The Indy has uncovered a tax dodge by the owners of the former Labour party HQ. They sold the company (16 OQS Ltd) that owned the former HQ, 16 Old Queen Street, avoiding £210,000 of stamp duty. Whereas if they sold the building it would have incurred stamp duty. The Indy missed the fact that the company was until recently called Labour Party Properties (Two) Limited and technically was owned by the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party. Guido wonders why they changed the name of a tax dodge vehicle? Not trying to hide something?

Gordon wants to make sure “individuals and companies contribute their fair share to the provision of public services” he told us in the PBR last week. He can start by asking the NEC to pay stamp duty like the rest of us. Or maybe the NEC didn’t know about the tax dodge, after all they were kept in the dark about the Loans for Lordships…