'HMRC could look into Rishi Sunak's wife's finances' policing minister tells LBC
10 April 2022, 12:39 | Updated: 10 April 2022, 13:06
HMRC will consider Rishi Sunak's wife's financial dealings in the same way they would look into any person's in the UK, the policing minister has told LBC.
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The Mail on Sunday reports that the authority is being urged to look into whether Akshata Murty would have broken her non-domiciled status in loaning her UK company £4.3 million.
Ms Murty insists she has followed the letter of the law.
It was reported that loans could represent a way for non-doms to get money into the UK without facing tax.
Read more: Inquiry into how Sunak's wife's tax status leaked as 'he hunts Labour-backing official'
Speaking on Swarbrick on Sunday, Kit Malthouse said: "I've no doubt that the revenue examine the tax affairs of politicians in the same way that they do with every other individual in this country.
"There;s no singling out required… so those matters will be looked at, I'm sure, by the revenue the same way they would for anybody else.
"But I'm sure the chancellor's wife will have taken the appropriate advice.
"They've made it very clear in their statements they've complied with all the law and all the regulations as much as they possibly can."
Policing Minister Kit Malthouse quizzed on Sunak's wife's taxes
Ms Murty has now decided to pay UK taxes on overseas income.
Her non-dom status started a controversy as critics considered her arrangement inappropriate, especially with her husband being in charge of public finances.
A Whitehall probe into how her situation was made public through the media is under way.
Ms Murty's spokesperson told the Mail on Sunday that she followed "followed the letter of the law" but declined to answer questions about the loans.
The Chancellor and his wife have moved their home out of their flat at Downing Street to a newly-refurbished home in Kensington, raising questions about whether Mr Sunak is considering calling time on his political career.
He was criticised by opponents for bringing his wife into the spotlight, and jokingly compared himself to Will Smith after his Oscars slap on Chris Rock.
Mr Sunak also faced a backlash when it emerged he held a US green card for more than a year after becoming Chancellor, which allows permanent residence in America and generally brings US tax responsibilities with it.
