Does anyone believe Nadhim Zahawi?

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

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?

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.

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.

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.

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!

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...

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

No shame, no apology, no repentance.

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.

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…,

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.

The Guardian has posted the following timeline of events.

April 2021: HMRC commences its investigation of Zahawi’s tax affairs, which includes a meeting with him and his tax advisers in June 2021. Zahawi, who was a business minister at the time, told Magnus he was under the impression he was “merely being asked certain queries”. Magnus says he should have understood it was a “serious matter”, informed his permanent secretary, and disclosed it in his ministerial declaration of interests.

September 2021: Zahawi was promoted to education secretary by Boris Johnson. He did not declare the ongoing HMRC investigation into his tax affairs, Magnus says, “despite the ministerial declaration of interests form including specific prompts on tax affairs and HMRC investigations and disputes”.

5 July 2022: After he was appointed chancellor, Zahawi completed another declaration of interests form, which again “contained no reference to the HMRC investigation”. Only after receiving a formal letter from HMRC on 22 July did he fill in a “later form” acknowledging that he was “in discussion” with HMRC, in an attachment.

10 July 2022: After a number of press reports about his tax affairs, Zahawi said publicly: “There have been news stories over the last few days which are inaccurate, unfair and are clearly smears.” He did not correct the record until earlier this month. Magnus finds this to have been “inconsistent with the requirement for openness” on ministers.

August 2022: Zahawi reached an in-principle agreement with HMRC, while he was still chancellor, including a penalty. He finally settled the following month. Magnus found that this fact “requires declaration and discussion” and is ”a relevant interest which could give rise to a conflict”, particularly for a treasury minister.

September 2022: Liz Truss appointed Zahawi to the role of chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in her short-lived government. Again, he failed to declare the HMRC investigation or the penalty he had agreed to pay.

October 2022: Zahawi was handed the job of chair of the Conservative party by Rishi Sunak. Yet again, he did not make a declaration about his tax affairs.

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.

Tell you what else is bugging me?

Sunak in his letter sacking Zahawi is actually offering him fulsome praise for making a success of his life after coming to the UK as a refugee. While his loathesome Home Secretary (who ought to be out on her ear, too) is trying to prevent refugees ever reaching the UK in the future.

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...?