UK FM faces further fire over wife’s tax status

LONDON, Apr 07 (AFP): UK finance minister (FM) Rishi Sunak, once a leading contender to become prime minister, faced new criticism on Thursday after it emerged his Indian wife holds non-domiciled status, shielding her from UK taxes.
Akshata Murthy, daughter of Indian billionaire N. R. Narayana Murthy, confirmed she "is treated as non-domiciled for UK tax purposes" following a report by The Independent newspaper.
That means the multi-million-pound returns from her stake in family business Infosys over the past year were liable to be taxed outside Britain.
Sunak was already at a low ebb, his popularity plummeting as UK citizens tackle a cost-of-living crisis caused by surging inflation after the coronavirus pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
A recent YouGov poll showed his rating falling by 24 per centage points over the past two weeks, following a budget statement that was criticised for ignoring the plight of struggling Britons.
He also faced questions over his wife's stake in Infosys after it emerged the IT giant was still doing business in Russia, despite the UK government's sanctions on President Vladimir Putin's regime.