In A Dispute About Non-Dom Status, Chancellor Rishi Sunak Supports Wife Akshata Murty

Rishi Sunak defended his wife's tax troubles, referring to accusations about her non-domicile status as "unpleasant smears."

Akshata Murty chose to claim non-dom status, which means she is exempt from paying UK tax on her foreign earnings.

According to critics, she might have saved £4.5 million in UK taxes last year.

Although the non-dom arrangement is legal, Labour claims it would be "breathtaking hypocrisy" if the chancellor's wife's tax cost was cut as he hiked taxes for millions of people.

"The chancellor would do well to look a little closer to home," a Labour source said in response to the chancellor's assertions that Labour was unfairly disparaging his wife.

It's evident that No 10 is briefing against Rishi Sunak, and you can see why given his inability to address the cost of living situation."

Mr Sunak told the Sun newspaper that he believes he is the target of a discrediting campaign, stating, "To defame my wife to get at me is horrific."

No 10, on the other hand, has dismissed newspaper suggestions that its employees are leaking harmful information about the chancellor to the press, calling the allegations "categorically wrong" and "baseless."

She receives annual dividend payments on the shares, which were valued at £11.6 million last year.

Ms Murty spends £30,000 a year to preserve her non-domicile status, which allows her to avoid paying tax in the UK on her offshore earnings.

It's unclear whether she pays taxes on her Infosys dividend payouts in India or elsewhere.

Non-dom status can be awarded to those who live in the UK but plan to return home under the laws.

In his Sun interview, Mr Sunak argued that his wife had breached no regulations.

"I'm an elected official," he added, adding that attacking his wife as a "private citizen" was unfair. So I'm aware of what I agreed to.

Ms. Murty, who was born in India, owns a 0.9 percent share in Infosys, the software behemoth founded by her rich father. Her ownership fluctuates in value, but it is worth more than £500 million.