Nadhim Zahawi is a British politician who served in various ministerial positions under prime ministers Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak from 2018 to 2023.
52 Facts About Nadhim Zahawi
2.
Nadhim Zahawi last served as Chairman of the Conservative Party and Minister without Portfolio from 25 October 2022, until he was dismissed by Sunak on 29 January 2023.
3.
Nadhim Zahawi joined Theresa May's government as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families in the 2018 reshuffle.
4.
Less than 48 hours later, Nadhim Zahawi withdrew his support for Johnson and publicly called on him to resign, which Johnson did shortly afterwards.
5.
Nadhim Zahawi was a candidate to succeed Johnson in the Conservative Party leadership election, but was eliminated from the ballot after the first round of voting, and subsequently supported Truss's bid to become Conservative leader.
6.
Nadhim Zahawi was born in Baghdad, Iraq, to a prominent family from Khanaqin within the Kurdish Feyli tribe.
7.
Nadhim Zahawi's father is a director of Balshore Investments Ltd, Gibraltar.
8.
Nadhim Zahawi was educated at Holland Park School, before moving to Ibstock Place School and then at King's College School, an independent school in Wimbledon, London, followed by University College London, where he earned a BSc degree in chemical engineering in 1988.
9.
Nadhim Zahawi produced clothing with licensed designs, ranging from Warner Brothers to World Cup '98 to the Teletubbies.
10.
In 2008, Nadhim Zahawi became a non-executive director of SThree, a specialist staffing organisation.
11.
Nadhim Zahawi stepped down from the role in October 2017.
12.
In November 2013, it was reported by the Birmingham Mail newspaper that in May 2011 Nadhim Zahawi used as a mortgage lender Berkford Investments Limited, based in the low-tax British overseas territory of Gibraltar, to finance the purchase of his constituency home 'Oaklands' riding stables estate in Upper Tysoe, near Stratford-upon-Avon, in Warwickshire.
13.
In July 2022, it was reported that despite being one of the two key founders of YouGov, Nadhim Zahawi was issued no founder shares in the company.
14.
Nadhim Zahawi instructed libel lawyers to seek a withdrawal of allegations by tax lawyer Dan Neidle that one of Zahawi's denials of tax avoidance was based on a lie.
15.
In January 2023, The Guardian was told Nadhim Zahawi agreed to pay a penalty to HMRC in relation to his tax affairs.
16.
Nadhim Zahawi ran Archer's unsuccessful campaign for Mayor of London in 1998.
17.
Nadhim Zahawi was elected as a Conservative councillor in Putney in the London Borough of Wandsworth, serving three terms from 1994 to 2006, and stood as a parliamentary candidate at Erith and Thamesmead in 1997, coming second to Labour.
18.
In February 2010, Nadhim Zahawi was selected by the local Conservative Association for Stratford-on-Avon as their prospective parliamentary candidate for the 2010 general election.
19.
Nadhim Zahawi was elected the Member of Parliament for Stratford-on-Avon on 6 May 2010.
20.
Nadhim Zahawi was re-elected in 2015,2017 and 2019.
21.
In October 2013, Nadhim Zahawi became a member of the Number 10 Policy Unit.
22.
In November 2013, Nadhim Zahawi apologised after it was reported that he had claimed expenses for electricity used to run the stables on his private estate.
23.
Nadhim Zahawi is vice-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Kurdistan Region in Iraq, which receives secretarial support from Gulf Keystone Petroleum International, an oil company of which Nadhim Zahawi was Chief Strategy Officer.
24.
Nadhim Zahawi backed Britain's withdrawal from the European Union, arguing that the European Union will never be willing to change its rules and that the United Kingdom should take back control over a variety of issues.
25.
Nadhim Zahawi became the first Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment in November 2020.
26.
In December 2020, Nadhim Zahawi stated that over 137,000 people in the UK had received a coronavirus vaccine in the first week of the UK's vaccination programme, with Nadhim Zahawi describing it as a "really good start".
27.
On 14 February 2021, Nadhim Zahawi said that at least 15 million people in the UK had had their first COVID-19 vaccine.
28.
In January 2022, after he had left this role, Nadhim Zahawi tested positive for COVID-19.
29.
In February 2021, Nadhim Zahawi said there were no plans to introduce vaccine passports to travel abroad, describing them as "discriminatory".
30.
Nadhim Zahawi said people could talk to their doctor if they needed written evidence to travel.
31.
On 15 September 2021, Nadhim Zahawi became Secretary of State for Education in a cabinet reshuffle, replacing Gavin Williamson.
32.
In 2022, Nadhim Zahawi drew up guidance on how to accommodate transgender pupils with input from Suella Braverman, the then attorney-general.
33.
Nadhim Zahawi criticised a school where a female pupil had critically questioned a speaker after a talk on transphobia in October 2021.
34.
Nadhim Zahawi was promoted to Chancellor of the Exchequer on 5 July 2022 following the resignation of Rishi Sunak earlier that day.
35.
Nadhim Zahawi called for Johnson's resignation in the morning of 7 July 2022, despite previously supporting Johnson and accepting an appointment as Chancellor less than 48 hours earlier.
36.
On 9 July 2022, Nadhim Zahawi announced his candidacy in the July 2022 Conservative Party leadership election saying he planned to "steady the ship and to stabilise the economy" by reviving low-tax Thatcherism.
37.
On 13 July 2022, Nadhim Zahawi was eliminated from the contest after failing to secure the support of 30 MPs required to reach the next round.
38.
Minutes after Johnson announced he would not be running, The Telegraph published an article from Nadhim Zahawi entitled "Get ready for Boris 2.0, the man who will make the Tories and Britain great again".
39.
The article was deleted and hours later, Nadhim Zahawi announced he was backing Rishi Sunak.
40.
On 6 September 2022, under the new Truss Ministry, Nadhim Zahawi was replaced by Kwasi Kwarteng as Chancellor and instead appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Minister for Equalities and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations.
41.
Nadhim Zahawi was replaced in the Sunak Ministry as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster by Oliver Dowden on the 25 October 2022.
42.
On 25 October 2022, Nadhim Zahawi was made Chairman of the Conservative Party and Minister without portfolio upon Rishi Sunak becoming Prime Minister.
43.
In December 2022, Nadhim Zahawi said nurses should call off their strikes and pay demands because it risked playing into the hands of Vladimir Putin, who he said, wanted to fuel inflation.
44.
The Prime Minister dismissed Nadhim Zahawi immediately, following the report from the Independent Adviser.
45.
Nadhim Zahawi's reply did not mention the breaches or contain an apology for them.
46.
Nadhim Zahawi failed to declare the HMRC investigation to his permanent secretary, and failed to disclose it in his ministerial declaration of interests.
47.
Nadhim Zahawi failed to disclose it to Prime Ministers Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.
48.
Nadhim Zahawi was sworn in as a member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom on 20 September 2021 at Balmoral Castle.
49.
Nadhim Zahawi is a member of the private members' club Soho House.
50.
Nadhim Zahawi spoke out against the policy and urged that the UK should not turn a blind eye to it.
51.
In January 2018, it was reported in the media that Nadhim Zahawi was one of the attendees at a men-only dinner event organised by the Presidents Club at the Dorchester Hotel in London.
52.
Nadhim Zahawi has stated that he will never attend such a men-only event again.