Prince charles private estate the duchy of cornwall secretly invested in an offshore company in which a close friend was a director. Thats perfectly legal but hes been accused of a conflict of interest because he went on to campaign for International Rule changes that would have benefited the firm. The princes spokesman insists hes never chosen to speak out on a topic simply because of an investment decision. Story the Paradise Papers were shared with the International Consortium of investigativejournalists including the bbcs panorama programme. Richard bilton has this report. For years, Prince Charles has campaigned on environmental issues. This week hes in malaysia, yesterday he spent time in the rainforests of borneo. But panorama has discovered he campaigned on one issue that he secretly stood to profit from. The Paradise Papers show the prince of waless private estate, the duchy of cornwall, had 4 million in tax havens of the Cayman Islands and bermuda. This document shows 1 million in an offshore fund. Their annual report says the prince is actively involved in running the duchy. The governance of the duchy of cornwall allows the prince of wales to have hands on involvement so you can really see it stamped all over his turf. We found one deal that centres on this man in the cap. He was one of the princes oldest friends. He was a director of Sustainable Forestry management ltd. They were registered in bermuda and traded in carbon credits, a market created by International Treaties to tackle global warming. Sustainable Forestry Management ltd would have made more money if International Regulations were changed to include carbon credits from all forests. The chronology of events raises serious questions for the prince. In february 2007, the duchy buys 50 shares worth 113,500. At that time, sfms directors agreed to keep the duchy shares confidential. Van cutsem asks for a lobbying documents to be sent to the princes office. The prince begins making speeches, campaigning for changes to two International Agreements on carbon credits. Injune 2008, he sells his shares for 325,000, a profit of more than 200,000. But we cannot find, nor has the princes office being able to show us, any speeches Prince Charles made on this specific issue before he bought his shares. He made three major speeches in the seven months after he bought them. I think it is a serious conflict. There is a conflict of interest between the investments of the duchy of cornwall and what he is trying to achieve publicly. I think it is unfortunate that somebody of his importance, of his influence, becomes involved in such a serious conflict. This is the sort of thing the prince was saying in his speeches. The european Carbon Trading scheme excludes carbon credits for forests from developing nations. This has got to be wrong. Despite the princes lobbying, the regulations surrounding carbon credits were not changed. His spokesman said the prince of wales is free to operate thoughts and suggestions on a wide range of topics. The prince does not have any direct involvement in the Investment Decisions taken by the duchy and he has certainly never chosen to speak out on a topic simply because of a company that it may have invested in. I think what happened was wrong. What i do not think is that he deliberately acted in a way which was unacceptable. I think if he realised the context in which he had been asked to do something, he would have acted in a different way. There is no suggestion that any of this is illegal or tax was a boy did and it is impossible to know why the Share Price Rose after Prince Charless estate secretly invested in his friends company. But for the second time in a week the Paradise Papers raise serious questions about how royal cash is being managed. For more on the Paradise Papers go to the bbc website or the news app. To elections in the us. Were watching carefully for clues about how people view donald trump and the two main political parties. Virginia and newjersey are selecting new governors. In virginia, its the Democrat Ralph Northam versus republican ed gillespie. In newjersey, its democrat phil murphy versus kim guadagno for the republicans. How they do matters because its not just about testing the political mood it could change it too. Doanld trumps in aisa but hes made time to tweet. The last bits not true but the president uses hyperbole to good effect. And look whos turning out for the democrats. Barack obama told a crowd we need you to take this seriously. Our democracy is at stake. Katty kay is in richmond virginia. I asked her what the contests in these states can tell us about the national picture. It isa it is a 50 state nation and these are only two of them, but these are the first big tests since Donald Trumps surprised everybody and won the white house, some of the themes that have played out nationally are very relevant, particularly in a state like virginia which is still a swing state. It has been trending more democratic because it has had more democratic because it has had more immigrants moving in and that is making it much more purplish. Here is the change for democrat, to prove they can translate that anger among the base, you have reported on it, the protest, we have ian the womens march. Can they translate that into votes and winning . That is why virginia is such a big test, particularly for the democrats. Democrats. Another thing i want to ask about the political advertising, political ads mirror what is happening partly but they create political discourse as well. Have a look a this. This is a screen shot from an advert in which the opponent is linked to the street gang ms13. Can we draw a line from Donald Trumps successful campaigning style, to what we are seeing in virginia in newjersey . Style, to what we are seeing in virginia in newjersey . Yes, it is interesting, i have been speaking to