A very taxing revelation for saintly Clegg

As Deputy Prime Minister, the holier-than-thou Nick Clegg made huge play of how his Lib Dems forced their Tory Coalition partners to crack down on tax avoidance.

Offshore tax havens, in particular, were his target, when he said: ‘There are millions of people who pay their taxes... who are rightly angered that there is a wealthy elite . . . who can pay an army of tax accountants to get out of paying their fair share of tax.’

however, I suggest that sanctimonious Cleggy should take a close look at his own financial affairs. he has set up a not-forprofit company to further his work outside Parliament (such as his forthcoming grandly titled book Politics: The Art Of The Possible In An Age Of unreason). One of the firm’s donors is Virgin Group holdings, part of sir richard Branson’s empire.

And where is Virgin Group holdings based? The British Virgin Islands, where income is not taxed. This is confirmed in Clegg’s own declaration of interests, which gives the donor company’s address as: PO Box 71, road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

Perhaps a chapter in Clegg’s book new book will cover the murky world of Lib Dem funding. But don’t hold your breath!