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| Panama Papers: mass protests in Iceland call for prime minister to quit – live | Panama Papers: mass protests in Iceland call for prime minister to quit – live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 8.33pm BST | |
| 20:33 | |
| A popular chant among the thousands protesting in the streets of Reykjavik is “Vanhæf ríkisstjórn,” which roughly translaters as “unfit/unqualified Government” | |
| It’s a slogan that was popular during the winter of 2008 and afterwards, when thousands of Icelanders took to the streets amid the collapse of the banking system and the currency, the krona, which left Iceland saddled with debts that were at one point 11 times its national income. Anger was a recurrent theme on the streets of a state which had never experienced unrest of that sort. | |
| Another popular call from many in the crowds in Reykjavik is for the country’s crowed sourced constitution to be brought back. It was an experiment that ultimately stalled, but could it be due for a comeback? | |
| Related: Mob rule: Iceland crowdsources its next constitution | |
| 8.14pm BST | 8.14pm BST |
| 20:14 | 20:14 |
| Sigridur Tulinius, an Icelander living and working in politics in London, has been tweeting about the latest television interview given by Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson | Sigridur Tulinius, an Icelander living and working in politics in London, has been tweeting about the latest television interview given by Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson |
| PM says that the people have right to protest but does not see it as a reason to resign #panamapapers | PM says that the people have right to protest but does not see it as a reason to resign #panamapapers |
| PM is being asked whether he is willing to show evidence that him and his wife have paid taxes. He does not rule that out #panamapapers | PM is being asked whether he is willing to show evidence that him and his wife have paid taxes. He does not rule that out #panamapapers |
| PM claims that the assets are owned by his wife and not him. Does not see that in itself as conflict of interest #panamapapers | PM claims that the assets are owned by his wife and not him. Does not see that in itself as conflict of interest #panamapapers |
| 8.02pm BST | 8.02pm BST |
| 20:02 | 20:02 |
| Icelandic fury at prime minister | Icelandic fury at prime minister |
| Iceland’s prime minister is coming under fierce pressure to step down, reports the Guardian’s Jon Henley from Reykjavik, where he has been speaking to people who have come out on to the streets as part of some of the largest protests there since the 2008 financial crisis. | Iceland’s prime minister is coming under fierce pressure to step down, reports the Guardian’s Jon Henley from Reykjavik, where he has been speaking to people who have come out on to the streets as part of some of the largest protests there since the 2008 financial crisis. |
| The pressure on Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, and his government, comes after leaked documents showed his wife owned a secretive offshore company with a multi-million pound claim on the country’s collapsed banks – representing what opponents said was a major conflict of interest. | The pressure on Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, and his government, comes after leaked documents showed his wife owned a secretive offshore company with a multi-million pound claim on the country’s collapsed banks – representing what opponents said was a major conflict of interest. |
| As opposition parties called a vote of no confidence for later this week and an online petition demanding Gunnlaugsson’s resignation garnered (in a country of 330,000 people) more than 23,000 signatures, thousands of protesters gathered outside parliament in central Reykjavik for an evening protest, chanting, banging drums, blowing whistles and waving bananas – symbolising the belief of many that they were living in a banana republic. | As opposition parties called a vote of no confidence for later this week and an online petition demanding Gunnlaugsson’s resignation garnered (in a country of 330,000 people) more than 23,000 signatures, thousands of protesters gathered outside parliament in central Reykjavik for an evening protest, chanting, banging drums, blowing whistles and waving bananas – symbolising the belief of many that they were living in a banana republic. |
| Arntho Haldersson, a financial services consultant, said: | Arntho Haldersson, a financial services consultant, said: |
| He’s just lost all credibility. After all this country has been through, how can he possibly pretend to lead Iceland’s resurrection from the financial crisis? He should go. | He’s just lost all credibility. After all this country has been through, how can he possibly pretend to lead Iceland’s resurrection from the financial crisis? He should go. |
