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Becca Monaghan
Apr 07, 2022
At least I didn’t slap anybody for criticising my wife, says Rishi ...
BBC
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has been slammed for metaphorically "laughing at the public" after claims that his millionaire wife has declared non-domicile status in order to save on her tax bill.
A 'non-dom' status can save a person from paying UK tax on income from dividends from foreign investments, rental payments on property overseas or bank interest. Additionally, it means an individual can avoid paying UK inheritance tax. The decision to pay less tax through non-dom status is optional.
Meanwhile, the UK population are required to pay tax on all of their income.
Akshata Murthy's family business is estimated to be worth around £3.5bn. According to two people familiar with her financial arrangements, the 'non-dom' status was used even after Sunak was put in charge of setting taxes for the country in February 2020.
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The tax status could have saved millions in foreign earnings over several years.
The Treasury declined to comment. A representative for Sunak did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
In a statement issued after publication, a spokesperson for Murthy claimed that she had to use non-dom status because of her Indian citizenship.
The spokesperson told The Independent: "Akshata Murty is a citizen of India, the country of her birth and parent's home.
"India does not allow its citizens to hold the citizenship of another country simultaneously. So, according to British law, Ms Murty is treated as non-domiciled for UK tax purposes. She has always and will continue to pay UK taxes on all her UK income."
Inevitably, people were disgusted by the revelation – especially as the cost of living crisis rages on.
Absurd \n1. That this is legal\n2. The chancellor\u2019s own family can do it\u2026while he\u2019s chancellor \n3. NI rises kick in this week. Tax on labour? Sure, squeeze the poor! Tax on wealth? Hands off\n4. Surely leaked by No10 \u201cOperation Save \u2018Big Dog\u2019\u201d in overdrive!https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/rishi-sunak-akshata-murthy-non-dom-wife-tax-b2052251.html\u00a0\u2026— Dr Chris Roberts #HandsOffChannel4 (@Dr Chris Roberts #HandsOffChannel4) 1649269494
Oh come on!!!!!!!!! Seriously!?!?!??\n\nHow in the name of **** are we standing for this utter shower!?!?!https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/rishi-sunak-akshata-murthy-non-dom-wife-tax-b2052251.html\u00a0\u2026— Tony Kent **No Way To Die** (@Tony Kent **No Way To Die**) 1649271072
BREAKING: If you are upset with your national insurance going up, you will be relieved that Chancellor Rishi Sunak's billionaire wife has avoided paying tax through her non-dom status. Isn't it lovely how rich people have a get out clause and you don't? x— Laura Kuenssberg Translator (@Laura Kuenssberg Translator) 1649268073
Tory Chancellor Rishi Sunak refused to put up benefits in line with inflation, most Brits continue to see their taxes rise despite his supposed \u201ccuts\u201d BUT his billionaire wife will save millions in tax by claiming \u201cnon-dom\u201d status. #DoubleStandardspic.twitter.com/h0Ifek6IjZ— Diane Abbott MP (@Diane Abbott MP) 1649269777
Why is it the richest among us always manage to find a way to pay the least in tax?https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/rishi-sunak-akshata-murthy-non-dom-wife-tax-b2052251.html\u00a0\u2026— Tim Walker (@Tim Walker) 1649266582
This is why we can't keep Rishi Sunak's wife name out of our mouths.pic.twitter.com/lKLEXO6TO5— Mukhtar (@Mukhtar) 1649265317
Rishi Sunak is laughing at you pic.twitter.com/6EpaCkBces— Angela Rayner (@Angela Rayner) 1649311892
The Chancellor has big questions to answer. \n\nHe must urgently explain how much he has benefited at the same time he was putting taxes up for millions of working families and choosing to leave them \u00a32620 a year worse off.https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/rishi-sunak-akshata-murthy-non-dom-wife-tax-b2052251.html\u00a0\u2026— Tulip Siddiq (@Tulip Siddiq) 1649271686
Rishi Sunak is in charge of tax policy. And he has a conflict of interest when it comes to making choices about who and how to tax because his wife is vastly wealthy and a non-dom. \n\nBut, really, it's worse. He has chosen to raise taxes in ways that protect vastly wealthy people.— Jo Maugham (@Jo Maugham) 1649310725
Non-Dom tax status is arguably the single most obscene, absurd and outrage aspect of life in the UK. No other comparable country has anything like it. Every non-dom knows full well what a total joke it is. And Rishi Sunak is making an absolute fortune out of it.https://twitter.com/Annaisaac/status/1511747061888307206\u00a0\u2026— Tom Peck (@Tom Peck) 1649267021
If Rishi Sunak's billionaire wife has been avoiding tax in the UK, then Rishi Sunak should not be allowed to be chancellor in the UK— RD Hale (@RD Hale) 1649272911
I mostly think spouses aren't fair game in politics but - non dom status was a big issue in 2015 election, Treasury makes policy on it, sorry but this is absolutely a matter of public interesthttps://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/apr/06/rishi-sunaks-wife-claims-non-domicile-status\u00a0\u2026— gabyhinsliff (@gabyhinsliff) 1649274291
The Labour Party has since called on Sunak to "urgently explain" how much his family has saved on tax bills.
Shadow climate secretary Ed Milliband and deputy leader Angela Rayner have argued for an inquest to be held. Milliband told GMB it needs to be looked at, while Rayner said, "Rishi Sunak is laughing at you", adding that he has his own "important questions" to answer about holdings in his wife's company.
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