NADHIM Zahawi will survive as Conservative Party chairman beyond Wednesday, James Cleverly said as he insisted tax affairs are “private matters”.
But critics said Zahawi’s political survival is “difficult” after he admitted paying a settlement to HM Revenue & Customs following a tax error related to a shareholding in YouGov.
Cleverly stressed Zahawi’s error was “careless” and not deliberate, amid allegations he avoided tax and had to pay it back as part of a seven-figure sum to HMRC.