Nadhim Zahawi sacked as Tory party chairman

Mr Zahawi was facing increasing calls to resign after his tax affairs were questioned.

Rishi Sunak has sacked Nadhim Zahawi after a 'serious breach of ministerial code'.

The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak launched an independent ethics inquiry after it emerged that the now former Tory party chairman, Nadhim Zahawi had paid a penalty to HMRC over his taxes when he was chancellor.

The inquiry, that was ordered by the Prime Minister has concluded and as a result Sunak has sacked Zahawi due to its findings by Sir Laurie Magnus stating that Zahawi broke the ministerial code and did not meet the expected standards as a minister. 

In his letter the to Mr Zahawi the Prime Minister thanked the former minister for his achievements but stated that due to new findings over the past few days his position is untenable. 

Before being sacked over the past week Zahawi made a statement saying his error with his tax affairs was "careless and not deliberate". 

Sir Laurie, the Prime Minister's ethics advisor found the following during his investigation: 

• Zahawi said when HMRC started asking questions he was under the impression he was "merely being asked certain queries by HMRC concerning his tax affairs"
• But Sir Laurie found Zahawi "should have understood at the outset that they were under investigation by HMRC and that this was a serious matter"
• He says Zahawi should have updated his declaration of interests form to reflect the investigation

In response to the Prime Minister's letter, Mr Zahawi replied releasing his own letter on Twitter moments ago. 

pic.twitter.com/qPFL6h5gn7

— Nadhim Zahawi (@nadhimzahawi) January 29, 2023

Labour's shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson has said "Nadhim Zahawi failed to pay the taxes he owed in this country and tried to silence those who spoke out about it." Whilst calling Rishi Sunak weak as Prime Minister for not acting before. 

"Despite the writing on the wall, the prime minister showed himself to be too weak to act. Rishi Sunak should have sacked Nadhim Zahawi a long time ago, just as he should have acted over Dominic Raab and Suella Braverman, but in his weakness he promoted them." she continued.