#Default home feed publisher Mirror News Real news, real entertainment . . . in real time How we use cookies * Front page * News + Latest News + UK News + Weird News + Technology & Science + Real Life Stories + World news + Crime Trending Today + Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge + Prince William + Madeleine Mccann + Boris Johnson + The Queen Popular this week + Michael Schumacher + Mirror Christmas appeal + Nigella Lawson + Politics + Crime * Sport + Latest Sport + Football + Formula 1 + Boxing + Tennis + Rugby Union + Rugby League + Cricket + Golf + Horse racing + Other Sports + Fantasy Football Trending Today + Michael Schumacher + Anderson Silva + Richard Hammond + Jeremy Clarkson + Jose Mourinho Popular this week + Michael Schumacher ski accident + Nicolas Anelka + The Ashes + Jose Mourinho * 3am + Latest 3am + Celebrity News + US gossip + Style + TV & film news + Weird celeb news Trending Today + Catherine Zeta-Jones + Michael Douglas + Jennifer Aniston + Courteney Cox + Harry Styles Popular this week + Paul Walker + Tom Daley + Miley Cyrus + Harry Styles + One Direction * TV + Latest TV + TV News + TV Previews + TV Reviews Trending Today + Benedict Cumberbatch + Martin Freeman + Michelle Keegan + Sherlock Holmes + Chris Gascoyne Popular this week + Christmas TV + Sherlock + Coronation Street + Doctor Who + EastEnders * Lifestyle + Latest Lifestyle + Health + Horoscopes + Staying in + Going out + Sex & Relationships + Dieting + Cartoons + Family + Gardening + Travel + Motoring + Trending Today + Duchess of York + Sarah Ferguson + Russell Grant + Miranda Kerr + Jennifer Aniston Popular this week + Coronation Street + EastEnders + Emmerdale * Money + Latest Money + City News + Personal finance + Jobs + Quids In Popular this week + ISAs + Energy + Mortgages + Credit cards + Current accounts + Cheap insurance * Play + Latest Play + Crosswords + Sudoku + Competitions + Poker + Bingo Trending Today + Michael Schumacher + Anderson Silva + Miley Cyrus + Jose Mourinho + Arsene Wenger * Opinion + Latest Opinion + News Opinion + Sport Opinion + 3am Opinion + Lifestyle Opinion Trending Today + Michael Schumacher + Anderson Silva + Jennifer Aniston + Courteney Cox + Catherine Zeta-Jones Popular this week + Bedroom tax + George Osborne + Paul Gascoigne + Harry Styles girlfriend + Weather Search: Please provide search keyword(s) Search ____________________ * Home * News * UK News * Crime * Your Account + Edit Profile + Logout sponsorshipBar advertisement David Cameron ally Alan Lewis's business empire funded by tax haven millions * Oct 06, 2013 00:00 * By Dominic Herbert * Share * Share * Tweet * +1 * Email Posh overcoat firm Crombie trades on its patriotic British image but there is a tangled web of offshore connections in the Caribbean Rich: Mr Lewis is worth £220m Rich: Mr Lewis is worth £220m Alan Davidson/The Picture Library Ltd Tory vice chairman Alan Lewis’s business empire has been funded by millions of pounds from a controversial offshore tax arrangement. The ally of David Cameron is the chairman of posh overcoat firm Crombie and is worth in excess of £220million. Crombie’s tailoring has been worn by Winston Churchill, King George VI and Bond actor Sean Connery, trading on a patriotic image as British as gin and tonic. But the truth of its tangled web of offshore connections in the Caribbean is a little more rum. Public accounts show its parent company Hartley Investment Trust, 86% owned by Lewis, is also part-owned by two firms operating from a drab Isle of Man office. And those two firms are in turn owned by companies based in the Bahamas and the British Virgin Islands – both safe harbours where the very wealthy can legally minimise their tax liability. The revelations are a further embarrassment for the Prime Minister who appointed the major donor and committed Christian his party’s business guru. Mr Cameron has promised a clampdown on offshore tax avoidance schemes which deprive the Treasury of millions of pounds. Analysis of documents reveals his company received more than £9.6million in its accounts from Goldthorpe Limited and Parnham Investments, both based in the Manx capital, Douglas. Accountant Richard Murphy said: “No one goes offshore without a reason. It’s either secrecy or tax. "In this case the offshore link is not secret so it has to be tax. In the Isle of Man, British Virgin Islands and other havens there is no capital gains tax. “So, keep the money out of the UK and right now HM Revenue & Customs can whistle in the wind for the money.” Prime Minister David Cameron Chums: Mr Cameron with Mr Lewis Labour’s John Mann MP added: “Perhaps Mr Lewis could use his expertise to advise on how we