Lord Ashcroft: I'm a non-dom but will soon become a full UK taxpayer

Lord Ashcroft has just issued this statement via his personal website.

He has clarified his tax status, saying he is a non-dom. He notes that two of Labour's biggest donors enjoy the same tax status.

He agrees to abandon this status in order to comply with David Cameron's requirement that all members of the Commons and Lords are full UK taxpayers.

The full pdf of Lord Ashcroft's statement is here.

Lord Ashcroft has become a subject of controversy in recent months although, as we discussed on Saturday, his role in funding Tory target seats is hugely exaggerated.

Long before he became majority investor in ConservativeHome, I've been an admirer of his contribution to big and small 'c' conservative politics. Hopefully today's statement will belatedly remove his tax status as an election issue - unless, of course, Labour are going to repay the money given to them by their own non-dom donors like Lord Paul.

Tim Montgomerie

10.30am: Statement from CCHQ: "It is clear, therefore, that Lord Ashcroft has the same status as several Labour donors including Lord Paul - recently appointed to the Privy Council on the recommendation of Gordon Brown's government."

10.45am: Iain Dale lists Labour's non-dom donors.

11am Gary Gibbon of Channel 4: "Lord Ashcroft – in common with some Labour donors, as his statement (you can see it here) makes clear – has been paying tax here only on his UK earnings. But Lord Ashcroft’s donations tower over the Labour non-dom donations, he is a much bigger political figure, shaping the next election result, or if you believe some Labour critics, “buying it”. So this is a bigger story than the Tories, trying to rally the party and regain a wider poll lead, might like."