Nigel Farage has declined to commit to investigating the tax affairs of his second-in-command after revelations that companies under his ownership contributed over £1 million to Reform UK.
The leader of Reform UK swiftly defended Richard Tice in the face of allegations that four shell companies associated with him avoided paying nearly £100,000 in taxes on profits between 2020 and 2022. Labour criticized Farage for deflecting and accused him of being “in complete denial.”
Recent reports indicated that Richard Tice’s property investment company, Tisun Investments Ltd, transferred £1,113,000 to Reform UK. When questioned about the possibility of an internal investigation in light of the direct connection between Mr. Tice’s companies’ tax affairs and the party, Farage evaded the issue and implied that Mr. Tice was being unfairly targeted.
Calls have emerged for Mr. Tice’s dismissal following an inquiry by the Sunday Times that raised serious concerns. Mr. Tice expressed willingness to rectify any underpayments should it be determined that his firms owe more to HMRC.
Farage recalled a past incident from a decade ago involving Mr. Tice’s scrutiny by HMRC following his public support for Brexit. He highlighted that Tice had previously received a tax rebate after a thorough investigation. Farage emphasized Tice’s extensive business background and dismissed the accusations as politically motivated.
The ongoing scrutiny of Tice’s tax affairs was linked to tax expert Dan Neidle and The Sunday Times. They alleged that Tice’s companies were structured to channel dividends from his property investment firm to their parent company, Reform UK.
Amidst the controversy, Labour chair Anna Turley demanded an explanation from Farage regarding Tice’s continued role as second-in-command. She criticized Reform UK’s leadership for what she deemed a serious scandal and accused them of denying the issue.
In response, Richard Tice defended his business track record spanning 40 years, highlighting his contributions to job creation and tax payments. He stressed that tax efficiency is a fundamental corporate responsibility and expressed willingness to rectify any errors if found.
Tice condemned the ongoing attempts to tarnish his reputation, attributing it to deterring successful businesspeople from entering politics. He underscored his commitment to serving constituents and working to improve the country, dismissing the scrutiny as a distraction from his public service efforts.