Is This the End of Tory Finger Wagging?

"But you do it too!" as Mark Thompson pointed out was not the best defence of the Tories over Lord Ashcroft's non-dom status.

The 'innocent' plea of I'll only do it one I am required to do so, from Ashcroft himself showed how weak and ineffectual first William Hague and latterly David Cameron have been in holding their own peers to promises that they have made to the party.

But now Lord Paul has announced that rather than wait until he told to do so, he will pay full UK tax on his overseas earnings from the start of the next tax year, that is from the 6 April. So if Lord Paul is doing it before any requirement to do so, what now Lord Ashcroft the ball is back in the Conservative court.

The Cost of a Vote in Belize

Is Lord Ashcroft getting value for money?

I found this interesting analysis on the election campaign in Belize, where Lord Ashcroft would really like to be domiciled.

"The price of a vote varies country wide. But there are reports that in the Corozal South Division, a vote is worth a $1000? But in Corozal town a vote is only worth $300 and in Belize City a vote can be bought for $20 by the incumbents. Why the big difference in the price of vote buying, is not known? But obviously the port of Belize City voters are being treated as dumb cheapskates and not worth much?

"The last two elections show a growing maturity among the nation's 115,000 voters."

Maybe the £4-5 million he is spending here would get him far better results in Belize.

Non-Doms - In the Tories Own Words

"I think it time to pass a law that says that if you want to be in the Houses of Parliament, if you want to be a legislator, you need to be or be treated as a full UK taxpayer."

"There are members of the House of Lords whose tax status is unclear. If you want to sit in the House of Lords or Commons you have to be a fully resident UK taxpayer.

"We would pass that law if we get elected. We would pass it straight away, we would bring it into force as rapidly as we could. I think that would put the situation beyond doubt."

So said David Cameron in a Sky news interview on 12 December last year.


So what have the Tories said about non-dom status of MPs and Lords over the years? Especially over the status of major donor Lord Ashcroft.

David Cameron

1 December 2009 "[Zac Goldsmith]'s obviously going to end this status and become a full UK taxpayer and he needs to do that as rapidly as can be done." Adding that all candidates for Westminster should do likewise.

2 December 2007 "I am satisfied that the undertakings [Lord Ashcroft] gave are being met and I've reassurances.....that he is resident in the UK and pays taxes in the UK."

5 February 2008 "[Lord Ashcroft] gave assurances, I've sought assurances about them. I've been given them and I'm happy to leave it at that."

Lord Ashcroft

Statement before enoblement

9 December 1999 "Mr Ashcroft has told The Times that he recognises the concern about foreign funding and that he intends to reorganise his affairs in order to return to live in Britain."

William Hague

Apparently saying it was a done deal. Letter to Number supporting his peerage 1999.

"This decision will cost him 9and benefit the Treasury) tens of millions a year yet he considers it worthwhile."

George Osborne

On 14 February 2010 was asked in a Sky interview five times about Ashcroft's status, the best he could come up with about someone who's donated more than £4 million to the Tory war chest was, "Lord Ashcroft's tax affairs are a matter between him and the Inland Revenue."

Eric Pickles

5 December 2009 When asked about Ashcroft's tax status: "He'll be very happy to tell you."

9 February 2010 "This obsession with Lord Ashcroft is ridiculous."But refusing to mute such obsession. He claimed that the "scandal deep at the heart of politics" was not whether or not Lord Aschroft paid tax in the UK, but the extent of the reliance of the Labour party for funds on the trade unions.