Who is Nadhim Zahawi? The millionaire ex-chancellor in hot water over his tax affairs

A row over his tax bill threatens to derail the career of the top Tory, who arrived in the UK from Iraq in 11 years old and has since held some of the highest positions in government

Nadhim Zahawi is under intense pressure over his tax affairs (

Image: AFP via Getty Images

Conservative President Nadhim Zahawi is fighting for his survival after an explosive row over his tax affairs.

The former multi-millionaire businessman admitted a "careless and unintentional error" related to the actions of YouGov, the polling company he co-founded.

Mr. Zahawi reportedly paid a multi-million pound fine to resolve the dispute with HMRC last summer when he was Chancellor, meaning he was responsible for UK tax policy.

Rishi Sunak has defied calls for the dismissal of the minister, whom he appointed just three months ago.

Instead, he instructed his anti-sleaze adviser to launch an investigation, which could put the issue on the back burner for months.

The row threatens to derail the career of the top Tory, who came to the UK from Iraq aged 11 and has since held some of the most senior positions in government.< /p>

But with high office came a series of scandals, from attending the controversial President's Club dinner to claiming expenses for his stables.

So who is Nadhim Zahawi?

Nadhim Zahawi leaving Conservative HQ in London today (

Picture:

Ian Vogler/Daily Mirror)

Born in Iraq to Kurdish parents, his family fled Saddam Hussein in the 1970s and arrived in the UK when Mr Zahawi was just 11 years old.

He was educated at a comprehensive school in west London, where he described being bullied and racially abused by classmates and later privately.

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He studied chemical engineering at UCL and pursued a lucrative business career. The Tory co-founded pollster YouGov before being elected to Parliament in 2010.

Mr. Zahawi was elected Tory MP in 2010 for a safe seat in Stratford - but spent nearly eight years in the backseats, where he raked in money from the oil industry.

He was paid £350,000 a year by Gulf Keystone Petroleum between 2015 and 2017, where he served as the company's Chief Strategy Officer alongside H...