UK Prime Minister admits he did not handle the Panama Papers revelation well
- David Cameron admits he handled the situation badly
- Calls for Cameron to resign
- Protests outside Downing Street
What is happening?
ADVERTISEMENTThe British Prime Minister has admitted he should have handled scrutiny of his family’s tax arrangements better.
You said it
David_Cameron</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ResignCameron?src=hash">#ResignCameron</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/closetaxloopholes?src=hash">#closetaxloopholes</a> <a href="https://t.co/02JZq882ID">pic.twitter.com/02JZq882ID</a></p>— UK Uncut (UKuncut) April 9, 2016
David Cameron has promised he will learn lessons from the days of negative media coverage and calls for his resignation.
After four days and four different statements over his late father’s inclusion in the “Panama Papers”, Cameron admitted on Thursday he once had a stake in his father’s offshore trust.
“Well, it’s not been a great week. I know that I should have handled this better, I could have handled this better. I know there are lessons to learn and I will learn them.” he told supporters in London on Saturday.
Cameron sold the shares in 2010, before becoming prime minister.
Cameron’s poll rating
Jeremy Corbyn: David Cameron misled the public#ResignCameronhttps://t.co/mcobz6IdJlpic.twitter.com/3u60vIBEAZ
— Mirror Politics (@MirrorPolitics) April 8, 2016
Latest research reveals David Cameron’s popularity is now at its lowest since June 2013.
For the first time, it is lower than Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn’s.
- 34% say Cameron is doing well
- 58% say he is doing badly
- 30% say Jeremy Corbyn is doing well
- 52% say he is doing badly
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What are the “Panama Papers”?
Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca says it hasn't been approached by investigators yethttps://t.co/cgOSK0s6z3pic.twitter.com/RgWe0OuMcm
— DAILY SABAH (@DailySabah) April 9, 2016
- 11 million documents held by Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca
- Leaked to the press, details published
The documents show that David Cameron bought 30,000 UK pounds worth of shares in Blairmore, a Panama and Bahamas-based offshore investment fund owned by his father, Ian.
The fund has never paid tax in the UK.
Who said what and when
Monday – “Most of you seem to be aware that the story was written in 2012 and we responded at the time. I don’t have anything to add to that.” – No 10 spokeswoman briefs the press.
Tuesday – “In terms of my own financial affairs, I own no shares. I have a salary as prime minister and I have some savings.” – David Cameron.
Tuesday – “To be clear, the prime minister, his wife and their children do not benefit from any offshore funds. The prime minister owns no shares. As has been previously reported, Mrs Cameron owns a small number of shares connected to her father’s land, which she declares on her tax return” – Downing Street statement.
Wednesday – “There are no offshore funds/trusts which the prime minister, Mrs Cameron or their children will benefit from in future” – further Downing Street statement
Thursday – “We owned 5,000 units in Blairmore Investment Trust, which we sold in January 2010” – David Cameron tells ITV news.
The situation by the end of the week
- Calls for Cameron to resign.
- Bets being placed on a leadership challenge by the end of the year
- Public trust in his leadership has taken a knock
- Some it might influence the outcome of the upcoming Brexit referendum
Downing Street protest
Hundreds of people already at Downing St demanding that
David_Cameron</a> resign because of his links to tax dodging <a href="https://t.co/dlJDCm8M0d">pic.twitter.com/dlJDCm8M0d</a></p>— UK Uncut (UKuncut) April 9, 2016
Protesters have gathered outside 10 Downing Street, David Cameron’s official residence in London.
They are calling on the Prime Minister to “close tax loopholes or resign”.