Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice has been accused of failing to pay almost £100,000 in corporation tax through shell companies, according to a report in the Sunday Times. The newspaper alleged that four shell companies run by Tice did not pay any tax on profits between 2020 and 2022.
In response, Tice posted a statement on X, saying: 'A long career with multiple businesses is bound to feature some errors. Naturally I am always happy to put things right and if numbers need rechecking, of course I will pay what is owed – be that more or less.' He accused the Sunday Times of collaborating with the Labour party in a 'smear campaign'.
The companies were reportedly set up to receive dividends from Tice's property investment firm and pass the money to their parent company, Tisun Investments Ltd, which then transferred £1,113,000 to Reform UK between March 2020 and May 2022.
The Liberal Democrats have written to the chief executive of HMRC, John-Paul Marks, requesting an investigation into Tice's tax affairs. Labour party chair Anna Turley called for Nigel Farage to explain why Tice remains deputy leader, saying: 'This is a major scandal that’s not going away.'
Reform's Treasury spokesperson Robert Jenrick defended Tice, telling the BBC that Tice believes he has paid the correct tax and may have overpaid. 'As far as I know, HMRC are not investigating. So there is no story,' Jenrick said.
