Was Boris Johnson behind revelations over Rishi Sunak’s wife? Some in Westminster suspect so

Normally, a PM and a chancellor sink or swim together. But this is not normal politics, writes Andrew Grice

While Johnson’s ratings among Conservative Party members have bounced back, Sunak’s have plummeted (AFP via Getty)

The Independent’s revelation of the non-domicile tax status of Rishi Sunak’s wife has added to the tensions and atmosphere of mutual suspicion between the chancellor and Boris Johnson.

The chancellor views the disclosure as a Labour smear campaign, while some of his allies suspect the hand of Downing Street. Blaming the opposition is an old trick; the latter charge is so incendiary, however, that No 10 and the Treasury must deny it. But only a handful of officials knew about Akshata Murty’s tax status. The fact that the Downing Street theory is taken seriously in Westminster tells us a lot about the Johnson-Sunak relationship.

Normally, a PM and a chancellor sink or swim together. But this is not normal politics, because of Johnson’s weakness; he is still fighting to save his premiership. “Ukraine has postponed the reckoning on Partygate, but it will happen,” one senior Tory MP told me. So anything that weakens a likely successor helps him, boosting the chances that Tory MPs will stick with him for the next general election in the absence of a PM in waiting.