Tory leadership contender Andrea Leadsom has rejected to publish her tax return ahead of tomorrow’s final ballot of Conservative MPs
Tory leadership contender Andrea Leadsom has dug her heels in the face of pressure from rivals to publish her tax returns, as fresh details have emerged on her time in the City.
Leadsom told a 1922 Committee hustings last night she would not publish her affairs before the final round of the competition, despite home secretary Theresa May calling on the energy minister to reveal all.
Instead, Leadsom told MPs that she would privately show them her papers.
Despite agreeing to publish the documents last weekend, Leadsom is the only one of the three candidates for Conservative leader yet to publish her tax affairs.
May has heaped pressure on Leadsom saying: "It is clearly important for all leadership candidates to be open and transparent about their tax affairs.
A source in Leadsom’s camp told Morning Wire the energy minister was keen to protect the privacy of other MPs.
“She is worried about this being the thin end of the wedge, and that colleagues would end up having to publish theirs a well,” they said.
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It comes as more detail emerges of Leadsom's time in the City, with her campaign releasing a CV in response to suggestions she may have been more junior than claimed.
Supporter Bernard Jenkin had claimed Leadsom worked at “a large investment firm where she was responsible for managing hundreds of people and billions of pounds”.
However, the FSA's register lists her holding permissions to deal with funds for just three months ending in February 2003.
Tory MPs will choose between Leadsom, May and Gove tomorrow, with the two most popular candidates facing a vote of Conservative Party members.
The party has pledged to select a new leader by 9 September.