UK
PM Rishi Sunak broke MPs’ code of conduct over wife’s financial interest in childcare agency

Amy Gibbons
Thu, September 14, 2023 

The infringement relates to details provided by Number 10 about an earlier investigation into Rishi Sunak’s conduct relating to his wife’s financial interest in a childcare agency - Victoria Jones/PA

Rishi Sunak has been found to have broken the MPs’ code of conduct again after Downing Street discussed details of a confidential investigation with the media.

The Prime Minister committed a “minor and inadvertent” breach of the rules, the Commons standards committee said, as statements provided by his team “went beyond what could already be inferred from information properly in the public domain”.

Mr Sunak has taken responsibility for the disclosure and acknowledged that, with hindsight, he would have acted differently.

The infringement relates to details provided by Number 10 about an earlier investigation into the Tory leader’s conduct, which ultimately found he failed to correctly declare his wife’s financial interest in a childcare agency, amounting to a breach.

That line of inquiry by the standards commissioner, Daniel Greenberg, was concluded in August. But the investigation had been extended in April to consider a further breach of confidentiality after Downing Street confirmed the matter being looked into.

The code states that MPs must “not disclose details in relation to: (i) any investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards except when required by law to do so, or authorised by the commissioner”.

‘Minor breach of the code’

Number 10 confirmed that the inquiry related to the childcare agency, while also indicating how the Prime Minister intended to respond.

He initially argued his office had only spoken to details already in the public domain, but went on to “implicitly” accept that he had broken the code, the committee said, as he asked for the matter to be included in the rectification process.

In his written evidence, Mr Sunak said that “with hindsight, I would also have informed my office not to confirm the subject matter of the inquiry in response to questioning”.

The committee found it was a matter of public record that only that the standards commissioner was investigating a possible breach of the rule on declaration of interests.

While the subject of the inquiry could have been “reasonably” inferred from media reports at the time, it found that the indication of Mr Sunak’s response “should properly have remained confidential”.

It concluded the matter amounted to a “minor and inadvertent breach of the code” that “should not have occurred”. The commissioner said it had no material impact on his investigation and no sanctions were recommended.

Wendy Chamberlain, the Liberal Democrat chief whip, said: “Another day, another breach of the rules by Rishi Sunak and his chaotic Conservative government. Sunak promised to govern with integrity – instead he is continuing the same old sleaze and scandal as under Boris Johnson.”

Three times Rishi Sunak has broken the rules

Connor Parker
Updated Thu, September 14, 2023 

A report has concluded Rishi Sunak broke the MPs’ code of conduct. (PA)

What's happening? Despite numerous pledges to clean up the government, a report has found Rishi Sunak broke parliamentarian rules when No10 acknowledged the Standards Committee was investigating him.

After the numerous sleaze scandals of the Boris Johnson government and the chaos of Liz Truss's weeks in office, Sunak said he wanted to bring such drama to an end.

In his first speech outside Downing Street, he pledged "integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level".

But since then he has been forced to replace several ministers after they were found guilty of bullying or failing to declare their taxes properly.

On top of this, Sunak himself has been found guilty several times of breaking various laws and parliamentary rules.

Here Yahoo News UK breaks down the three times Sunak has got into trouble for breaking the rules while serving in government.

Sunak's 100 days as PM 'dogged by swamp of sleaze scandals', say rivals (PA, 4 mins)
No. 10 confirms probe into wife's investments

On 14 September, the Commons Standards Committee found Sunak had broken the MPs' code of conduct when No. 10 confirmed details about an investigation into his wife Akshata Murty's financial interest in a childminding company.

The committee found that it was a "minor and inadvertent" rule breach.

Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty during a visit to India. (PA)

MPs are forbidden from disclosing details of "any investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards except when required by law to do so, or authorised by the Commissioner."

In this case, Downing Street provided a statement to the media that contained details of the probe.

Standards commissioner Daniel Greenberg said: "Whilst it was open to the media to speculate, when Mr Sunak's spokesman confirmed to the media that the inquiry related to Mr Sunak's 'links to a childcare firm in which his wife is an investor' he disclosed details about my inquiry."

The Standards Committee stopped short of recommending any sanction against the prime minister, given the nature of the rule breach.

Rishi Sunak broke transparency rules, probe into wife's shares finds (The National, 2 mins)
Failure to wear a seatbelt

In January, Sunak was fined by Lancashire Constabulary after he was spotted not wearing a seatbelt in an Instagram video filmed to promote levelling-up funding.

The PM paid the fine and issued an apology saying he "regrets deeply" not fastening his belt.

Rishi Sunak was fined for not wearing the seatbelt. (PA)

Lancashire Constabulary did not reveal how much Sunak was fined, but fixed penalty notices for seatbelt offences are usually £100, rising to up to £500 if taken to court.

Labour criticised him for having a "lack of judgment".

Sunak became the second prime minister in history to be fined by the police, after his predecessor Johnson.

Rishi Sunak says he ‘deeply regrets’ failing to wear seatbelt (PA, 2 mins)
Partygate fine

While still chancellor, Sunak and then-prime minister Johnson were fined in April 2022 for breaking COVID rules after it emerged several illegal gatherings were held at Downing Street.

The fine related to an event on "June 19 2020 at the Cabinet Room... between 1400 and 1500" and that he had been part of "a gathering of two or more people indoors", which was banned at the time.

Both Boris Johnson and Sunak were fined over Partygate. (Getty)

At the time, Sunak said: "I understand that for figures in public office, the rules must be applied stringently in order to maintain public confidence. I respect the decision that has been made and have paid the fine."

After the fines, many people did not think the Johnson-Sunak government would survive much longer, but the embattled PM managed to stay in post until 9 June, 2022.