SADIQ Khan today risked being branded a hypocrite after he criticised workers who get paid through their own company – even though his own wife does the same thing.
The Mayor of London’s solicitor wife Saadiya has raked in thousands through her own “personal service company”.
2
Mr Khan yesterday vowed to clamp down on the use of the firms, warning they can be used to dodge taxes.
He pledged not to allow consultants to use the companies in tax-efficient ways if they’re getting cash from London’s City Hall.
The Mayor said: “That shouldn’t be happening. There are some times, reasons why we’ve got no choice but to use either agency staff or consultants.
“What it shouldn’t be is a way of avoiding or evading the proper paying of taxes.”
The Sun can reveal that Mr Khan’s wife, who practices law under her maiden name Saadiya Ahmad, funnels some earnings through her own “consultancy” firm.
Ms Ahmad, 47, set up the company more than six years ago and is the sole director.
Its most recent set of accounts reveal the company has nearly £50,000 cash on hand.
Ms Ahmad works as a “consultant and associate” at South London-based law firm Dexter Henry, which is known for its publicly funded legal aid work.
She specialises in defending accused criminals – work which is often funded by legal aid.
Being paid via a personal service company can allow workers to take their salary in the form of dividends, which avoids national insurance contributions.
2
They can also structure their earnings over multiple years to keep their tax bills as low as possible.
There is no suggestion Ms Ahmad has illegally tried to evade tax, and it is understood a former employer asked her to set up the personal service company.
A spokesman for Mr Khan said: “The Mayor is not going to comment on matters regarding his family.”
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online politics team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours
