UK parliament’s standards watchdog expands PM Sunak probe

Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak gestures as he delivers a speech on stage as he hosts a Business Connect event in north London, April 24, 2023. (POOL PHOTO VIA AP)

LONDON – The British parliament's standards commissioner has expanded his investigation into Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, according to the latest list of open inquiries published on the parliament website on Monday.

The investigation, over whether Sunak properly declared his wife's shareholding in a childcare company which stands to benefit from new government policy, was first opened on April 13.

READ MORE: Sunak investigated over wife's interest in UK childcare firm

The commissioner is responsible for the House of Commons code of conduct and investigates any alleged breaches.

The list of inquiries showed the investigation was extended on April 20 to cover the part of the code which says members of parliament should not disclose the details of any investigation by the commissioner.

At the time the investigation was made public, the prime minister's spokesperson confirmed it was linked to the childcare firm and said Sunak's wife's shareholding in Koru Kids had been transparently declared.

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"I am not going to speculate on what the commissioner is or isn't looking into," Sunak's spokesman said on Monday when asked about the extension to the investigation.