"It’s spread like wildfire."
In the race to succeed Boris Johnson, a “dirty dossier” or “mucky memo” against Rishi Sunak has been shared amongst Tory WhatsApp groups.
The 424-word attack shared by The Sunday Telegraph contains personal attacks branding the former Chancellor a “schoolboy” and a “liar”, who cannot be trusted on tax.
Headlined “Get Ready for Rishi”, after Sunak’s Ready4Rishi campaign launch, the memo brands the MP as having a “Big Tax and Big Spend” agenda.
The Sunday Telegraph quoted a source as saying: “It’s coming from that Thatcherite wing of the party that was loyal to Boris.”
The source added: “There’s a lot of runners and riders and a frontrunner at the moment trying to create a coronation scenario.
“The dossier would suggest that he’s actually got a pretty poor record that’s not opinion, it’s fact.
“This is about winning the next general election. That’s why it’s being circulated. It’s spread like wildfire.
“There won’t be a Tory MP who hasn’t seen it by now.”
The memo criticises Sunak, saying he “publicly lied” when seeking to explain his wife Akshata Murty’s legal non-domicile tax status.
Pointing to the fact he held a Green Card to work in the US 18 months into his chancellorship, casts doubt over his claim that “his resignation within minutes of (fellow Cabinet minister Sajid Javid) was an unplanned coincidence”.
The memo further points out that he launched his campaign for the leadership of the Conservative Party with a website domain registered in December 2021.
Now, an ally of Priti Patel has admitted sharing the “dirty dossier” sent around Tory WhatsApp groups.
Patrick Robertson is thought to be helping to run Patel’s campaign to become Tory leader.
The memo’s author is listed as Robertson and it was created on July 9, 2022, according to the document properties.
Patrick Robertson told The Times: “You won’t find my properties on it or my name on it because it wasn’t me.
“I received it myself and sent it to other people. It’s got nothing to do with me.”
Tax, over which Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson are known to have clashed, will become a central focus of the leadership campaign.
Sunak urged in his campaign launch video to not be swayed by “fairy tales”.
He questioned: “Do we confront this moment with honesty, seriousness and determination or do we tell ourselves comforting fairy tales that might make us feel better in the moment but will leave our children worse off tomorrow.”
Many in Johnson’s camp see his departure as being precipitated by Sunak’s resignation and are therefore determined to block his campaign.
Sir Charles Walker, a former vice-chairman of the 1922 committee of Tory backbenchers, told The Observer:
“Clearly the Prime Minister remains deeply bruised by the Chancellor’s resignation.
“Rishi’s camp will have to soak up a lot of anger over the days to come. That will apply to whoever takes over.”
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