It is time for Rishi Sunak to show his ruthless side

Editorial: Rishi Sunak needs to be very clear about when and whether he knew about Nadhim Zahawi’s tax affairs – and he needs to do it before much more damage is done

(Dave Brown)

Never waste a good crisis” goes the old political dictum; sometimes attributed to Winston Churchill, sometimes to Machiavelli, sometimes to Mark Twain.

Wherever it originated, it seems the best advice for Rishi Sunak in his present predicament. The Zahawi scandal – for that is what it amounts to – is draining credibility from Mr Sunak’s government, damaging his party and further eroding the early goodwill Mr Sunak enjoyed when he became prime minister only three months ago.

As the details of Mr Zahawi’s tax affairs seep messily into the public domain, and his previous public statements and details come under uncomfortable scrutiny, Mr Sunak’s approval ratings – once one of the few positive signs of hope for the Tories – sink still further.