Nadhim Zahawi yesterday launched an extraordinary attack on the press over media reports that ended his career on the political front line.
In an unrepentant letter to Rishi Sunak, who sacked him yesterday morning, the former Tory president made no reference to the tax row that led to his sacking and offered no apology for his behaviour.
Sunak is now searching for a “squeaky clean” candidate for Conservative Party chairman, and last night was struggling to find an immediate replacement for the role, which is critical in the run-up to the general election due next year.
Showing no remorse for his behaviour, Zahawi yesterday said he was “concerned” by the conduct of sections of the press who had investigated his tax affairs, and suggested the coverage could lead to threats against MPs or their family.
Impertinent: Nadhim Zahawi and his wife Lana
In an unrepentant letter to Rishi Sunak, who sacked him yesterday morning, former Tory president Nadhim Zahawi made no reference to the tax row that led to his sacking and offered no apology for his behaviour.
Rishi Sunak (pictured) is now looking for a ‘squeaky clean’ candidate for Conservative party president
Zahawi, who is reported to have paid a £1m fine as part of a £5m settlement with HMRC, had previously threatened legal action against journalists attempting to investigate the tax investigation.
The Prime Minister sacked the former vaccines minister for a “serious breach of the ministerial code” less than two hours after receiving a report from ethics chief Sir Laurie Magnus.
Mr Zahawi was criticized in the report for his lack of candor in his statements to the press about his tax affairs.
On July 10 last year, when he had been under investigation by HMRC for more than 12 months, he dismissed reports of the investigation, saying: “It is very sad that such slander is circulating and even sadder that it has been published.”
Sir Laurie said Zahawi “should have understood” that he was being investigated by HMRC, who had had face-to-face conversations with him the previous year, and that it was “a serious matter”.
Two ministers told the Mail that former Conservative leader William Hague (pictured) was among the possible candidates for the role of Conservative Party president.
Sunak’s allies rejected Jacob Rees-Mogg’s suggestion that Boris Johnson (pictured) could take the job.
He added that the then chancellor’s rejection of the reports fell short of ministers’ duty to be “as open as possible with Parliament and the public”.
But in his letter to Mr Sunak yesterday, Mr Zahawi wrote: “I am concerned about the conduct of some members of the Fourth Estate.”
In an apparent reference to a recent alleged assault on former Health Secretary Matt Hancock on the London Underground, he added: “In a week in which an MP was physically assaulted, I fail to understand how a headline on this topic, ‘The Noose’, “It tightens.’, reflects legitimate scrutiny of public officials. I feel sorry for my family for the toll this has taken on them.”
In a letter to Zahawi, Rishi Sunak said the outgoing Conservative president had committed “a serious breach of the ministerial code”.
Last night, two ministers told the Mail that former Tory leader William Hague was among the possible candidates for the job.
One of them said: “If the Prime Minister could persuade Hague to do it, that would be fantastic.” ‘He is very popular with the party in the country and he is someone who could clearly and forcefully articulate the Government’s message.’
Number 10 hinted that the search could take some time and said the Prime Minister had not yet “sounded out (anyone),” including Lord Hague, who is a close ally of the Prime Minister and was invited to attend the “day off” from last week’s Cabinet on Checkers.
For now, Zahawi’s duties will temporarily pass to the Conservative party’s chief executive, Stephen Massey.
Sunak’s allies rejected a suggestion from Jacob Rees-Mogg that Boris Johnson could take the job.
Mr Rees-Mogg told GB News yesterday that Mr Johnson “has all the right attributes for a party chairman”. But Rees-Mogg admitted the Prime Minister and his predecessor were “not the closest political allies”.
Grant Shapps, Andrew Mitchell and Penny Mordaunt are reported to have “auditioned for the role” during last week’s Ladies’ Away Day. But neither Shapps nor Mitchell are believed to be interested in the role, and Mordaunt is not politically close to Sunak.
Robert Jenrick and Therese Coffey were among the names touted last night.
Mr Sunak received Sir Laurie’s report at 7am yesterday while at his home in North Yorkshire. Two hours later, Zahawi was fired in a brief telephone conversation. Sir Laurie found Zahawi had breached the ministerial code on seven occasions, saying he should have declared that he was being investigated by the taxman and been fined.
The seven gaps that sealed the fate of Nadhim Zahawi
Nadhim Zahawi has been dismissed from Government by the Prime Minister after he was found to have committed a “serious breach” of ministerial rules.
- The former Conservative president held face-to-face talks with HM Revenue and Customs in June 2021, two months after the taxman launched an investigation into his affairs. Ethics chief Sir Laurie Magnus said Nadhim Zahawi “should have understood” he was under investigation.
- Zahawi did not declare that he was subject to a tax investigation when he was promoted to Education Secretary in September 2021, despite “specific directions about tax matters and HMRC investigations and disputes” in the relevant forms.
- The former vaccines minister was appointed chancellor on July 5 last year, putting him in charge of the UK tax system. But he – again – he did not disclose that he was subject to an ongoing tax investigation.
- Five days later, Zahawi claimed that media reports of an investigation into his tax affairs were “smears”. He did not correct the record until January 21 this year, an error which Sir Laurie said was “inconsistent with the openness requirement”.
- Zahawi reached an “agreement in principle” with HMRC in August and reached an agreement with the taxman in September. However, the then chancellor did not reveal the nature of the investigation or the fact that he had been fined.
- In September, he was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, but did not declare the outcome of the investigation to officials.
- Zahawi became party president in October. Once again, he did not inform officials about the outcome of the investigation.