Sajid Javid refuses to come clean about tax affairs as he runs for Tory leadership

The former chancellor faced a barrage of questions about his tax residency during a successful banking career

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Javid engages in 'toxic' battle as he launches leadership bid

Conservative leadership hopeful Sajid Javid faced repeated questions over his tax affairs as he officially launched his campaign today.

The former Chancellor was dogged by inquiries into his tax residency during an international career as a banker carrying millions of pounds a year.

The growing feud risks derailing his bid for the party crown and No. 10.

Former Deutsche Bank executive Mr Javid squirmed: "I've been open and transparent about it, I said before this campaign that because before politics, my job was an international job - I traveled extensively, lived in the US, lived in the UK, lived in Singapore - was a tax resident in different countries as part of my job .”

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He revealed that he employed an accountant who would "help me with my international taxes when I traveled".

He launched his campaign in a restaurant in Westminster (

Picture:

REUTERS)

Pressed to find out where he was domiciled and whether he had used a tax haven, Mr Javid added: "The test for me was to make sure that whatever you do in terms of your personal tax affairs, it is always correct, appropriate, in all the rules, and it has been respected at all times.”

Despite a vow of transparency, he declined to say which countries he was domiciled in, adding, "I do not go into further detail about my personal tax affairs which pertained to a period when I was not in public life. ."

He also risked angering rank-and-file members by pledging to build more houses, including creating garden cities.

"The way to do that is not to start building on tons of greenbelt, I think that's not necessary," he asserted.