Starmer defends attack on Rishi Sunak's millionaire wife over Russia

Keir Starmer defends attack on Rishi Sunak’s millionaire wife over her business interests in Russia saying Chancellor needs to ‘come clean’ after minister likened himself to WILL SMITH over ‘upsetting criticism’

• Sunak last night launched an astonishing defence of wife Akshata Murthy
• Compared himself to Will Smith, who slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars
• But Sir Keir insisted it was right to ask questions about her financial affairs 
• She has £490m stake in family firm Infosys, which still operates in Russia 

Keir Starmer defended his political attack on Rishi Sunak’s millionaire wife today, insisting the Chancellor must ‘come clean’ over whether she has profited investments linked to Russia.

Mr Sunak last night launched an astonishing defence of Akshata Murthy, likening himself to the actor Will Smith, who slapped Chris Rock for insulting his wife at the Oscars.

The Chancellor complained that his spouse was not ‘fair game’ after questions were raised about her 0.91 per cent stake in Infosys, a company founded by her father, which continues to operate in Russia. 

But Sir Keir insisted it was right to ask questions about her financial affairs. The Ministerial Code states that ministers must declare all financial interests that could lead to a conflict, including ‘the Minister’s spouse or partner and close family’.

The UK has sanctions in place on Russian oligarchs and businesses and Mr Sunak has personally urged firms not to do business with Moscow. 

Sir Keir told Sky News he agreed with the ‘general argument’ that families should not be dragged into politics, but said it was also in the public interest to know whether Rishi Sunak’s wife was benefiting from Russia-related interests.  

He said: ‘So far as the Chancellor’s wife is concerned, there’s just a fundamental principle, is their household benefiting from money made in Russia when the Government has put in place sanctions? 

Mr Sunak last night launched an astonishing defence of Akshata Murthy, likening himself to the actor Will smith, who slapped Chris Rock for insulting his wife at the Oscars

Mr Sunak suggested his experience was similar to Will Smith – who dramatically slapped comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars for joking about his alopecia-suffering wife’s bald head (pictured)

‘That is in the public interest for us to have an answer to – I’m not attacking their family but I do want to know if the Chancellor’s household is benefiting from money from a company that’s investing in Russia when the Government is saying quite rightly that nobody should be doing that.’ 

In an interview with BBC Newscast, Mr Sunak suggested his experience was similar to Will Smith – who dramatically slapped comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars for joking about his alopecia-suffering wife’s bald head.

He joked: ‘Someone said, ‘Joe Root, Will Smith, and me – not the best of weekends for any of us’.

‘But I feel, on reflection, both Will Smith and me having our wives attacked – at least I didn’t get up and slap anybody, which is good.’

Mr Sunak added: ‘You know, I think it’s totally fine for people to take shots at me. It’s fair game. I’m the one sitting here and that’s what I signed up for.

‘Actually, it’s very upsetting and, I think, wrong for people to try and come at my wife, and you know, beyond that actually, with regard to my father-in-law, for whom I have nothing but enormous pride and admiration for everything that he’s achieved, and no amount of attempted smearing is going to make me change that because he’s wonderful and has achieved a huge amount, as I said, I’m enormously proud of him.’ 

Ms Murthy has a stake believed to be worth £490million in technology giant Infosys.

The firm, which is owned by her father, NR Narayana Murthy, has an office in Moscow. But as it is Indian-owned it is not subject to UK sanctions. 

Delhi has so far refused to follow the West’s example and hit Putin’s war machine economically and businesses continue to trade there.

 Ms Murty herself runs fashion label Akshata Designs and is also a director of a venture capital firm founded by her father in 2010.

The couple have two daughters and live in a magnificent Georgian manor house in the small village of Kirby Sigston, just outside Northallerton in North Yorkshire. Mr Sunak is a multi-millionaire in his own right thanks to his investment career. 

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