Jeremy Corbyn has challenged Theresa May to publish her full tax return after he released his own document showing he paid almost £50,000 in tax on his earnings in 2016-17.

The Labour leader received total income of £136,762, which includes his salary as an MP, pay for his role as leader of the opposition and pensions. The 68-year-old had no outside earnings during the year and paid a total of £48,079.80 in tax.

John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, received total income of £87,353 and paid £24,099.20 in tax. This included his salary plus a small amount of interest from savings in a credit union.



Following the release, Corbyn called on May to release her own return.

The prime minister published a tax summary during the Conservative leadership contest in 2016, but has refused to do so since. It revealed that she earned £112,426 in employment income in 2014-15, plus £617 in interest and £5,419 in dividends. She gave £685 to charity.

Corbyn said: “Tax avoidance and evasion deprive our public services of tens of billions of pounds every year and will only be tackled if we have the political will to do it,” he said.



“We cannot expect the public to trust us as party leaders if we are not prepared to be open and honest about our own tax arrangements.”

McDonnell said: “I have again published my full tax return. I have done this every year as shadow chancellor because I believe if you aspire to be in charge of the nation’s finances then you should be as open and transparent about your own income as possible.

“It is right that people in high office are subject to a high degree of scrutiny and I call on the prime minister and chancellor to follow suit and publish their tax returns in full.”



Philip Hammond, the chancellor, has declined outright to detail his earnings and tax paid.