[Omah]

Originally Posted by HoneyPot

To be fair, he's not alone in this - Gary Barlow for one uses a similar scheme.

Prime Minister David Cameron has refused to criticise Gary Barlow over alleged use of a tax avoidance scheme.

Labour is calling on the Take That star to hand back the OBE he received in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.

He is facing questions about money he is alleged to have invested in a tax scheme - Icebreaker 2 - being investigated by HM Revenue and Customs.

There is no suggestion the scheme is illegal but it could still be closed down by HMRC at a tax tribunal.

Mr Cameron said he was not going to give a "running commentary" on people's tax affairs - but he had made an exception for comedian Jimmy Carr because "it was a particularly egregious example of an avoidance scheme that seemed to me to be wrong".

Labour leader Ed Miliband opted not to join in with criticism of Jimmy Carr's tax arrangements, saying: "I'm not in favour of tax avoidance obviously, but I don't think it is for politicians to lecture people about morality."

But Labour has now accused Mr Cameron of having a partial view of "what's dodgy in the tax system".

Shadow commons leader Angela Eagle said: "The prime minister rushed to the TV studios to condemn the tax avoidance scheme used by Jimmy Carr but he did not take the opportunity to condemn as morally repugnant the tax avoidance scheme used by Conservative supporter Gary Barlow, who's given a whole new meaning to the phrase 'Take That'.

"If it's all so morally repugnant, why has he just been given an OBE in the birthday honours list?"

Take That's manager Jonathan Wild declined to comment.

Mr Barlow, Mr Wild and Take That members Howard Donald and Mark Owen are said to have invested £26m in a scheme - Icebreaker 2 - that is facing a legal challenge from HMRC.

HMRC said: "We are now preparing to litigate Icebreaker 2 but for legal reasons cannot say more at this time."

Beneficiaries of such schemes were normally forced to pay money back with a penalty.

HMRC had already closed down a similar scheme, Icebreaker 1, and was hopeful of closing Icebreaker 2 down at a tax tribunal later this year, he added.

So, Barlow's in Cameron's Club ....