Starmer: PM Has Questions To Answer Over Grant Money For Firm His Wife Has Stake In

Sir Keir Starmer has said the prime minister has "questions to answer" following reports a company in which his wife holds a stake was given public money.

- PATRICK DALY

It was reported that Study Hall, an education start-up that an investment company controlled by Rishi Sunak's wealthy spouse Akshata Murty has a financial interest in, was given almost £350,000 of UK grant money.

Study Hall is described on the grant award by Innovate UK as a firm that is "developing learning and assessment a cutting-edge AI-based adaptive platform that can accelerate student progress".

Mr Sunak faces a separate probe by the Commons standards tsar into concerns the Conservative Party leader did not properly declare his wife's shares in a childcare agency that benefited from the Budget.

Labour leader Sir Keir, speaking about the Study Hall grant during a visit to Blackpool, Lancashire, said: "I think there are questions to answer in relation to this. There seems to be an emerging pattern of behaviour here, so I think the sooner those questions are answered the better."

The grant was awarded by Innovate UK, an arm's-length body funded by government money that provides financial assistance and other support to companies developing new products or services.