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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 24 January 2023
Senior UK Conservatives under fire over tax, finances

By JILL LAWLESS the headlines after media
Associated Press revealed that in 2021, Ca-
LONDON (AP) — U.K. Prime nadian businessman Sam
Minister Rishi Sunak opened Blyth, a distant cousin,
an investigation Monday acted as guarantor for an
into allegations that the 800,000-pound ($993,000)
chairman of the governing line of credit for the then
Conservative Party settled prime minister.
a multimillion-dollar un- Sharp told the Sunday
paid tax bill while he was Times he had “simply con-
in charge of the country’s nected” people and there
Treasury. was no conflict of interest.
It’s one of multiple stories He said Monday that he
about secret loans and had called an internal in-
unpaid taxes causing dis- vestigation at the publicly
comfort for Sunak, who has funded national broad-
faced scrutiny for his own caster “to ensure that all
personal wealth and family the appropriate guidelines
tax arrangements. have been followed.”
Party chairman Nadhim Za- William Shawcross, the
hawi has acknowledged commissioner for public
a dispute with tax authori- appointments, also said he
ties over shares in YouGov, would review Sharp’s hiring
a polling company he co- to ensure it was done “fair-
founded. But he said that ly, openly and on merit.”
the error was “careless and Britain’s Conservative Party Chairman Nadhim Zahawi, center, leaves the Conservative Party Johnson told Sky News that
not deliberate.” head office in Westminster, central London, Monday, Jan. 23, 2023. Sharp “is a good and wise
“So that I could focus on Associated Press man, but he knows abso-
my life as a public servant, September, during the final me and clearly in this case said. lutely nothing about my
I chose to settle the mat- weeks of former Prime Min- there are questions that Sunak took office as U.K. personal finances I can
ter and pay what they said ister Boris Johnson’s tenure. need answering,” he said. leader in October, promis- tell you that for 100% ding
was due, which was the Sunak said Monday he had Angela Rayner, deputy ing “integrity, professional- dang sure.”
right thing to do,” he said in asked his standards advi- leader of the opposition ism and accountability” af- The stories are fuel for op-
a statement. sor, Laurie Magnus, “to in- Labour Party, said that the ter a tumultuous few years ponents who accuse Su-
The BBC and other British vestigate the matter fully standards inquiry was a that saw Johnson ousted nak – a former investment
media reported that the and establish all the facts “pathetic attempt to pass by multiple scandals and banker who is married to
tax bill, including a fine, and provide advice to me the buck” on Sunak’s part. his successor Liz Truss top- the daughter of an Indian
came to almost 5 million on Nadhim Zahawi’s com- “Rishi Sunak’s vote of con- pled within weeks of tak- billionaire – of leading a
pounds ($6.2 million). They pliance with the ministerial fidence in Nadhim Zahawi ing office after her policies government of the wealthy
say the bill was settled code.” is yet another example of rocked the U.K. economy. that is out of touch with
when Zahawi was Treasury “Integrity and account- his weak leadership and Johnson’s financial ar- the struggles of ordinary
chief between July and ability is really important to appalling judgment,” she rangements are back in people.q

France is “very sexist,” watchdog body says, sounding alarm

PARIS (AP) — Five years ing been badgered by she added.
into the #MeToo move- their partners into sexual “Young people, in particu-
ment, French society “re- acts that they didn’t want. lar, are brought up digitally
mains very sexist in all of its Around one in seven of the on these scenes of mun-
spheres,” a government- survey’s women respon- dane violence, of relations
created equality watch- dents said men had forced between men and wom-
dog said in an annual sex on them, and a similar en that are completely of
report Monday that also number reported having domination and dominat-
sounded the alarm about been hit and shoved by ed, and that has impreg-
double-digit rates of sexual their partners, the council nated society,” Pierre-Bros-
violence reported by wom- said. solette said, speaking to
en. The council’s president, broadcaster France Inter.
The High Council for Equal- Sylvie Pierre-Brossolette, “Uprooting sexism is very
ity between Women and expressed particular con- hard,” she added.
Men called for a national cern about sexism among The council’s proposed
“emergency plan” to com- younger men “bathed in 10-point plan of action in- French President Emmanuel Macron speaks a joint press
bat what it described as social media, digital (tech- cluded a call for tougher conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz Sunday, Jan.
“the massive, violent and nology), pornography.” regulation of online con- 22, 2023 at the Elysee Palace in Paris. Associated Press
sometimes lethal conse- She said sexism must be tent. Other suggestions
quences” of sexism against “fought from the young- included making training and others for girls. ond woman to hold the
women. est of ages.” The council against sexism obligatory France has made signifi- post and parliament’s low-
In a survey commissioned will present its findings to in workplaces and banning cant progress in some ar- er house also has its first-ev-
by the council, one-third French President Emmanu- adverts that suggest some eas. Prime Minister Elisa- er woman president, Yaël
of women reported hav- el Macron on Wednesday, children’s toys are for boys beth Borne is only its sec- Braun-Pivet, since June.q