a political scientist who is pointing out the republican play book here seems to have been to run on trumpism without mentioning donald trump, who is unpopular in this state. You can see the republican candidate has been tough on crime, tough on illegal immigration, that reference to ms13 and those gangs deliberately playing into kind of divisive cultural politics, and that could be the model if he win, that other republicans look at virginia and say you know, that, what this business of reaching out to other group, being more inclusive, forget that, the way to win in america is to be ha rd the way to win in america is to be hard line, to be trumpist even if you dont mention the president. When do we fine out how they have gone . We will find out tonight. I guess how tight it is. There is another five hours of polling left here it is pretty bad, weather, i meani here it is pretty bad, weather, i mean i am shivering. This is meant to be the south and sunny that, it is not. That could depress turn out and you might get a result earlier. From us politics to uk politic u let us from us politics to uk politic u let us begin with this tweet from the Daily Telegraph saying cabinet in chaos, is theresa mays top team in turmoil most peoples answer to that would be yes. Lets start with the foreign secretary, borisjohnson. Hes in trouble because of remarks he made last week about this woman, Nazanin Zaghari ratcliffe. She was imprisoned in iran in 2016 for allegedly plotting to topple the government there she denies this and says she was on holiday. Mrjohnson has been accused of worsening her situation by saying she was there to train journalists. Today in parliament mrjohnson said this. Iam i am sorry if any words of mine have been so taken out of context and so misconstrued as to cause any kind of anxiety for the family of Nazanin Zaghari ratcliffe. Of course i am. The Foreign Office released this statement. I will let you make your own mind up when you look at what Nazanin Zaghari ratcliffe. Is doing, you know, she was simply teaching people journalism, as i understand it. At the very limit, and i am, i hope that a way forward can be found. Mrjohnson made the comments on november 1st. On the 11th Nazanin Zaghari ratcliffe. Was summoned back to court where the comments were cited as new evidence as to what she was doing in iran, her husband says iranian officials are using this to justify extending his wifes jail term, he has asked mrjohnson to retract the statement and you have seen the foreign secretarys words today. Heres rana rahimpourfrom bbc persian on mrjohnsons comments. It is important pause we are talking about a deeply paranoid country, over the last 18 months the iranian authorities have tried to find out anything against Nazanin Zaghari ratcliffe. Nazanin zaghari ratcliffe. Nazanin zaghari ratcliffe. , to confirm their allegations against her. And although teaching journalists is not although teaching journalists is not a crime in itself, but in the eyes of the iranian authorities it is. The fact is she wasnt doing that, she was there to visit her family or the iranian new year in march 2016, and by there, borisjohnsons comments saying that she was implying she was teaching journalist, this is just implying she was teaching journalist, this isjust going to take, make the case more difficult, although he has apologised, that is not going to change much in the eye of the iranian authority, it shows we are panicking and changing the story and it was a mistake we are trying to correct. Once that decision, that mistake is made it is very difficult to change it and that is going to be used as an evidence against her which will make the case more complicated. Thats the first minister in trouble. Heres the next. The International Development secretary, priti patel has been forced to issue this apology for holding a series of undisclosed meetings with senior israeli officials including the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu all during what was supposed to be a private holiday over the summer. To do that is against the ministerial code. And whats worse james kirkup in the the spectator magazine puts it like this priti patels survival speaks volumes about the state of mays premiership. Let us talk about the situation theresa may finds her in. It would seen theresa may finds her in. It would seen reasonable to think in normal circumstances, both of these ministers could have been out of a job . I think that is right, and tonight, both of them are facing calls to resign, or be sacked, and if this were normal times i think the calls would be getting a bit more traction, if we look at the situation round boris johnson, more traction, if we look at the situation round borisjohnson, he faced a barrage of criticism in the house of commons this afternoon, with some saying that he wasnt up to thejobs, with some saying that he wasnt up to the jobs, that he didnt realise the seriousness and how responsible the seriousness and how responsible thejob was, he is the seriousness and how responsible the job was, he is saying, the seriousness and how responsible thejob was, he is saying, look, my comments have in no way impacted the situation of the case in iran, and that he spoke to his countser part, this morning, and they reiterated that too. The thing is, many people are seeing this as a latest gaffe in are seeing this as a latest gaffe in a series of issues where the foreign secretary has ended up in trouble. Think back to last month at the conservative party conference, he angered the Libyan Government then, when he said that if the dead bodies we re when he said that if the dead bodies were cleared out of sirte, it could become a good place for tourists to visit. If theresa mays position wasnt so fragile, he might be facing more serious consequence, and thatis facing more serious consequence, and that is the