| Anna Mjoll Gudmundsdottir, a tourism researcher, said: | Anna Mjoll Gudmundsdottir, a tourism researcher, said: |
| These people, they say they’ve learned the lessons from what happened to us in 2008, but they’re still just hiding our money. | These people, they say they’ve learned the lessons from what happened to us in 2008, but they’re still just hiding our money. |
| Tinna Laufey Asgeirsdottir, a university professor, agreed | Tinna Laufey Asgeirsdottir, a university professor, agreed |
| He’s not been forthright. If people had been informed of this they might have voted differently. The size of this demonstration shows how disappointed people are. | He’s not been forthright. If people had been informed of this they might have voted differently. The size of this demonstration shows how disappointed people are. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 8.14pm BST | at 8.14pm BST |
| 7.53pm BST | 7.53pm BST |
| 19:53 | 19:53 |
| Natalie Nougayrède | Natalie Nougayrède |
| Vladimir Putin will be very uncomfortable over the revelations in the Panama Papers and will be seeking ways at the moment to put a lid on the story, according to the Guardian’s Natalie Nougayrède, a long-time observer of Russian affairs. | Vladimir Putin will be very uncomfortable over the revelations in the Panama Papers and will be seeking ways at the moment to put a lid on the story, according to the Guardian’s Natalie Nougayrède, a long-time observer of Russian affairs. |
| The revelations have already been dismissed by the Kremlin as “Putinphobia”, while Russian state TV made no mention of the scandal on Monday: | The revelations have already been dismissed by the Kremlin as “Putinphobia”, while Russian state TV made no mention of the scandal on Monday: |
| But how long can this hold? Putin will be uncomfortable. | But how long can this hold? Putin will be uncomfortable. |
| He may be all over Russian TV, but he is a very secretive character who has gone to great lengths to hide his private life and intimate networks. | He may be all over Russian TV, but he is a very secretive character who has gone to great lengths to hide his private life and intimate networks. |
| That one of his childhood friends has been revealed at the centre of a web of offshore activities which benefited the president’s close circle is hardly something that can remain entirely without consequence. | That one of his childhood friends has been revealed at the centre of a web of offshore activities which benefited the president’s close circle is hardly something that can remain entirely without consequence. |
| The backlash from the Kremlin will be more anti-western propaganda, certainly with intensive trolling – perhaps worse. It would be a mistake to rule anything out. | The backlash from the Kremlin will be more anti-western propaganda, certainly with intensive trolling – perhaps worse. It would be a mistake to rule anything out. |
| Read on here. | Read on here. |
| 7.39pm BST | 7.39pm BST |
| 19:39 | 19:39 |
| Will Iceland’s government fall as a result of the Panama Papers? Time is running out for it, according to opposition MPs there. | Will Iceland’s government fall as a result of the Panama Papers? Time is running out for it, according to opposition MPs there. |
| Steingrímur J. Sigfússon, MP for the Left-Green Movement and former government minister, said on Monday that the controversy is “terrible for the country” and one of the worst situations he has seen, according to the Iceland Monitor. | Steingrímur J. Sigfússon, MP for the Left-Green Movement and former government minister, said on Monday that the controversy is “terrible for the country” and one of the worst situations he has seen, according to the Iceland Monitor. |
| That’s coming from a man who really has seen some grim days in the history of his country from a close vantage point, having served as Iceland’s Minister for Finance after Iceland’s economy collapsed during the 2008 financial crisis. | That’s coming from a man who really has seen some grim days in the history of his country from a close vantage point, having served as Iceland’s Minister for Finance after Iceland’s economy collapsed during the 2008 financial crisis. |
| He added: “The powers that be have very little time left to save Iceland’s reputation.” | He added: “The powers that be have very little time left to save Iceland’s reputation.” |
| 7.29pm BST | 7.29pm BST |
| 19:29 | 19:29 |
| US Justice Department "reviewing Panama Papers" | US Justice Department "reviewing Panama Papers" |
