Latest updates: Labour dismisses chancellor’s attempt to regain control of the narrative amid scrutiny over his personal financial interests
- Sunak asks PM for investigation into his own financial affairs
- From non-dom to green card: questions still facing Rishi Sunak
UK growth slowed more than expected in February amid a slump in car manufacturing, despite a sharp recovery in overseas holiday bookings after the easing of Covid restrictions, my colleague Richard Partington reports.
George Eustice, the environment secretary, was on ‘defend the government’ duty on the airwaves this morning and, although he was meant to be talking about government plans to stop councils charging people for dumping DIY waste in tips (in the hope this will reduce fly-tipping), he spent much of his time talking about Rishi Sunak’s family finances. Here are the main points he made.
[Sunak is] very clear that he’s declared everything that should have been declared at the right time and there is a process here that you have as a minister. You declare all your interests to the permanent secretary in your department, and the Cabinet Office then decide which bits should be made public, which bits they should be aware of, there’s a duty of candour in both directions and Rishi’s very clear that he’s been very candid about his own arrangements at every stage.
I don’t think it’s right that we should have a rule that says you’re too wealthy to be able to do a role – what matters is the knowledge, the technical expertise that you have …
You can’t walk a mile in everyone’s shoes, all of us have different perspectives, different experiences in life and for any MP, let alone minister, the single most important thing is an ability to empathise (with) people who might have had experiences and challenges in their life, that you’ve personally not experienced.
