Lord Ashcroft: I’ll pay UK taxes to spare Tories’ blushes

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

After nearly 10 years of controversy over his tax status, the Conservative Party vice-chairman tried to resolve the issue before the general election.

Lord Ashcroft, who has given £4.5 million to the party to help them win key marginal seats, insisted that paying tax in this country had not been, as his critics have suggested, a condition of his being granted a peerage in 2000.

The peer, who has substantial financial interests in the former British colony of Belize, said he would become "resident and domiciled" in Britain.

David Cameron said he was "delighted" but added that he had always believed that someone's tax status was "a matter between them and the Revenue".

"Non-doms" pay tax on what they earn and spend in Britain, but do not pay a penny of UK tax on their overseas income. Last year it emerged that Tory candidate Zac Goldsmith had been a "non-dom" thanks to a substantial offshore income. He has since agreed to pay British taxes in full.

Home Secretary Alan Johnson said Lord Ashcroft's "unpatriotic" tax status undermined Mr Cameron.

"Yesterday David Cameron was saying it was his patriotic duty, very personally, about replacing Gordon Brown," he told the BBC. "His candidates are being funded by someone who is basically being unpatriotic because he has remained as a non-dom."

Mr Cameron has pledged to change the law to ensure that all peers and MPs have to pay full UK tax and Labour has called for a similar change.

The Standard understands that Lord Ashcroft will change his tax status whoever wins the election.

On his website, he said: "As for the future, while the non-dom status will continue for many people in business or public life, David Cameron has said that anyone sitting in the legislature — Lords or Commons — must be treated as resident and domiciled in the UK for tax purposes.

"I agree with this change and expect to be sitting in the House of Lords for many years to come. While I value my privacy, I do not want my affairs to distract from the election campaign."

Lord Ashcroft's announcment came days before a Freedom of Information request was expected to force him to release a private memo showing the commitments he gave to former leader William Hague before being granted his peerage.