Former Stratford MP Nadhim Zahawi tipped for House of Lords seat

FORMER Stratford MP Nadhim Zahawi is being tipped for a peerage.

Mr Zahawi, according to the Daily Mail, could receive a place in the House of Lords as part of Rishi Sunak’s resignation honours list.

The former chancellor was previously spoken about as a potential candidate for a peerage, but Mr Zahawi’s political career was then consumed in controversy.

Mr Zahawi, who did not contest the Stratford seat in this year’s general election, was sacked in January last year as the Conservative Party chairman over his tax affairs.

He was sacked by Mr Sunak, who was prime minister at the time, after the findings of an independent investigation into the multi-millionaire’s tax affairs had concluded there was a serious breach of the ministerial code.

In a letter to Mr Zahawi, Mr Sunak wrote: “Following the completion of the independent advisor’s investigation – the findings of which he has shared with us both – it is clear there has been a serious breach of the ministerial code. As a result, I have informed you of my decision to remove you from your position in His Majesty’s government.”

It was reported Mr Zahawi paid nearly £5 million to HMRC to settle the alleged tax dispute and a potential penalty.

However, many will remember Mr Zahawi for his work as vaccines minister during the Covid pandemic - a performance which helped him onto the Conservative’s front bench and could now see him rewarded with a peerage.