Tory Nadhim Zahawi says he’ll stop at basic election as MPs desert Rishi Sunak

Top Tory Nadhim Zahawi has become the latest MP to say he’s quitting at the next election.

The former Chancellor and Education Secretary said it was time for a “new, energetic Conservative” to represent his Stratford-on-Avon after 14 years. His departure comes only a day after Dover MP Natalie Elphicke dramatically defected to Labour with a blast at Rishi Sunak – the second Tory in a fortnight after Dr Dan Poulter also crossed the floor.

More than 60 Tory MPs have said they plan to step down at the election, while eight have already gone, including big figures like Boris Johnson and Nadine Dorries.

In a statement peppered with references from Shakespeare, his most famous constituent, Mr Zahawi said: “With the exception of convincing my wife to marry me, it has been the greatest honour of my life to represent the people of Stratford-on-Avon and serve as a Minister of the Crown.

“But after 14 years in Parliament, and multiple roles in Cabinet and Government, I have come to the decision not to stand again at the next general election.” He went on: “But as my most famous constituent once wrote: ‘Go to your bosom; knock there and ask your heart what it doth know’.

“I have come to feel that the time is right for a new, energetic Conservative to fight for the honour of representing Stratford-on-Avon and assuming the mantle of MP for Shakespeare.” He added: “Parting is such sweet sorrow.”

Mr Zahawi was born in Iraq to Kurdish parents but his family fled Saddam Hussein in the 1970s and arrived in the UK when he was 11-years-old. He has described being bullied and racially abused by his classmates at a West London comprehensive, and not being able to speak English when he arrived.

He went on to have a lucrative business career and became an MP in 2010. He was Vaccine Minister during the pandemic and became Education Secretary in 2021 when Gavin Williamson was sacked.

He went on to become Chancellor in July last year after Rishi Sunak quit Boris Johnson’s collapsing Government – but two days later joined the revolt and told Mr Johnson to step down. He ran to be Tory leader but failed to get enough MP backers.

He later endorsed Liz Truss for the top job – but she sacked him as Chancellor in favour of Kwasi Kwarteng. After her administration collapsed, he was forced into an embarrassing U-turn after he endorsed Mr Johnson to be PM shortly before he pulled out of the race.

Mr Sunak sacked him as Tory chairman last year after Mr Zahawi was found to have breached the ministerial code by hiding the fact he was being investigated by HMRC over his tax affairs when he became Chancellor in the dying days of Boris Johnson’s Government. He later agreed to pay a penalty to HMRC when the dispute was settled, but he again failed to declare this.

Mr Zahawi also failed to declare that he had paid a penalty to HMRC when he was given Cabinet jobs by both Liz Truss and Mr Sunak. The PM’s ethics adviser Laurie Magnus said in a letter: “Mr Zahawi’s conduct as a Minister has fallen below the high standards that, as Prime Minister, you rightly expect from those who serve in your government.”

He also hit the headlines in 2013 when the Sunday Mirror revealed the millionaire claimed for electricity for his stables, as part of a wider bill, other parts of which were allowed under the rules.

Mr Zahawi at first defended his claims but eventually admitted he had made a “mistake”. He said: “I will be paying back any money wrongly claimed immediately and I apologise ­unreservedly.”

He was also reprimanded in 2018 after he attended a men-only charity gala at which female hostesses were allegedly groped. Theresa May faced calls to sack him for attending the Presidents Club gala dinner, where the Financial Times revealed 130 “tall, thin and pretty” women served 300 men at “the most un-PC event of the year”. A No10 source said at the time that he would be “disciplined” and asked “to explain himself”.

The minister tweeted about the event: “I condemn this behaviour. I will never attend a men-only function ever”. Sources said he “felt uncomfortable” and left when the hostesses were introduced.