Investigation into PM's declaration of wife's shares extended by standards watchdog

An investigation into allegations that Rishi Sunak failed to declare his wife's financial shares in a childcare agency boosted by the Budget has been extended by a parliamentary watchdog.

The inquiry into the prime minister was opened last week by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Daniel Greenberg. It was investigating paragraph six of the MPs code of conduct, which outlines the need to "always be open and frank".

But it has now been widened to examine whether Mr Sunak also breached the code of conduct over the disclosure of details in relation to the probe.

A Downing Street source said the investigation relates to the shares Mr Sunak's wife, Akshata Murty, holds in the childcare agency Koru Kids - one of six set to benefit by the Budget.

When he appeared before the Liaison Committee last month, Mr Sunak failed to declare the interest when he was asked by Labour MP Catherine McKinnell.

A delayed list of ministerial interests was published last week, for the first time, contained a reference to the shares.

The extension of the probe comes as an investigation has also been opened into suspended MP Scott Benton, over whether his actions have caused "significant damage to the reputation" of the House of Commons, and its members.

It follows an undercover investigation by The Times, which exposed the Blackpool South MP explaining how he could use his position to try and limit reforms to gambling laws.

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said: "While this Prime Minister fails to deliver the integrity he promised and preserves the rotten standards regime he inherited as the Tories resist tighter rules, Labour has a plan to clean up politics with an Independent Ethics and Integrity Commission to restore standards in public life."

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