would have had to have given his permission for disclosure and I doubt he would have done that. Honestly I'm not trying to defend anyone but I don't believe there is currently any evidence that Sunak knew anything. If he did and it comes out than he will have to resign!

Surely it doesn't matter how senior the person asking the question, HMRC are bound by data protection laws not to disclose anyone's tax affairs.

Wouldn't they be guilty of a breach if they did so and the PM would then be accused of forcing them to break the law.

You can be assured that the Tory whips office keep a careful eye on the business and extracurricular activities of MPs, then use the information to keep them inline when it comes to voting.

Callistemon21

Surely it doesn't matter how senior the person asking the question, HMRC are bound by data protection laws not to disclose anyone's tax affairs.

Wouldn't they be guilty of a breach if they did so and the PM would then be accused of forcing them to break the law.

They can certainly release them to the police and security service if the case justifies it.

The big story emerging now is possible insider trading with Sunak and Moderna!?! watch this space.

What’s interesting Katie59, is how infrequently police and security services are informed. The whips use the information to ensure mp’s toe whatever the party line is

Not a fan of Vorderman, but

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARjDXjs3SJQ

Fleurpepper

The big story emerging now is possible insider trading with Sunak and Moderna!?! watch this space.

Normal practice in politics, they managed to string out the Brexit turbulence for 2 yrs+, a volatile market means a lot of money is made if you know in advance.

Good question