PMQs: Things get personal between Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak as PM faces Tory tax questions

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Rishi Sunak faced uncomfortable Prime Minister’s Questions after resisting mounting pressure to sack his party chairman Nadhim Zahawi over allegations that he has avoided paying tax.

Several unanswered questions remain relating to the multi-million pound fine the Conservative Party chairman has admitted he paid to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) during his time as chancellor – which he blamed on a “careless” error.

Labour leader Keir Starmer used the opportunity to grill the Prime Minister after he ordered an ethics probe into the row and has stated he was not aware until the weekend about Mr Zahawi’s dealing with HMRC.

“Is [Mr Sunak] starting to wonder if this job is not just too big for him?” Sir Keir asked.

Mr Sunak responded: “The difference between him and me is that I stand by my values and my principles even when it is difficult.

“When I disagreed fundamentally with the previous prime minister I resigned from the Government.

“But for four long years he sat next to the member for Islington North [Jeremy Corbyn] when antisemitism ran rife, when his predecessor sided with our opponents.

“He has no principles, just petty politics.”

“We all know why the Prime Minister was reluctant to ask his Party chair questions about family finances and tax avoidance,” Sir Keir tells the House.

“But his failure to sack him when the whole country can see what’s going on shows how hopelessly weak he is.

“A Prime Minister overseeing chaos, overwhelmed at every turn. He can’t say when ambulances will get to heart attack victims again, he can’t say when the prison system will keep streets safe again, he can’t even deal with tax avoiders in his own Cabinet.”

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