The UK Government were slammed as “chancers” as it emerged that the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer’s wife is registered with HMRC as a non-dom, potentially saving her family millions in tax bills over recent years.
It emerged on Wednesday that Akshata Murthy, married to Rishi Sunak for 13 years, has used the non-dom scheme, which allows income from overseas to stay outwith the UK tax system, for a number of years after registering with HMRC – a department her husband is responsible for.
Ms Murthy is believed to be personally worth around £400m and is the daughter of a billionaire computer tycoon.
News of the tax avoidance scheme broke on the same day that National Insurance deductions were raised by 10% for any worker earning over £9,880 a year.
The MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, Gavin Newlands, said the revelations “stink to high heaven.”
He added:
“The revelations of the millionaire UK Chancellor and his family enjoying non-dom, tax avoiding status, are appalling and show how morality and integrity are dirty words to this Government
“There’s no suggestion so far that the Chancellor’s wife broke the rules, or indeed, the law, but given he is the Minister responsible for the UK’s tax system and for HMRC this entire episode, like so many linked to the Tory Government, stinks to high heaven.
“He needs to be clear and outline exactly how much he and his family have benefitted from avoiding paying tax in the UK, as well as which overseas governments are receiving tax payments on this income.
“We are in the middle of the biggest cost of living crisis since the 1970s, and million of households across our country are having to make hard choices about their day to day lives, thanks in part to the inaction of the Chancellor and his collection of cronies and chancers.
“Perhaps if he spent a bit more time thinking about the needs of ordinary people and a bit less time defending his tax avoiding wife’s behaviour, we might all see the benefit.
In my view, which I’m sure will be shared by millions of people right across the country, his position as Chancellor, in light of these revelations, is untenable. Moreover, given what the Government are expecting the rest of us to swallow at the moment, I would question whether he should be a member of this Government at all.”