Rishi Sunak investigates his wife’s interest in a UK childcare company

LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is under investigation by parliament’s standards watchdog over whether he correctly declared his wife’s ownership in a childcare company that would benefit from the new government policy.

Parliament’s Standards Commissioner launched the investigation into the “declaration of interests” on April 13, according to a list of open inquiries on his website on Monday.

Opposition parties have raised questions about media reports that Sunak’s wife, Akshata Murthy, was a shareholder in a company set to benefit from the childcare sector subsidy announced in the March budget.

“We are pleased to assist the Commissioner in explaining how transparently this was declared as a ministerial interest,” Sunak’s spokesperson said, confirming that the investigation was linked to the childcare company.

The investigation is an embarrassment to Sunak, who took office in October vowing to lead a government with integrity “at every level” as he sought to revive his party’s fortunes ahead of national elections next year.

Sunak and Murthy are the richest occupants of 10 Downing Street ever. Murthy is the daughter of a co-founder of Indian IT giant Infosys and owns about 0.9% of the company, worth nearly $600 million based on Monday’s share price.

The couple faced criticism and public outrage when Sunak was finance minister because of Moorthy’s “non-resident” tax status, meaning she paid no tax in Britain on her overseas earnings. She subsequently gave up this status and said she would pay British tax on her worldwide income.

The commissioner, who gave no details of the investigation, is responsible for the House of Commons Code of Conduct and investigates any alleged breaches.

Under the Code of Conduct, Members of Parliament are required to provide information about financial interests that may reasonably be believed to influence their work in Parliament.

If the investigation finds a breach, the commissioner can ask Sunak to apologize and devise steps to avoid any future wrongdoing, or refer him to a committee that has the power to suspend him or expel him from parliament.

Opposition Labor deputy leader Angela Reiner said Sunak should publish an updated register of ministerial interests ahead of next month’s municipal elections, saying the failure to do so left a “black hole in transparency enabling the prime minister and those he appointed to dodge it appropriately”. scrutinize their affairs.”

(Reporting by Kaylee McClellan and Alistair Smoot) Editing by William James

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