'I wouldn't seek US green card or non-dom status' cabinet minister says as he is grilled over Rishi Sunak

A cabinet minister has said that he would never seek a green card or non-dom status – as he was grilled over Rishi Sunak’s household financial affairs.

George Eustice, the environment secretary, was speaking as the chancellor remained in the spotlight over revelations that he held US residency even after he moved into Number 11 while his multi-millionaire wife could have saved tens of millions through holding non-dom status.

Mr Sunak has now asked the prime minister to refer him to Lord Geidt, the independent adviser on ministers’ interests, to determine whether all his interests were “properly declared”.

An investigation is also under way into the leak of details of his wife Akshata Murty’s tax affairs.

A key issue under scrutiny is the chancellor’s admission that he did not give up the US green card he held after living and working in the United States until last autumn, a year and a half after his appointment to the job.

Questioned about whether it was appropriate for a resident of a foreign country to be responsible for UK tax, Mr Eustice told Sky News: “He had a US green card – I’m not an expert on that, I’ve never had one myself nor would I ever seek to have one to be honest.

“He’s now referred himself to the adviser on standards of ministerial interests.

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“Lord Geidt will look at all of this and will make an assessment about whether he declared all the right things at the right time.”

Mr Eustice was also questioned over the tax status of Cabinet colleagues after the scrutiny of the Ms Murty prompted health secretary Sajid Javid to reveal that he had held non-dom status in the past.

Asked if any other ministers might come forward to say the same thing, he said: “I’m not the accountant for my ministerial colleagues in Cabinet.

“I don’t know of anybody who may or may not have had non-dom status.

“I can tell you that I would never have and never seek to have one.”

Asked if he understood public anger over the revelations at a time of a cost of living crisis, Mr Eustice said: “I think people should judge the chancellor.

“The man who is chancellor at the moment has paid all of his taxes, and paid taxes on his income and declared all of that in the UK and has been clear about that.

“Of course there is a pressure on cost of living at the moment, we all recognise that – we all recognise that there are some difficult decisions coming down the tracks when it comes to taxes to help get the NHS back on track but we’re also doing all we can to help people through these difficult times.”

The focus on Ms Murty prompted her last week to declare that she would now pay UK taxes on all her worldwide income, though reports suggest she will still be able to avoid inheritance tax.

On whether that was “morally right”, Mr Eustice pointed out that “she is not the chancellor, she is not in politics”.

He added: “I judge ministerial colleagues based on their performance in the role and I think Rishi Sunak has performed very well as chancellor of the exchequer.”

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