can close these loopholes. "That would be much more appropriate.” Records show both companies are currently active, with Goldthorpe first set up in 1995 and Parnham established in 1989. Claire Marie Cain, a director of both Manx firms, is also director of a number of Lewis’s businesses, including Crombie. Documents also reveal a multi-million-pound transaction between Goldthorpe and a trust called the Alan Lewis Settlement – but there is no public trace of that company in the UK. Latest shareholder records report Goldthorpe is co-owned by two companies in the British Virgin Islands and that Parnham is owned by a firm in the Bahamas. Hartley names an offshore business as its company secretary, which is the key role of running the affairs of a company. The chain also includes three subsidiaries of Hartley in the Isle of Man, putting Mr Lewis at the heart of the complex offshore setup. Records show he holds 10,757,999 shares in Hartley which he paid £1 each for. The stall for British fashion company 'Crombie,' Stall: Crombie at the Tory conference In April 1995 Goldthorpe and Parnham Investments acquired 13 per cent of the firm – 1,860,000 shares at £4.75 each, investing £8.8million. The following year Goldthorpe put a further £860,000. In October 2000 Hartley cut back on the number of shares in its business which had the effect of reducing the money invested in it from the Isle of Man by £500,000. But importantly, Mr Lewis “beneficially” owns all shares in Hartley – including those held offshore. This means he enjoys all the benefits such as profits and tax bill reductions. It is unclear whether Mr Lewis was personally behind the offshore investments, but there is no suggestion he or Ms Cain had acted illegally. And Mr Lewis, who reads the Bible every day, has said previously: “You have to conduct business in an honest and Christian-like way.” Our investigation comes a few months after the Isle of Man signed up to a tax transparency agreement. Despite Hartley’s turnover of £26.8million in the past five years it only paid £618,000 in corporation tax, because it is carrying “trading losses” of almost £6.9million. Despite the trading losses Hartley is still worth £35million and if it was sold tomorrow he could enjoy significant tax benefits because of offshore holdings. On Friday Hartley said in a statement: “All dealings by Hartley Investment Trust Limited are entirely transparent, commercially legitimate, within the rules and spirit of UK law, and are a matter of public record.” Crombie's upmarket image but scruffy premises The Crombie factory in Leeds Run down: The Crombie offices in Leeds Crombie's upmarket image is reinforced by a smart shop front in London's Mayfair – but wealthy parent company Hartley Investment Trust is run from shabby offices on a potholed industrial estate in Leeds. The brickwork of the 60s building is in poor condition, some of its metal-framed windows are corroded and smashed and the corrugated roof looks in need of repair. The premises consist of a reception area and a warren of small administrative offices, plus two warehouses. One is used to store Crombie clothing and fabrics. The other serves as Alan Lewis’s conference room and accountants’ offices. An upper floor is understood to house part of the Crombie historical archive and a showroom is used to hold monthly factory sales of Crombie stock. Mr Lewis has spoken previously about investing in Yorkshire after taking over an ailing textile company. Hartley, which employs around 500 people, has business interests in the UK, Spain, US and Russia, from timber to natural gas. Mr Lewis has said: “I made a lot of money in Yorkshire and I’m very keen to see it’s re-invested, I think it’s a very good centre where we can create wealth for the future.” Recently Published Prime Minister David Cameron blunders on marriage tax claims David Cameron The Prime Minister incorrectly told the Commons that “all married couples paying basic rate tax” would benefit * Nick Clegg's right hand man slams David Cameron's marriage tax break * It's nearly Halloween - so David Cameron should be a Ghostbuster and exorcise phantom companies Previous Articles David Cameron’s close ally Alan Lewis arrested over teenage student rape claim Officers held the 75-year-old – a Conservative vice-chairman – hours before he was due to travel to Manchester for the party's conference * David Cameron and Tory cronies get £1.2m from City fatcats Related Tags Organisations Conservative Party People David Cameron See Also Tax Politics mpu advertisement skyscraper advertisement See more stories you'll love You've turned off story recommendations. 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