PM SUNAK UNDER PARLIAMENTARY INVESTIGATION FOR UNDECLARED INTERESTS

Mon 17 Apr 2023:

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is being probed by the parliamentary standards watchdog into claims he failed to declare an interest.

Sunak has been added to the list of politicians being probed by Commissioner Daniel Greenberg.

The probe was launched on Thursday last week, Greenberg said. Although the parliamentary website shows the investigation relates to paragraph six of the code, it is unclear what the issue is related to.

The commissioner, Daniel Greenberg, opened an investigation into the prime minister on Thursday last week, an update on the commissioner’s website said.

The entry says only that it relates to paragraph six of the updated code of conduct for MPs, which states they “must always be open and frank in declaring any relevant interest in any proceeding of the house or its committees”.

No 10 has confirmed it is connected to Koru Kids, which is among six private childcare providers likely to benefit from a pilot scheme proposed in last month’s budget to incentivise people to become childminders, with £1,200 offered to those who train through the agency.

Sunak’s wife, Akshata Murty, is listed as a shareholder in the company.

On 28 March, Sunak did not mention his wife’s interest when speaking about the childcare changes before the liaison committee. He was asked by the Labour MP Catherine McKinnell whether he had anything to declare. “No, all my disclosures are declared in the normal way,” he told McKinnell.

It later emerged that bosses from the company attended a Downing Street reception hours after Sunak’s committee appearance.

It is understood that McKinnell raised the issue with the commissioner.

Sunak does not list his wife’s shareholding on his register of interests as an MP, which MPs are required to update promptly.

“Another day and another accusation”

Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, said the failure to update the ministers’ register of interests for nearly a year had “left a transparency black hole which is enabling the prime minister and those he has appointed to dodge proper scrutiny of their affairs”.

She said: “If Rishi Sunak has got nothing to hide, he should commit to publishing the register before May’s elections so the public can see for themselves.”

Wendy Chamberlain, the Liberal Democrat chief whip, said: “Another day and another accusation of a Conservative prime minister bending the rules.”

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

______________________________________________________________

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:

TWITTER (CLICK HERE)
https://twitter.com/IpIndependent