Hot Water for Sunak
When an incentive for childminders was announced during the budget in March, the chances are that very few people took much notice amidst the other moves made by the Chancellor and the politicking that day. However the Parliamentary Commissioner did take notice because, as we are led to understand, Rishi Sunak’s wife has shares in a childcare firm called Koru Kids.
In fact that firm would benefit greatly from the budget measure which would pay new childminders £600 but £1,200 to those who sign up with agencies like Koru Kids. More childminders working at the firm means more business for Koru Kids and, in turn, greater dividends for shareholders like Sunak’s wife, Akshata Murthy.
The problem is that when Sunak was questioned about childcare policy only three weeks ago by a Parliamentary committee, he said that he had no interest to declare. This is what likely attracted the interest of the Parliamentary Commissioner, Daniel Greenberg, who has now launched an investigation under paragraph six of the MP’s Code of Conduct.