In the interest of “tax transparency“, LibDem Leader Ed Davey has quietly published a one-page summary of his tax returns for the past two years. Not that you’d know it: there’s been zero coverage and no mention on Davey’s – or the LibDems’ – social media profiles. The “tax transparency” page is currently impossible to find anywhere on the website, including “latest news”, unless you have the direct link…

The “summary” shows he paid £18,043 in income tax in 2020-21, and £18,011 in 2021-22, with employment earnings of just under £77,000 for both years:

This however doesn’t include any of the income paid to his personal services company, which according to his register of interests page, amounted to £78,000 a year for Davey’s work as an adviser to law firm and energy company between July 2017 and February 2022. That company, Energy Destinations Limited, filed for voluntary liquidation in June 2022 with £65,000 cash in the bank and total assets of £110,019. It also paid £20,000 in dividends in 2021, and £47,000 the year prior.

The dividends also appear to have been paid in a tax efficient way to his wife, E J Davey, who’s the sole director and secretary, and not to be confused with Sir E J Davey. Not that you’d know any of this from Davey’s “summary” today. Nonetheless, the LibDems told Guido “Transparency is really important and that is why Ed wanted to make his tax return public on our website”…