Rishi Sunak inadvertently failed to declare childcare interest, rules MPs watchdog

PM Rishi Sunak has failed to correctly declare his wife’s financial interest in a childminding agency, and the MPs watchdog has ruled.

Daniel Greenberg, the parliamentary commissioner for standards, said this arose out of “confusion” about the rules and was “inadvertent”.

In a letter to Mr Greenberg, the PM said he accepted the ruling and apologised.

The inquiry is closed and the PM will not face further action.

Mr Greenberg received a complaint following the PM’s appearance before MPs on the Commons Liaison Committee in March. During the session, the PM was questioned about his policy to provide payments to encourage people who become childminders. The cash would be doubled for those who signed up through six private childcare firms listed on the UK government’s website, with the money being used to cover the firms’ fees.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s wife Akshata Murty was a shareholder in one of those private firms. But when asked if he had any declarations to make Sunak said “no, all my disclosures are declared in the normal way.”