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Nadhim Zahawi should stand aside as Conservative chairman during an inquiry into his taxes, former Tory minister Caroline Nokes has said.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Rishi Sunak has asked his ethics adviser to investigate Mr Zahawi’s financial affairs, saying there are “questions that need answering”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Mr Zahawi is facing opposition calls to resign after reaching a settlement with HMRC over previously unpaid tax.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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But a fellow minister said he should be allowed to stay on during the probe.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Chris Philp, a minister at the Home Office, added it was “reasonable” for him to stay in post, and it wouldn’t be fair to “jump to any conclusions”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\n- PM orders investigation into Zahawi tax row<\/li>\n
- Key questions about Zahawi’s tax affairs<\/li>\n
- Zahawi determined to stay as Tory chairman – allies<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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He also defended the prime minister’s handling of the controversy, after he initially told MPs last week Mr Zahawi had “addressed this matter in full”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Mr Philp added that Mr Sunak had launched the investigation after “extra facts came to light” over the weekend.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Mr Sunak had been told when appointing Mr Zahawi Conservative Party chairman in October that his taxes were “in order,” Mr Philp added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Mr Zahawi confirmed on Saturday that he had made a payment to settle a dispute with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), adding that the tax authority accepted the error was “careless and not deliberate”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The BBC understands the dispute was resolved between July and September last year, when Mr Zahawi was chancellor under Boris Johnson, and that the total amount paid is in the region of about \u00a35m, including a penalty.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n