same for priti patel who seem that is the same for priti patel who seem to have been economic about the truth about the meetings she had on her holiday in israel this year but also about who and when he told about what happened in the meetings and what was discussed in those meetings. Priti patel has apologised. Had a dressing down from the Prime Minister and the government thinks a line has been drawn under it, today, labour are calling for an investigation into pretty tent, if that doesnt happen they think she should do the decent thing and go. Stay with us, here is the bbcs Political Editor laura kuenssberg. The latest in a line of bad days. A week ago, her defence minister Michael Fallon resigned over allegations of inappropriate past behaviour towards women. And this week, one of her closest allies, first secretary of state damian green is battling claims that pornography was found on his parliamentary computer during a Police Investigation in 2008. Priti patel, if that doesnt happen they think she should do the decent thing and go. Stay with us, here is the bbcs Political Editor laura kuenssberg. He denies that. That story has been developing today . think the situation with the sleaze allegations around westminster, are they are just another thing that theresa may is having to deal with, at the moment. If you lock at her position with priti patel and boris johnson, he seems unable to move those ministers, despite calls for them to go and despite the admissions of their errors and things they have done. She has already lost her defence secretary Michael Fallon as you said, her closest aide damian green is facing an investigation. Add to that the fa ct an investigation. Add to that the fact that theresa may doesnt have a commanding majority, she is also facing a battle with brussels over the brexit negotiations and you see how difficult theresa mays position is, infact how difficult theresa mays position is, in fact i would say that as parliament packs up tonight for a week off, over their autumn recess, theresa may, i would have thought is feeling pretty relieved she will have a few days off when mps are going to be away from parliament. She will certainly be hoping that things calm down. Thank you for. We have that important eu summit in december, by which the uk and the eu hopes those brexit talks will move on the phase two. We will have to wait and see. Inafew in a few minutes we are going to report from kabul. This is part of a deadly attack on the shamshad tv station carried out allegedly by the islamic state. We will report from the scene. A senior welsh politician has been found dead after facing allegations, from a number of women, about his personal conduct. Carl sargeant, who was a9, took his own life. A labour member of the welsh assembly, he was sacked on friday from his job as cabinet secretary for communities and children and suspended from the party. Our correspondent roger pinney has been in his north wales constituency connahs quay. If there is one word i have heard over and over again it is shock. People tell me they were shocked last wheelchair when Carl Sargeant was sacked from the Welsh Government and they have been shocked to the point of disbelief, to learn that he has died. People here told me of a man deeply rooted in the community here in connahs quay, to the extend here in connahs quay, to the extend he lived a street away from the house he grew up. People have paid tributes from all the political party, here in north wells the police and crime commissioner he paid tribute saying Carl Sargeant was man with a big heart but always politically unpartisan. Welcome back, we are live in the bbc news room where the lead story is the latest disclosures from the Paradise Papers. They have revealed Prince Charles offshore investment and raised questions about a conflict of interest. In afghanistan, gunmen disguised as Police Officers attacked a television station earlier. It happened in the capital kabul. There are a number of video clips i want to show you on this. First this. This is the moment Security Forces detonated their explosives at the gate of the tv station. As you can see, once the dust dies down they still struggle to enter. Two people were killed and more than a dozen were injured. Islamic state claimed the attack. The station is called shamshad tv. Incredibly, its back on air. These pictures are from inside the building moments after broadcasting resumed. Wall street journals kabul correspondent highlights what he calls this anchor got injured on the is attack on shamshad tv, now he is back on his show, discussing the attack. This is supplied by the un, it shows the number of journalists who this is supplied by the un, it shows the number ofjournalists who died, afghanistan is top that for 2016 with mexico, yemen and iraq following. One of the reasons it is top because of an attack on a private tv station. Last year seven employees died in a taliban tact and ahead of the the head of the news agency spoke to bbc not long after he visited the tv station targeted today. It was such a tragic day, another day where afghan media is resilient and commitment was tested. I a visited a station where i saw a tv newscaster, his hands wrapped with band aid, that was certainly a very moving moment for me, ands are, a testa m e nt very moving moment for me, ands are, a testament of the fact that afghan media and free press has come a long way, that such an attack cannot reverse it. Last year onjanuary way, that such an attack cannot reverse it. Last year on january 20. One of the buss on the way home was hit by a car bomb. The taliban took responsibility, unlike today which is took responsibility and i lost colleagues. A lot of them after recovery who were injured returned back to work. Saudi arabia has ratcheted up tension with iran again. At the weekend, Houthi Rebels in yemen fired