Nadhim Zahawi fighting for political life over tax as pressure mounts on PM to act

Nadhim Zahawi was fighting for his political life on Monday as a senior Tory said he would have to “take the consequences” if more emerges about his tax affairs. Former

minister Tim Loughton added that he believes Rishi Sunak “will take the appropriate action” if more damaging details emerge about Tory party chairman Mr Zahawi’s tax settlement

with HMRC. He also criticised Mr Zahawi for not being more open earlier about his tax situation. Mr Loughton told BBC Radio 4’s Westminster Hour: “I don’t know if

Nadhim has done something ill-advised or inappropriate. “He has certainly not done anything illegal by the sounds of it otherwise there would be more implications. “If

there is more to it, then he will absolutely have to stand up and take the consequences and the Prime Minister, I’m sure, will take the appropriate action. “But at the

moment we don’t know the whole story.” The East Worthing and Shoreham MP added: “I think it’s fair to let him (Mr Zahawi) have his say and put his side of the case. It would

have just been more helpful if he had done that rather more fully rather earlier on.” Labour is demanding that the Prime Minister come clean about his knowledge of Mr

Zahawi’s dispute with HM Revenue and Customs when he appointed him to the role. This and a series of other scandals have thrown Mr Sunak’s promise of a premiership of

“integrity” into disarray. A bruising weekend for the Prime Minister began with the police fining him for failing to wear a seatbelt while filming a social media video in

the back of a moving car.