Jeremy Corbyn says the PM has "lost the trust of the British people" and accuses him of using "weasel words" over his finances.
20:48, UK,Friday 08 April 2016
David Cameron has "misled the public" after admitting he made money from an offshore fund, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has said.
Mr Corbyn said the PM has "lost the trust of the British people" and accused him of using "weasel words" over his family's finances.
The Tory leader, who has insisted he does not have "anything to hide", has been heavily criticised about why it took him so long to admit he had profited from shares in an investment fund operated by his late father Ian.
He has also been accused of hypocrisy because of his previous tough talk on tax avoidance.
Mr Corbyn said: "It is now clear that the Prime Minister has misled the public about his personal involvement in offshore tax avoidance schemes.
"It took five weasel-worded statements in five days for the Prime Minister to admit that he has personally profited from an undeclared Caribbean tax haven investment deal.
"After years of calling for tax transparency and attacking complex offshore tax arrangements as 'morally wrong', the Prime Minister has been shown to have personally benefited from exactly such a secretive offshore investment.
"His determination to conceal that arrangement over many years raises serious questions over public trust in his office and his willingness to be straight with the public.
"It is extraordinary that after pocketing the profits from his offshore investment trust, the Prime Minister was lobbying the European Union against transparency in the ownership of trusts.
"Once again the message has gone out that there is one rule for the wealthy and another for the rest of us.
"Dodging taxes is a moral issue. It is taking money for schools and hospitals out of the pockets of working people."
He added: "The Prime Minister has lost the trust of the British people. He must now give a full account of all his private financial dealings and make a statement to Parliament next week."
Mr Cameron has come under mounting pressure after details of his father's investment fund were reported as part of the Panama Papers leak.
Downing Street initially said his family's tax affairs were a private matter before saying the PM had no offshore funds or trusts, and then making clear the family would not benefit in future.
However, in a fifth statement, issued on Thursday, Mr Cameron said he and his wife sold shares worth more than £30,000 in Blairmore Holdings shortly before he became PM in 2010.
Lib Dem leader Tim Farron said Mr Cameron's actions were "morally murky" and also indicated the episode would damage the campaign to stay part of the EU in June's referendum.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has also waded into the row.
She told Sky News: "I think the Prime Minister has given the impression over the last few days that he has got something to hide.
"I think it's time for complete and utter transparency from the Prime Minister."
No comments:
Post a Comment