‘Cameron dad’s investments private matter’

Following the Panama Paper leak, which included British Prime Minister David Cameron’s late father Ian Cameron, the British government on Monday asked for a copy of leaked data on the clients of a Panama-based law firm so it can examine the information and act on any possible tax evasion.

The PM’s father was among hundreds of thousands clients named in more than 11.5 million leaked documents from the files of a law firm based in the tax haven of Panama.

Mr Cameron’s spokesperson, however, declined to comment on whether the leader’s family had money invested in offshore funds set up by his father, saying it was a “private matter”.

In 2012, British media reported that Cameron’s father ran a network of offshore investment funds to help build the family fortune.

Asked whether she could confirm that no family money was still invested in those funds, Mr Cameron’s spokeswoman said: “That is a private matter, I am focussed on what the government is doing.”

The leak, which reveals the details of hundreds of thousands of clients in multiple jurisdictions of law company Mossack Fonseca, could be embarrassing for Prime Minister David Cameron, who has spoken out against tax evasion and tax avoidance.

His late father Ian Cameron is mentioned alongside some members of his Conservative Party in the upper house of parliament, former Conservative lawmakers and party donors, the British media said.