a Ballistic Missile towards saudi arabias main airport in riyadh. The saudis accuse tehran of supplying the rocket. This is a report from the saudi press agency. It quotes the Saudi Crown Prince telling British Foreign secretary borisjohnson in a phone conversation iran denies any involvement. This is all having ramifications for the humanitarian crisis in yemen which is acute. Saudi arabia has now cut off all land, sea and air ports into yemen. The un has had to follow by suspending all aid shipments. Here, more on that from Imogen Foulkes at the un in geneva. I should warn this this report containing pictures you may find distressing. What we heard today was not just dismay, but distressing. What we heard today was notjust dismay, but real anger from the humanitarian agencies, even before yemens conflict, which has lasted three years now, the country was dependent on lots and lots of imports. What civilians need to survive. Food, fuel, medicine, it has to come across yemens borders. Now, the Saudi Led Coalition say that they need to close the borders because weapons are being smuggled in and they are getting into the hands of huthty rebels. What we are hearing, it has a shipment of, a big shipment of chlorine tablet, they are vitalfor shipment of chlorine tablet, they are vital for combatting the cholera epidemic, there have been many cases. The tablets are sitting at the border, they cant get in. We heard from the world food programme, round seven million yemenis, many of them children, are on the brink of famine and yet ships loaded up with food are being turned away from yemens ports. They have already said this is the worlds worst humanitarian crisis, no one imagined it could get worse than this but it just has, the un is demanding access be restored immediately, it says that yemen civilians just cannot ta ke that yemen civilians just cannot take any more, humanitarian aid, it has nothing do with this conflict, these are not representatives or even things that are supplying the fighting forcing, these are things that can keep children alive, they need to get back into the country right away. And if you want more background on what is happening in yemen you can get that through the bbc news website. Now, on the bbc news channel we will return to the Paradise Papers, one of the biggest offshore data leaks in history. In this special programme, bbc scotlands mark daily investigates the secret world of the rich and the powerful. This is a story about money and how the rich and powerful try and hide it from the taxman. It is big guys who are using their power, their strength and their monastery advantage in order to gain the system. There seem to be different rules for billionaires. In one of the biggest offshore data leaks in history, we learn how Corporate Giants shift their profits and avoid the taxman, thanks to the worlds tax havens. The trouble is it isnt illegal, the trouble is it legal. the companies are not paying their fairshairks it the companies are not paying their fair shairks it means you and i are paying more, simple as that. Its a story about how big business and billionaires lose an elite law form operating in tax havens right on britains doorstep. It looks like the isle of man company was a tax avoidance vehicle which allowed executives to avoid more than one Million Dollars in tax over three years. That is absolutely wrong. These are scotlands Paradise Papers. You have been hearing about a leaks it isa you have been hearing about a leaks it is a big one. It is from inside appleby, a law firm with offices in every major tax haven. More than 13 million appleby documents were on taped by the german newspaper whose shared them with the International Consortium of investigative journalist, it has been co ordinating a global investigation which includes bbc panorama, the guardian, and involves more than 350 journalists in 100 country, these are documents that should never have seen are documents that should never have seen the light of day. Every person who pays taxes should care about what we are seeing here. We are looking at a firm called appleby and they are part of what they call the magic circle of offshore law firm, the elite of the elite. And there are some big names. Lewis hamiltons tax dodge on his private jet. Cast members of mrs browns boys tax avoidance scheme. You cant dismiss this has a few bad quy you cant dismiss this has a few bad guy, this is a whole system used by the most powerful and the wealthiest, the biggest corporations exposed. Bbc scotlands Investigations Team is the only scottish media partner with access to the leak and has been working inside the Paradise Papers for the past six months. There are thousands of documents relating to scots businesses and people, some you will have heard of and upwont, but they all have one thing in common. Asaiding tax. Avoiding tax. Black stone, not a household name by a Global Private equity giant, managing over 350 billion worth of assets. The founder and chief executive is Steven Schwartz man. His company has a major interest in scotland. Saint enoch centre in glasgow. One of the most recognisable buildings in the country. Country. It was bought by black stone in 2013 for £190 million. It is one of applebys biggest customers and the law firm was integrally involved in the purchase. The Paradise Papers laid bear the 11s that black stone, one of the biggest Richest Companies in the world went to to avoid paying uk the data reveals the confidential report by one of the uks biggest accountancy firms, deloitte. Under the codename project genesis they provide a step by step guide tailor made to help blackstone avoid tax at every stage of the purges of saint enoch. It starts with a deft swerve of £7. 6 million in stamp duty made possible by owning the Shopping Centre through a jersey property
comparemela.com © 2020. All Rights Reserved.