Nadhim Zahawi’s latest resignation letter was one of the all-time classics of the genre: unctuous, preening and pretentious even by the high standard of unctuousness, preeningness and pretentiousness set by his predecessors (including him).
‘Greatest honour of my life,’ he wrote. ‘Best country on earth…it was where I built a Great [capitalisation sic] British business, YouGov, and it was where I raised my wonderful family. And it was the nation to which I was proud to return such a favour when I led the world-leading coronavirus vaccine roll-out […] called upon to serve my country […] I kept schools open […] I ensured […] I was given the unique responsibility…’ On he burbled. And to demonstrate what a classy fellow he is, he even showily quoted his ‘most famous constituent’ – William Shakespeare – not once but twice.
Most of us, in turn, responded to this effusion of misty-eyed patriotism and candid self-love with: ‘Tax blunderer said what?’
Nothing, after all, shows your selfless devotion to your country and your countrymen like paying nearly £5 million in missing taxes and penalties after making a ‘careless mistake’, trying to bully reporters legitimately investigating the matter with legal letters, and getting the taxpayer to fork out to heat your private stables.
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