Is Rishi Sunak about to dump Nadhim Zahawi?
The Prime Minister is facing a backlash from his own MPs over the decision to keep the Tory chairman in the cabinet despite ordering an investigation into his tax affairs.
No 10 appears to be hardening its line on the embattled former chancellor after new details of the tax scandal emerged.
Just a week ago the PM was defending Mr Zahawi in the Commons. But as pressure on Mr Sunak mounts, Downing Street declined to say he was confident Mr Zahawi had always been honest about his finances.
One former minister warned it was “insanity” to have a potentially lengthy investigation into Mr Zahawi hanging over the government.
Another said most Tory MPs believed he should not stay as Conservative Party chair and the prime minister risked looking “indecisive” by keeping him in post.
Former Tory leader Lord Hague also called for the probe’s findings to be produced “very quickly” after No 10 said Sir Laurie Magnus, Mr Sunak’s new ethics adviser, had been given no deadline.
The inquiry was a “distraction” for the government, Lord Hague warned.
“If I was the prime minister I would say I want to resolve this very quickly because it does become a distraction, of course,” he told Times Radio.
Meanwhile, an exclusive poll for The Independent shows that almost two-thirds of the public, 64 per cent, including 61 per cent of Tory voters, say Mr Zahawi should reveal how much he paid to settle a tax dispute with HMRC. Just 18 per cent said he should not, the survey by Savanta found. Figures of nearly £5m have been reported, but Mr Zahawi has yet to set out the amount.
Senior Tory MPs have told The Independent that the under-fire minister’s position as Tory chair is “untenable” and he is “unlikely” to survive – saying it was impossible for him to represent the party in the media.
Former minister Caroline Nokes increased the pressure on the prime minister when she publicly warned the ongoing row was damaging for him.
Calling on Mr Zahawi to step aside, the MP said: “I genuinely think this is too much of a problem, for him, for the prime minister.”
“In order to clear this up, Nadhim should stand aside and let the investigation run its course.”
“Once you are the story you have to go,” she told Talk TV.
Former minister Caroline Nokes said Mr Zahawi should step aside
Tory peer Lord Hayward also called on Mr Zahawi to “stand aside” until the investigation is complete, saying he hoped the probe could be completed “very rapidly”.
A former minister told The Independent it was “insanity” that the row would now hang over Mr Sunak until the inquiry was complete.
Another senior Tory said: “There is now a danger the prime minister looks indecisive, because questions will be raised as the investigation drags on.”
The ex-minister said it was the “general view” of most Tory MPs in the Commons tea room that Mr Zahawi should stand aside to avoid further embarrassment for the government.
Rishi Sunak is facing mounting pressure to sack the Tory chairman
Conservative peer Lord Hayward has also called for the former chancellor to “stand aside” until the investigation is complete
