Nadhim Zahawi Departs With An Attack On The Media And No Apology

Minister without Portfolio Nadhim Zahawi arrives in Downing Street, London, ahead of a Cabinet meeting. Picture date: Tuesday January 10, 2023.

Minister without Portfolio Nadhim Zahawi arrives in Downing Street, London, ahead of a Cabinet meeting. Picture date: Tuesday January 10, 2023.

Nadhim Zahawi has failed to apologise for the tax scandal which led to his sacking by Rishi Sunak and plunged the government into a fresh crisis.

The former Tory Party chairman also took a swipe at the media, which played a key role in his humiliating downfall.

Zahawi, who was also cabinet minister without portfolio, was removed from government this morning after an inquiry by the prime minister’s ethics adviser found he had broken the ministerial code.

Sir Laurie Magnus found that he had failed to declare the fact that he had been investigated and fined by HMRC in a dispute over a multi-million pound tax bill.

In a letter to Zahawi this morning outlining his decision to sack him, Sunak said: “It is clear that there has been a serious breach of the ministerial code.”

However, he also said Zahawi should be “extremely proud of your wide-ranging achievements in government”, including his handling of the Covid-19 vaccine rollout.

In his letter to the PM, Zahawi shows no remorse over the scandal which has ended his ministerial career and instead attacked the coverage of the story by the media.

He said: “I am concerned about the conduct from some of the fourth estate in recent weeks.

“In a week when a member of parliament was physically assaulted, I fail to see how one headline on this issue ‘The Noose Tightens’ reflects legitimate scrutiny of public officials.

“I am sorry to my family for the toll this has taken on them.”

Zahawi also told the PM he “can be assured of my support from the backbenches in the coming years”.

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