‘Blair liable for tax on holiday flights’
Tax consultant claims PM must pay extra tax
A senior tax consultant has told The Times that prime minister Tony
Blair is liable for extra tax on his family holiday flights even if he used the
Queen’s Flight – RAF 32 Squadron – for security purposes.
Ian Grant, director of OCRA tax consultants, said in a letter to the paper:
‘The cost of providing the flights to Egypt for the prime minister and his
family greatly exceeded the amount that was reimbursed. The difference is
clearly a benefit subject to income tax.’
The claim comes as HM Revenue & Customs officials are asked to
investigate whether Blair and government ministers enjoyed tax benefits by using
the Queen’s Flight for personal or party political purposes.
The demand is to be made by the Tories in a series of written questions to be
tabled next week demanding to know if the flights amounted to benefits in kind.
Downing Street insisted that Blair had also conducted government business on
these trips.