RISHI Sunak has been told to “come clean” and publish a full list of his financial interests, as Westminster’s standards watchdog probes whether the Prime Minister breached the rules.
But Downing Street is resisting the calls, insisting Sunak has already "transparently" declared any interests.
The case hinges on a UK Government policy to give a £600 bonus to people who sign up as new childminders – but a £1200 bonus to those who do so through a private childcare agency.
The double bonus is expected to significantly benefit the six childcare agencies which provide the service – including Koru Kids, which is part-owned by Sunak’s wife Akshata Murty.
Sunak told MPs that the policy had been “designed in consultation with the sector”, but when asked if he had any interests “to declare in respect of that”, he said: “No.”
During a grilling in front of Westminster’s Liaison Committee, the Prime Minister added: “All my disclosures are declared in the normal way.”
But it quickly emerged that Murty held shares in Koru Kids – and bosses from the firm attended a Downing Street reception with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt just hours after Sunak denied any financial interest.
The ministerial code makes clear that members of government “must provide … a full list in writing of all interests which might be thought to give rise to a conflict”, including “interests of the minister’s spouse or partner and close family”.
On Monday, Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Daniel Greenberg opened an investigation into Sunak under rules demanding MPs are “open and frank” with their interests.
Labour leader Starmer (above) urged the Prime Minister not to “hide behind the process” and to make the details public to “clear this up”.
Starmer said the allegations are “obviously serious”, going on: “The Prime Minister promised integrity and accountability when he came into office so I think he needs to clear this up and declare his interests.
“The register of ministerial interests hasn’t been published for nearly a year so I invite the Prime Minister to publish, at least, his entry on this issue today, clear this up, because he promised transparency.
“Don’t hide behind the process, just come clean and tell everybody what the interest is so people can see it and judge it. That’s what transparency is.”
But Downing Street has so far resisted the call, insisting Sunak “transparently” declared the shares Murty holds as a ministerial interest, rather than to the Commons.
But the register that would reveal whether any possible conflict of interest has been detailed has not been updated in nearly a year.
Downing Street said ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus, who was appointed in December after the post was left vacant by Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, will publish the new list “as quickly as possible”.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesperson told reporters: “You will know that this is something that the independent adviser is looking at, something that I think he publicly said he wants to do as quickly as possible, rather than it being a decision solely for the Prime Minister to make.”
Home Office minister Chris Philp defended Sunak on GB News, insisting “no-one really doubts Rishi’s integrity and ethics”.
“He will work with the Standards Commissioner to clear up any questions that are outstanding.
“But I don’t think there’s anything sinister here, he has made his declaration,” Philp said.
During the Select Committee hearing, Labour MP Catherine McKinnell questioned why childminders will get twice the incentive for joining the profession if they sign up with private agencies.
The Prime Minister went on to write to the committee to say he would like to “clarify for the parliamentary record that this interest has rightly been declared to the Cabinet Office”.
He said the new list of ministerial interests, which has not been updated for nearly a year, will be published “shortly”.
It is not the first time which Sunak has been found to have kept his financial arrangements private.
His wife Murty may have avoided paying up to £20 million in tax thanks to claiming "non-dom" tax status, it emerged in 2022.
And Sunak was revealed to have held a US green-card, meaning he was claiming to be fully resident in the country, while also serving as Chancellor of the UK.
