Take That members named in tax avoidance investigation

Take That have become caught up in the latest tax scandal, with the Times claiming three members of the band and their manager have invested £26m in a scheme designed to avoid the payment of tax. Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen, plus their manager Jonathan Wild, are among 1,000 people who the Times says contributed £480m to 62 music industry partnerships that Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) claim act as tax shelters. HMRC is attempting to shut down the partnerships, overseen by a company called Icebreaker Management Services, according to the Times. Take That's lawyers insist the bandmates believed the investments were legitimate enterprises and not schemes designed to avoid tax, and that all four named pay "significant tax". There has not been any suggestion of any illegality. Robbie Williams and Jason Orange are not involved in the investments. A spokesman for Icebreaker denied the partnerships were designed to avoid paying tax, saying they were created to invest money in the music industry for taxable profit. Icebreaker's website says the organisation is "an exciting opportunity to make money from a broad range of know how and creative material". It continues: "Since 2004, Icebreaker has been bringing together investors, entrepreneurs and creative talent. There is a particular emphasis on commercial projects in the creative and technology industries. Income from these projects is shared between the relevant Icebreaker LLP and the companies involved." The claims follow Tuesday's allegations that comedian Jimmy Carr puts £3.3m a year into an offshore shelter as part of a tax avoidance scheme used by 1,100 individuals.