Tice £91,000 tax row is ‘minor administrative error’, party claims
Tice £91,000 tax row is ‘minor administrative error’, party claims
Reform UK has defended Richard Tice, stating that the tax dispute involving his property company is a “minor administrative error.” According to the Sunday Times, Tice’s firm, Quidnet REIT Limited, which he established and managed, did not settle £91,000 in tax obligations before distributing profits to him and his Jersey-based trust.
Tice described the issue as a “technicality,” asserting that “overall HMRC received the correct amount of tax due.” His argument centers on the idea that any shortfall in corporate tax would have been compensated by him through personal income tax payments. Meanwhile, Labour has criticized the situation as “a major scandal which goes to the heart of Richard Tice’s integrity and credibility,” demanding explanations for whether his business adhered to tax laws.
HMRC remains silent on individual cases
A spokesperson for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said:
“We neither confirm nor deny investigations and we cannot comment on identifiable individuals.”
The tax authority’s lack of specific remarks has fueled debate over the incident.
Reform UK downplays the controversy
Zia Yusuf, Reform UK’s home affairs spokesperson, acknowledged the issue but dismissed it as a “non story.” She explained:
“Any tax that would not have been paid or underpaid by the company paying the dividend… would then have been overpaid by Richard himself in the form of income tax.”
Yusuf emphasized that HMRC effectively “netted off” the tax in the same manner.
Tice, in a post on X, highlighted that the Sunday Times’s report revealed “overall HMRC received the correct amount of tax due.” He criticized the paper for “effectively complaining I paid too much tax rather than [my] company pay some tax on my behalf.” The argument underscores his belief that the company’s tax handling was legally sound.
Labour pushes for HMRC investigation
Last month, Labour’s chair Anna Turley wrote to HMRC requesting an inquiry into Tice’s tax affairs after the Sunday Times alleged he had “avoided nearly £600,000 in corporation tax” via his property company. The Liberal Democrats’ leader, Sir Ed Davey, urged immediate action, stating:
“Morally completely indefensible. Farage should sack Richard Tice immediately.”
At a press conference in Westminster, Tice insisted that Quidnet Reit Ltd was “a UK company paying UK tax in accordance with UK laws.” He questioned the necessity of paying the maximum tax, suggesting that few would voluntarily exceed legal requirements. When asked about the moral implications, Tice posed a rhetorical challenge:
“How many friends of yours would voluntarily choose to pay more tax than they are legally obliged to do?”
His remarks framed the issue as a matter of legal compliance rather than ethical responsibility.
