Senior Tory MP urges Zahawi to stand aside as party chairman

NADHIM ZAHAWI'S future as Tory party chairman looked in increasing doubt today as a senior MP urged him to stand aside from the post during a probe into his tax affairs.

- Nicholas Cecil 

Rishi Sunak yesterday ordered an inquiry by his ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus into Mr Zahawi's tax situation saying there were "questions to answer", including possibly on compliance with the ministerial code.

But Home Office minister Chris Philp appeared today to raise the level of concern to "very serious questions". The row seems to centre on whether the Cabinet minister had been fully open with the Government over a tax settlement that he reached with HM Revenue and Customs over the sale of shares in YouGov, a company which he co-founded.

Mr Zahawi denies any wrongdoing and has pledged to co-operate fully with Sir Laurie, the PM's independent adviser on ministerial interests. However, Caroline Nokes, chair of the Commons women and equalities committee, told BBC Breakfast: "Nadhim should stand aside until this matter is all cleared up."

 Mr Sunak defended the party chairman at Prime Minister's Questions last Wednesday, saying he had addressed the matter in full.