Nadhim Zahawi Tax avoidance

[cyril evans awaydays]

Re: Nadhim Zahawi Tax avoidance

I'm saying that when accusations are made then an investigation should follow and if he's found to have done something wrogn then hes sacked. And that's whats happened.

It's not a case of someone being caught on camera punching someone. It's a tax issue. It's complex and he's been investigated and gone.

This is what all parties do, it's not a party political thing. You may want to 'string him up' based on an allegation but that doesn't get us anywhere really does it?

People accused of wrongdoing are often suspended whilst facts are investigated. Yet Zahawi was haunting the Chequers awayday in full Conservative Party Chairman regalia on the awayday this week. In any event it is unclear what facts an ethics advisor was going to unearth that Sunak didn't already know.

He ends up looking both dithering, duplicitous and politically naive.

Quite an achievement for the Prince of Professionalism and Integrity.

[JamesWales]

Re: Nadhim Zahawi Tax avoidance

People accused of wrongdoing are often suspended whilst facts are investigated. Yet Zahawi was haunting the Chequers awayday in full Conservative Party Chairman regalia on the awayday this week. In any event it is unclear what facts an ethics advisor was going to unearth that Sunak didn't already know.

He ends up looking both dithering, duplicitous and politically naive.

Quite an achievement for the Prince of Professionalism and Integrity.

Yeah he could have been suspended whilst the investigation went on, I agree. Although you do open that up to every minister accused of anything being suspended then, but fundementally I agree, and it's reasonable for you and others to criticise the lack of suspension.

On the wider point, and what I dont think is reasonable is any suggestion that waiting for an independent investigation is the wrong thing to do.

It isn't the wrong thing to do. It was concluded quickly and means the sack is by is on much more solid ground than heresay and assumptions.

[cyril evans awaydays]

Re: Nadhim Zahawi Tax avoidance

Yeah he could have been suspended whilst the investigation went on, I agree. Although you do open that up to every minister accused of anything being suspended then, but fundementally I agree, and it's reasonable for you and others to criticise the lack of suspension.

On the wider point, and what I dont think is reasonable is any suggestion that waiting for an independent investigation is the wrong thing to do.

It isn't the wrong thing to do. It was concluded quickly and means the sack is by is on much more solid ground than heresay and assumptions.

But in this instance the "investigation" was only going to tell Sunak what he already knew at the time he instigated it. He was already aware that Zahawi was under tax investigation and that he had settled with HMRC. We know that because he stood up in the House and declared that Zahawi had settled.

He may or may not have known that Zahawi was penalised at the time that he seemed to defend him in the House but he knew before he instigated the "investigation" at which point he should have sacked him, not least because Zahawi appears to be as economical with the truth with the PM as he was with investigative journalists. Why he thought an investigation was going to show something different whilst letting it dominate the news for the best part of a fortnight whilst trashing his own reputation is bamboozling.

I think the forthcoming Raab case is far more worthy of a suspension whilst the investigation is completed. Getting the testimony of 24 different civil servants from three different departments complaining of a pattern of persistent and aggressive bullying requires time and judgement rather than the straightforward facts in the Zahawi case.

[superfeathers]

Re: Nadhim Zahawi Tax avoidance

I'm saying that when accusations are made then an investigation should follow and if he's found to have done something wrogn then hes sacked. And that's whats happened.

It's not a case of someone being caught on camera punching someone. It's a tax issue. It's complex and he's been investigated and gone.

This is what all parties do, it's not a party political thing. You may want to 'string him up' based on an allegation but that doesn't get us anywhere really does it?

You get examples like this pretty often:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...Liz-Truss.html

If he’d been caught on camera punching someone I’d understand the investigation. He’d been investigated and penalised by HMRC. You know who they are, right?

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: Nadhim Zahawi Tax avoidance

Tory sleaze

What a bunch of shithouses

Micheal Gove is a complete chancer . How the christ is he employed by anyone ? His defence of the prime minister and zahawi is full of holes and self preservation.

If this country votes in the squirrels again at the next election then we may as well call ourselves America

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: Nadhim Zahawi Tax avoidance

Tory sleaze

What a bunch of shithouses

Micheal Gove is a complete chancer . How the christ is he employed by anyone ? His defence of the prime minister and zahawi is full of holes and self preservation.

If this country votes in the squirrels again at the next election then we may as well call ourselves America

[cyril evans awaydays]

Re: Nadhim Zahawi Tax avoidance

Oh and whilst I’m at it, Rishi Sunak needs to explain why, if breaking the ministerial code is now a sacking offence, that he chose to reinstate Suella Braverman just days after she was found to have broken it.

We now seem to have the phrase "serious breach of the Ministerial Code" being introduced.

If I understand, Braverman's leaking of confidential information via a personal Whatsapp account is just a normal breach of the Ministerial Code so no problem her being reappointed a few weeks after resigning because of it.

