British Conservative Party accused of ‘addiction to sleaze’ as pressure mounts on leader Sunak

Britain’s ruling Conservative Party suffers from an “addiction to sleaze”, opposition leader Keir Starmer said yesterday in a heated exchange with Rishi Sunak as pressure on the Prime Minister intensifies.

Giving a list of black marks on the Tories’ record, Mr Starmer sought to depict a party with a weak leader, which is tearing itself apart.

More than 100 days into his tenure, Mr Sunak is dogged by questions over his handling of a tax scandal involving former party chairman Nadhim Zahawi, bullying allegations against Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab and a loan row involving former prime minister Boris Johnson.

Despite efforts to push his agenda, including pledges to lower inflation, stop illegal immigration and cut healthcare waiting lists, Mr Sunak is plagued by problems.

The saga is inflicting “huge damage” on the country, Mr Starmer said during Prime Minister’s Questions.

“After 13 years in power, trying to blame the Labour Party for his failure to sort out the strikes is rank pathetic,” Mr Starmer, the Labour leader, told MPs. “The Tory Party’s addiction to sleaze and scandal has done huge damage and the cost to the public keeps adding up.”

Mr Sunak was told about Mr Raab’s “unacceptable behaviour” before he appointed him to his cabinet, a Sky News source said.

Mr Sunak’s spokeswoman denied he was aware of “any formal complaints at the time of appointing” Mr Raab.

Mr Starmer also attacked the government’s record on crime, saying it resulted in a “justice system letting murderers walk the street”, and the economy.

The International Monetary Fund has said the UK’s gross domestic product will contract by 0.6 per cent this year, the only major economy it expects to shrink.

Mr Sunak was also criticised over reports Mr Johnson could receive hundreds of thousands of pounds from taxpayers for his Partygate legal bill.

Mr Sunak skirted the question, instead accusing his opponent of cowering in the face of unions conducting strikes.

“He can’t stand up to his union bosses, he can’t stand up for Britain’s schoolchildren today and he can’t stand up for the women in his party,” Mr Sunak said.