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SNP MP accused of ‘apparent hypocrisy’ on tax avoidance

HMRC has been urged to investigate Phil Boswell.
HMRC has been urged to investigate Phil Boswell.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has been urged to investigate an MP who received an £18,000 loan in a system that could be used to avoid tax.

Phil Boswell, who represents Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill for the SNP, received the money from Hyrax Resourcing while he was working as a contract manager for oil companies.

He admitted receiving the interest-free advance for his former job despite having criticised the Treasury for not clamping down on such practices.

Mr Boswell told a Sunday newspaper: “I am aware of mechanisms within my previous employment contract (which) utilised the existing tax legislation. This payment agreement is common practice in my previous industry.

“After finding myself previously employed in such a contract, I decided to utilise my knowledge and experience in my new role as an MP to highlight treasury management issues.”

Hyrax is linked to another company, Peak Performance Professional Contracts, which has been involved in legal tax avoidance schemes in the past including that of comedian Jimmy Carr.

Mr Boswell previously told of his frustration at the vagueness of David Gauke, the financial secretary to the Treasury, about tackling such schemes.

Scottish Labour’s business manager James Kelly said: “These are very serious allegations about an SNP MP and I would urge HMRC to investigate them as a matter of urgency.

“People will be astonished by the apparent hypocrisy of Phil Boswell, with him preaching about the evils of tax avoidance while appearing to have taken advantage of a tax avoidance scheme himself.”

Michelle Thomson and Natalie McGarry have both resigned the SNP whip and been suspended by the party while police investigate separate allegations. There is no suggestion Mr Boswell has committed any offence.

In a press release in February, issued after Labour donor Sir David Garrad was reported to have placed tens of thousands of pounds in offshore trusts, SNP MP Angus MacNeil said such arrangements were “deeply damaging (and) should also set alarm bells ringing”.

Mr MacNeil wanted to see a “zero tolerance approach to tax avoidance”.

HMRC has stated that tax avoidance cost the UK economy £4.1 billion in 2012/2013 nearly four times the cost of benefit fraud during the same fiscal year.

An HMRC spokesman said: “We don’t comment on identifiable taxpayers.”

An SNP spokeswoman said: “Phil Boswell has always made declarations on his register of interests in line with IPSA guidelines and is committed to ending tax avoidance schemes.”