The celebrity Corbynista who criticised the Tories’ tax record in Labour’s election broadcast is the sole director and shareholder at a company registered to the address of a “tax efficient” accountant. Maxine Peake, the Dinnerladies actress and Corbynista luvvie, who is a former member of the Communist Party of Britain, appeared in Labour’s PEB attacking the government for “giving the super-rich tax handouts of tens of billions of pounds”. Yet Maxine is not so chatty about her own affairs…

Companies House records show Peake is the sole director and shareholder of Flat Cap Limited – a company with £145,000 cash at bank and in hand. Flat Cap Limited has no other directors or company officers. It has no online or physical presence, except a filing with Companies House. Its registered address is the office of accountants Creasey Alexander & Co, who boast on their website of their tax planning advice and “tax efficient investments”. Guido readers will know this is a textbook arrangement used by all manner of celebrities and entertainers…

There is no suggestion that Peake has evaded any tax or that she or Creasey Alexander & Co have done anything wrong. Guido has asked her agent multiple times over the last 24 hours if she pays herself dividends through her company. They would not answer that question or speak to us on the record…