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Labour claims questions remain as company owned by Sunak’s wife is closed

04 Jan 2024 3 minute read
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and wife Akshata Murty image by Toby Melville, PA Images

Questions remain about a company owned by the Prime Minister’s wife which is now being wound up, Labour has said.

Pat McFadden, Labour’s national campaign co-ordinator, has written to the Government amid reports that Akshata Murty’s investment company Catamaran Ventures UK will be liquidated.

Ms Murty’s company made headlines in May last year, when it was revealed by the Sunday Times that it held shares in Study Hall, an education start-up which had received almost £350,000 of UK grant money.

Senior Labour frontbencher Mr McFadden drew attention to a notice on the London Gazette, the official public record, published on December 28, announcing that Catamaran Ventures UK was to be wound up.

Newspaper reports back in September had suggested the process was being undertaken.

Closure

Mr McFadden has now written to Oliver Dowden, the Deputy Prime Minister, urging him to ensure that Rishi Sunak and his wife’s interests continue to be properly declared in the Register of Ministerial Interests amid the company’s closure.

He asked what the impact of Catamaran’s winding up would be on Study Hall and “any other companies in which Catamaran retains a stake”, as well as whether the company would be “fulfilling all its liabilities to the British taxpayer” by arranging to pay any outstanding taxes.

Mr McFadden also referenced the Prime Minister’s most recent appearance at the Commons Liaison Committee, during which he was grilled by a series of senior MPs in December.

At the time, Mr Sunak told the committee’s Tory chair Sir Bernard Jenkin he would write to the group of MPs if he had failed to mention any interests which he later decided were relevant to their questions.

The Prime Minister previously faced a standards probe after concerns he did not declare Ms Murty’s financial interest in Koru Kids, a childcare agency that benefited from a Budget policy providing incentive payments for childminders entering the profession.

Accountability

Regarding the latest Liaison Committee session, Mr McFadden asked: “Will this include any interests beyond Catamaran Ventures and cover responsibilities relating to the Prime Minister’s position both as a Minister and as an MP?”

He added: “It is vital that these questions are answered in the interests of, to quote the Prime Minister himself, ‘integrity, professionalism and accountability’.”

The Prime Minister’s family finances previously faced scrutiny while he was chancellor when the “non-dom” status of his wife was revealed.

Ms Murty declared she would pay UK taxes on all her worldwide income following the controversy.

Downing Street and the Conservative Party were contacted for comment.


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Jeff
Jeff
9 months ago

PM excuses.
“Oh that green card, forgot about that”
“Oh that family business dealing in Russia, forgot about that”
“Oh that WhatsApp message, don’t know about that”
“Oh that seat belt, forgot about that”
“Oh that party going on next door during covid, had my ear phones on”
“Oh that party I went to and got fined for, forgot about that”
“Oh those Moderna shares, don’t know anything about that, handy though”
“Oh that business my wife is involved with, don’t know anything about that”
“Anyone know any helicopter firms I can get free ride from?”

Linda Jones
Linda Jones
9 months ago

The more thats revealed about politicians the more it becomes apparent the UK has to be one of the most corrupt countries in the world

Fi yn unig
Fi yn unig
9 months ago

Pooo! What’s that smell?

Why vote
Why vote
9 months ago

Only one question, why do multi millionaires stand for parliament? Why are they not running their (wives) companies? Or are they not very good at it, so they chose parliament as its harder to run a country and they need the practice I suppose what else could it be?

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