Monday 06 March 2017 12:20 am

Questions raised after Jeremy Corbyn’s tax return fails to include income as leader of the opposition

Embattled Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn appeared to make another gaffe last night, publishing a tax return that does not include his salary as head of the opposition.

"I have made it clear that I think it is right for party leaders to be open and transparent about their tax affairs," Corbyn said.

However, the document does not seem to include income Corbyn is entitled to receive as leader of the opposition. The amount could be up to £40,000.

Labour sources told the BBC Corbyn had paid tax at source on his full income. "We will deal with any queries on the detail on Monday," the BBC quoted the source as saying.

Corbyn used a firm of accountants to work on his tax return this time around. Last year he published an image of a scrappy and sometimes illegible tax return completed by hand and filed six days late.

The latest tax return, for fiscal year 2015-16, shows income of £114,342 – £77,019 from Corbyn's salary, £36,045 from pensions, £1,200 from self-employment, and £78 interest.

Corbyn's leadership over the party has come under intense scrutiny following last month's historic by-election defeat in Copeland. Labour had held the Cumbrian seat for more than eight decades. The proportion of Labour party members who disapprove of Corbyn being leader of the party has more than doubled since this time last year, according to recent YouGov polling.

Labour has challenged Conservative chancellor Philip Hammond to publish his own tax return. Yesterday, during a TV appearance, Hammond said: "I have no intention of doing so. Just for the record, my tax affairs are all perfectly regular and up to date. I think this demonstration politics isn't helping the atmosphere in British politics."

Hammond will deliver his first full Budget as chancellor this Wednesday.