Ed Davey calls for British ‘washed-up old footballers and tax exiles’ in Dubai to help fund Armed Forces | The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload ourSocial PartnerWe are 8 logo (opens in a new tab)AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleHolly BishopTuesday 03 March 2026 12:34 GMTEd Davey slams ‘washed up old footballers and tax exiles’ in Dubai seeking UK protectionSir Ed Davey called for British "washed-up old footballers and tax exiles" residing in Dubai to pay taxes to help fund the UK's Armed Forces.His comments followed a recent UK operation to support at least 200,000 British nationals in the Middle East amidst escalating conflict.On 1 March, the Liberal Democrat leader asked Sir Keir Starmer if he agreed that British expats should contribute taxes for the Armed Forces.Sir Ed specifically mentioned broadcaster Isabel Oakeshott, who relocated to Dubai in 2024, as an example of a tax exile.Oakeshott responded by stating that tax exiles still pay substantial taxes and are not requesting rescue, suggesting a misunderstanding of their contributions.In fullEd Davey slams ‘washed up old footballers and tax exiles’ in Dubai seeking UK protectionThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in