Same as Priti Patel, where serial bullying in three departments, forcing out her Permanent Secretary who later successfully sued for unfair dismissal was just a standard, day to day breach of the Ministerial Code.

Anyone who thinks this series of Conservative administrations since Johnson's elevation has seen a major destruction in the ethics and integrity of those who serve in it compared to the past is obviously off their rocker or part of some leftie tweet frother/circle jerk group/politburo (delete as appropriate) though!

[ninian opinian]

Re: Nadhim Zahawi Tax avoidance

Another great thread by Dan Neidle. We need more Dans

https://twitter.com/danneidle/status/1619640133481029632?s=61&t=JlMsdc72GdJMcWUg0LPBzA

[Dorcus]

Re: Nadhim Zahawi Tax avoidance

How would you do it differently?

For a start, refrain from promoting dubious characters to top positions of authority after they have had a potential knighthood flagged as inappropriate because of "questions over his tax affairs'.

Also our Rishi might have made things a lot easier for himself had he restrained himself from ringing out the praises for someone who's not achieved anything of significance politically and who is rightly seen as a bad egg. He would have been better advised to speak out strongly defending a free press and castigating idle legal threats as callous intimidation.

[JamesWales]

Re: Nadhim Zahawi Tax avoidance

For a start, refrain from promoting dubious characters to top positions of authority after they have had a potential knighthood flagged as inappropriate because of "questions over his tax affairs'.

Also our Rishi might have made things a lot easier for himself had he restrained himself from ringing out the praises for someone who's not achieved anything of significance politically and who is rightly seen as a bad egg. He would have been better advised to speak out strongly defending a free press and castigating idle legal threats as callous intimidation.

Fair comment. But I meant in terms of the Independent investigation and then making a decision based on that. It seems reasonable to me that that should be the normal process. I do appreciate that he could have been suspended whilst the investigation was going on, but I think properly and soberly establishing the facts before making a decision is a good principle tbh.

[the other bob wilson]

Re: Nadhim Zahawi Tax avoidance

Fair comment. But I meant in terms of the Independent investigation and then making a decision based on that. It seems reasonable to me that that should be the normal process. I do appreciate that he could have been suspended whilst the investigation was going on, but I think properly and soberly establishing the facts before making a decision is a good principle tbh.

Seems the facts were already known though - what the HMRC had released into the public domain should have been enough to do for Zahawi. One thing I will give Sunak credit for mind is for insisting on a quick decision as opposed to a Johnson style kick it into the long grass for months/years one.

[superfeathers]

Re: Nadhim Zahawi Tax avoidance

Seems the facts were already known though - what the HMRC had released into the public domain should have been enough to do for Zahawi. One thing I will give Sunak credit for mind is for insisting on a quick decision as opposed to a Johnson style kick it into the long grass for months/years one.

I think you might be being a bit generous there, he probably did intend to kick it into the long grass. The pressure just got too much.

I'd love to know what was involved in the investigation.

Phone call to HMRC

Hi guys, is it true that my mate Nadhim is a tax cheat and had a big fine?
Yep
Do you think you've made a mistake?
Nope
Are you sure?
Yep
Double dare sure?
Yep
Oh dear. Would you say that could be called a little breach of ministerial code, like say, I don't know, a security breach?
Nope
Bugger. Righto I'll sort this out sunday morning.

[Eric Cartman]

Re: Nadhim Zahawi Tax avoidance

Seems the facts were already known though - what the HMRC had released into the public domain should have been enough to do for Zahawi. One thing I will give Sunak credit for mind is for insisting on a quick decision as opposed to a Johnson style kick it into the long grass for months/years one.

Hindsight is wonderful thing but looking back I wonder if he was given these rather pointless jobs recently so that if he needed to be sacked they wouldn't have to sack an important position.

The idea that Sunak found out about this recently and then acted quickly is beyond naive in my opinion. Zahawi was being investigated by the NCA in the middle of last year, he was negotiating the settlement with HMRC months ago. Either Rishi and his team are incompetent or telling porkies, maybe both.

[Dorcus]

Re: Nadhim Zahawi Tax avoidance

I think the time is long overdue for Martin Bell and his white suit to make a return.

[Feedback]

Re: Nadhim Zahawi Tax avoidance

I'm saying that when accusations are made then an investigation should follow and if he's found to have done something wrogn then hes sacked. And that's whats happened.

It's not a case of someone being caught on camera punching someone. It's a tax issue. It's complex and he's been investigated and gone.

This is what all parties do, it's not a party political thing. You may want to 'string him up' based on an allegation but that doesn't get us anywhere really does it?

You get examples like this pretty often:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...Liz-Truss.html

It's far from complex. You're either under investigation or you are not. Its binary.