UK premier 'inadvertently' broke MPs’ code of conduct, says political watchdog

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak "inadvertently" broke MPs' code of conduct after failing to declare his wife's financial interest in a childcare company, the country’s political watchdog said on Thursday.

About the inquiry into a potential breach of transparency, Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Daniel Greenberg said that the breach arose out of Sunak’s "confusion" around the rules on declaration and that the inquiry has been closed without the need for further action.

The inquiry was launched into the issue after claims surfaced that the prime minister did not detail his wife’s shares in the Koru Kids company, which was set to benefit from government policy.

Although the premier did not mention his family's financial interest while being questioned by MPs at a committee hearing in March, but later declared it on the register of ministerial interests.

In a letter to the commissioner last week, Sunak said: "Should this scenario arise again, I have acknowledged that I have a duty to write to the Committee after my appearance to correct the record."

"I accept and once again apologise that my letter to the Liaison Committee on 4 April 2023 was not sufficiently expansive, as it confused the language of registration and declaration," he added.