Mike Ashley is facing a legal dispute with HM Revenue & Customs over data protection issues.
- The High Court heard claims that Ashley was ‘stonewalled’ after seeking data related to a tax dispute.
- The dispute arose after HMRC demanded an additional £13.6m in taxes from Ashley.
- The Frasers Group founder alleges extensive breaches of data protection by HMRC.
- HMRC admits to minor breaches but is contesting Ashley’s wider claims.
The High Court recently heard a case involving Mike Ashley, the founder of Frasers Group, who is in a legal battle with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). The dispute centres around allegations of HMRC withholding personal information pertinent to a tax dispute. Ashley’s request for this data was allegedly met with resistance, leading him to claim extensive breaches of data protection laws against the tax body.
At the heart of the matter lies HMRC’s demand for an additional £13.6 million in taxes from Ashley. The entrepreneur has taken legal action, asserting that the tax authority failed to hand over his personal data despite his requests, which he believes is a clear violation of data protection obligations.
HMRC, on its part, acknowledges some breaches but argues that these were not as extensive as Ashley claims. The ongoing legal proceedings aim to resolve these differences and clarify the extent of HMRC’s obligations in handling personal data requests by taxpayers.
The legal tensions between Ashley and HMRC come in the wake of another significant development in Ashley’s career. He was previously involved in a competitive bid to become the CEO of Boohoo, a significant player in the fashion industry. However, this position ultimately went to Dan Finley, the former CEO of Debenhams. Before this decision, Frasers Group had publicly proposed Ashley for the Boohoo CEO role.
The resolution of Mike Ashley’s dispute with HMRC remains pending as legal proceedings continue.
