The new Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi, his wife and their companies have created a sprawling £100million property portfolio.
Most recently the Education Secretary, and previously worked as vaccines minister, helping to lead the Government’s vaccine programme following his appointment in November 2020.
It follows the resignation of Rishi Sunak who departed the government after losing confidence in Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Born in Iraq to a Kurdish family, Mr Zahawi came to the UK as a nine-year-old when his parents fled the regime of Saddam Hussein.
Believed to be one of the richest politicians in the House of Commons, he helped found polling company YouGov and is MP for Stratford-upon-Avon.
Estimates of his net worth range from £30 million to £100 million. He won't confirm the amount, previously telling the Telegraph: "I've been very lucky in life."
Along with his wife, he owns a huge property empire - including a country home with stables, a £20m townhouse in London, a number of high-street properties and an industrial estate.
A probe by the Mirror previously revealed that more than half were purchased while Mr Zahawi has served as a government minister.
Seven of the properties purchased for more than £10m are mortgage-free, while two more were partially-funded by £10m of loans from Mr Zahawi’s wife Lana.
One of Mrs Zahawi’s firms purchased the £3.5m Chunnel industrial estate in Ashford, Kent, by the Eurotunnel train station, and the Zahawi's personally own five residential properties.
These are worth at least £17m – three in London, one in Warwickshire (where his constituency is) and one in Dubai.
Their constituency home near Warwick, a country house and a stable block was bought for £875,000 in 2011.
Lana Zahawi also now owns two superstores - including a £6.3 million plot which includes a giant Co-op and car park in St Neots, Cambridgeshire.
Another firm controlled by Mrs Zahawi owns land worth £18 million containing an Asda megastore in Brierley Hill, West Midlands. Its value has risen £1.25 million since it was bought four years ago.
There is no suggestion he has breached the Ministerial Code.
In 2013 Mr Zahawi was infamously found to have claimed the livery's £5,822.27 heating bill on expenses, which he said he had done in error and repaid.
In a statement posted on his website at the time, he said: "Since last week's coverage of my energy bills I have been looking into them further and can confirm that all claims for heating fuel relate purely to my second home.
"However I have made a mistake with my electricity claims.
"On investigation I have discovered that the electricity supply for a mobile home located in the stable yard and for the stables themselves was linked to my house.
"Whilst a meter was installed in the stable yard I have only been receiving one bill, it was wrong to assume I was receiving two and to have not checked this sooner.
"I am mortified by this mistake and apologise unreservedly for it.
"I will obviously be paying back any money that was wrongly claimed immediately and have already contacted IPSA [Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority] regarding the correct procedure."
