The chancellor sent a letter to the prime minister requesting that his statements be submitted to Lord Geidt, the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Interests, amid growing scrutiny of his tax affairs. It comes as a Whitehall investigation is under way to find out if officials shared details of the tax arrangements with Sunak’s wife, Akshata Murty, after The Independent revealed she was claiming non-resident status. In a statement posted on Twitter, Mr Sunak said: “I have always followed the rules and I hope such a review will provide further clarity.” In a letter to Mr Johnson, the chancellor said “his overriding concern” was to maintain public confidence in the answers given, urging “Lord Gide to make public all his conclusions”. Mr Sunak asked Lord Geidt to review each of the declarations of interest he had made since becoming minister and to reach a judgment on whether they had been properly declared “without prejudice or favor”. Earlier Sunday, Labor Vice President Angela Rayner wrote to both Johnson and Lord Geidt – providing a detailed set of questions for Mr Sunak that she said needed to be answered. These included whether Mr. Sunak had ever benefited from the use of tax havens – especially when he ran hedge funds before becoming an MP – and whether he had received updates on his blind trust since becoming chancellor. Labor also questioned whether Mr Sunak had legally promised in the US when he received his green card that it was his permanent residence and, if so, whether he was a legal US resident when he entered parliament and became a minister. Ms Reiner also sought reassurance that the chancellor and his family would provide “full transparency” about all their income abroad and where they pay taxes. “The chaos caused by the Conservatives over the past week must end,” Ms. Reiner said. The Labor MP added: “A fish is rotting from the head. It is the responsibility of the Prime Minister to complete this catastrophe by ensuring that the standards are observed throughout the cabinet. “ Mr Sunak, meanwhile, is facing a separate move by the opposition to “force” him to clear up his family’s tax cases, as the chancellor has ordered the source of the leaks to be sought. The Liberal Democrats have now drafted a bill that would force all ministers to disclose whether they or their spouses claim to be non-residents – and whether they are involved in tax havens abroad. It comes after the Independent also revealed allegations that Mr Sunak had been registered as a tax haven in the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands, which were set up to handle the financial affairs of his wife’s family’s interests. Earlier Sunday, Yvette Cooper, the shadow interior minister, said Mr Sunak should be fully transparent about his family’s tax regime. He told the BBC’s Sunday Morning Show: “The lack of transparency raises questions about the conflict of interest, but it also concerns basic justice. I do not think the chancellor understands that. “This raises real questions about his judgment.” There is no indication that either Mr Sunak or Ms Murty have broken the law through their tax arrangements. But the chancellor’s position among Tory lawmakers has been shaken by details and his admission that he had a US green card for the first 19 months on Downing Street. Home Secretary Keith Malthouse defended the chancellor on Sunday, but said it was “not a great time” to reveal Mrs. Mertie’s tax system as millions of people struggle with a cost-of-life crisis. Mr Malthus told Sky News: “People’s tax case is private and should be private and should not be disclosed unless they want to be disclosed.” The Minister of Police added: “I think that of course he would like to understand how their personal confidential information was accessed. We need to think about the integrity of our tax system. “ Mr Sunak’s team is believed to be a Labor-backed official known as the “red-necked” leaker, as the chancellor’s family moves from Downing Street to their home in west London. Sources close to Mr Sunak downplayed reports that he was transporting his wife and two daughters to escape the media spotlight, as a photo showed removal trucks arriving to pick up his belongings. But a source said Sunak always intended to spend more time at their home in west London to be closer to their daughter’s school. Mr. Sunak is now expected to stay on Downing Street during the week and be with them on the weekends.