| The US Justice Department is reviewing documents published as part of the Panama Papers leaks to see if they constitute evidence of corruption that could be prosecuted, according to several reports. | The US Justice Department is reviewing documents published as part of the Panama Papers leaks to see if they constitute evidence of corruption that could be prosecuted, according to several reports. |
| Paula Reid of CBS News tweets part of the department’s statement: | Paula Reid of CBS News tweets part of the department’s statement: |
| JUST IN: DoJ says it is aware of #PanamaLeaks & is reviewing #panamapapers: pic.twitter.com/2orw9ONjGk | JUST IN: DoJ says it is aware of #PanamaLeaks & is reviewing #panamapapers: pic.twitter.com/2orw9ONjGk |
| 7.14pm BST | 7.14pm BST |
| 19:14 | 19:14 |
| Gunnlaugsson insisted earlier today on Icelandic television Monday that he would not resign, adding that there was nothing new in the information contained in the Panama Papers data leak. | Gunnlaugsson insisted earlier today on Icelandic television Monday that he would not resign, adding that there was nothing new in the information contained in the Panama Papers data leak. |
| Meanwhile, the country’s foreign minister also said on a trip to India that the prime minister had not done anything illegal. | Meanwhile, the country’s foreign minister also said on a trip to India that the prime minister had not done anything illegal. |
| “There is nothing strange there,” said Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson, the minister for foreign affairs and external trade. | “There is nothing strange there,” said Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson, the minister for foreign affairs and external trade. |
| The revelation concerns the company Wintris Inc., which Gunnlaugsson allegedly created in 2007 along with his partner at the time, Anna Sigurlaug Palsdottir, who is now his wife. | The revelation concerns the company Wintris Inc., which Gunnlaugsson allegedly created in 2007 along with his partner at the time, Anna Sigurlaug Palsdottir, who is now his wife. |
| Germany’s Süddeutsche Zeitung has an excellent piece on the potential implications for the Icelandic ruling elite, entitled: “A storm is coming”. | Germany’s Süddeutsche Zeitung has an excellent piece on the potential implications for the Icelandic ruling elite, entitled: “A storm is coming”. |
| 7.10pm BST | 7.10pm BST |
| 19:10 | 19:10 |
| As those protests grow in Iceland, it’s worth watching footage from an interview in which where the prime minister of Iceland, walks out of an interview with Swedish television company SVT | As those protests grow in Iceland, it’s worth watching footage from an interview in which where the prime minister of Iceland, walks out of an interview with Swedish television company SVT |
| Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson was asked about a company called Wintris, which he says has been fully declared to the Icelandic tax authority. Gunnlaugsson says he is not prepared to answer such questions and decides to discontinue the interview, saying: ‘What are you trying to make up here? This is totally inappropriate’ | Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson was asked about a company called Wintris, which he says has been fully declared to the Icelandic tax authority. Gunnlaugsson says he is not prepared to answer such questions and decides to discontinue the interview, saying: ‘What are you trying to make up here? This is totally inappropriate’ |
| 6.59pm BST | 6.59pm BST |
| 18:59 | 18:59 |
| British Conservative donors’ links to offshore firms | British Conservative donors’ links to offshore firms |
| Several of the donors, MPs and financiers who have supported David Cameron’s rise to power have had links to the UK’s network of tax havens, the Panama Papers reveal. | Several of the donors, MPs and financiers who have supported David Cameron’s rise to power have had links to the UK’s network of tax havens, the Panama Papers reveal. |
| The Guardian’s Holly Watt reports that three former Conservative MPs and six members of the House of Lords are among those with connections to companies on the books of the offshore law firm Mossack Fonseca. | The Guardian’s Holly Watt reports that three former Conservative MPs and six members of the House of Lords are among those with connections to companies on the books of the offshore law firm Mossack Fonseca. |
| Though it is legal to manage money offshore, the practice has drawn increasing criticism during years of enduring austerity. | Though it is legal to manage money offshore, the practice has drawn increasing criticism during years of enduring austerity. |
| The British prime minister has been calling for reforms, recognising – along with other world leaders – that the system is too secret and in need of an overhaul | The British prime minister has been calling for reforms, recognising – along with other world leaders – that the system is too secret and in need of an overhaul |
