Files and emails relating to the activities of companies connected to Douglas Barrowman were obtained by the think tank Tax Policy Associates, and have been seen by the Guardian and BBC Newsnight. Experts say the material raises questions about whether the firms in question – and those connected to them – should be investigated for any role they played in providing misleading information to HMRC about tax affairs.
Barrowman, who shares a home on the Isle of Man with Mone, has been battling to restore his reputation after the couple became embroiled in a scandal over the profits made from £200m in contracts to supply personal protective equipment (PPE) to the NHS during the Covid pandemic.
Mone, who has taken leave of absence from the Lords but remains a Tory peer, admitted last month she and Barrowman had lied to journalists about their involvement with PPE Medpro, a company that is under investigation by the National Crime Agency . Mone and Barrowman both deny any wrongdoing.
In the 2016 budget, the government said it would clamp down on a scheme being promoted by companies including Barrowmanconnected businesses, which was marketed to self-employed contractors as a way to cut tax bills. The new documents suggest contractors who had used the “disguised remuneration” scheme were advised by Barrowman-connected firms in 2019 to contact Vanquish Options, a firm that appears to have also had multiple links to the businessman.
Clients were then provided with letters, signed by directors of the tax avoidance firms, to send to HMRC.
Experts say these appear to present a misleading picture of the financial affairs of Vanquish clients, and the HMRC should investigate whether any offence has been committed.
This story is from the January 19, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the January 19, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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