| There is no evidence the politicians and donors have done anything wrong. But the disclosures raise legitimate questions for an ongoing public debate about the ethics of tax havens, whether there should be more transparency from those go offshore, and whether they will continue to do so following the revelations in the Panama Papers. | There is no evidence the politicians and donors have done anything wrong. But the disclosures raise legitimate questions for an ongoing public debate about the ethics of tax havens, whether there should be more transparency from those go offshore, and whether they will continue to do so following the revelations in the Panama Papers. |
| The businessmen include: | The businessmen include: |
| Tony Buckingham | Tony Buckingham |
| According to the documents, the energy company Heritage Oil, founded by the Conservative donor Buckingham, “urgently” moved its corporate registration from one tax haven to another, which could have permitted it to avoid hundreds of millions of pounds in tax. | According to the documents, the energy company Heritage Oil, founded by the Conservative donor Buckingham, “urgently” moved its corporate registration from one tax haven to another, which could have permitted it to avoid hundreds of millions of pounds in tax. |
| Michael Mates | Michael Mates |
| Mates, who stood down in 2010 as member of parliament for East Hampshire, is a shareholder in a company called Haylandale, which leased a large area of land in the Caribbean island of Barbuda. The former Conservative MP said he was invited to become the chairman of the company to help “deal with” the government of Antigua and Barbuda. | Mates, who stood down in 2010 as member of parliament for East Hampshire, is a shareholder in a company called Haylandale, which leased a large area of land in the Caribbean island of Barbuda. The former Conservative MP said he was invited to become the chairman of the company to help “deal with” the government of Antigua and Barbuda. |
| Anthony Bamford | Anthony Bamford |
| The JCB heir Lord Bamford closed down a company registered in the British Virgin Islands just months before he joined the House of Lords, according to documents seen by the Guardian. | The JCB heir Lord Bamford closed down a company registered in the British Virgin Islands just months before he joined the House of Lords, according to documents seen by the Guardian. |
| David Rowland | David Rowland |
| The businessman, who has given the Tories almost £3m, is a shareholder in dozens of offshore companies. Along with members of his family, Rowland held shares and property in British Virgin Islands screen entities. | The businessman, who has given the Tories almost £3m, is a shareholder in dozens of offshore companies. Along with members of his family, Rowland held shares and property in British Virgin Islands screen entities. |
| Read on here: | Read on here: |
| Related: Tory donors’ links to offshore firms revealed in leaked Panama Papers | Related: Tory donors’ links to offshore firms revealed in leaked Panama Papers |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 7.03pm BST | at 7.03pm BST |
| 6.51pm BST | 6.51pm BST |
| 18:51 | 18:51 |
| Huge number of Icelanders have turned out protests calling for the resignation of their prime minister, Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, who with his wife has alleged links to offshore holdings. | Huge number of Icelanders have turned out protests calling for the resignation of their prime minister, Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, who with his wife has alleged links to offshore holdings. |
| There are plenty of images from Reykjavik right now (including rooftop Periscope footage) and video: | There are plenty of images from Reykjavik right now (including rooftop Periscope footage) and video: |
| #panamapapers causing a political earthquake in Iceland. Demand for immediate resignation of PM. Massive protest. pic.twitter.com/ii74KhqiEN | #panamapapers causing a political earthquake in Iceland. Demand for immediate resignation of PM. Massive protest. pic.twitter.com/ii74KhqiEN |
| And here’s a view from the city’s parliament: | And here’s a view from the city’s parliament: |
| Largest protest in a long time. Seen from the parliament window. #iceland #panamaleaks #cashljós pic.twitter.com/CoetpNmPtn | Largest protest in a long time. Seen from the parliament window. #iceland #panamaleaks #cashljós pic.twitter.com/CoetpNmPtn |
| This is Ben Quinn picking up the liveblog now. | This is Ben Quinn picking up the liveblog now. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 7.08pm BST | at 7.08pm BST |
| 5.02pm BST | 5.02pm BST |
| 17:02 | 17:02 |
| Afternoon summary | Afternoon summary |
| Here’s a quick summary of reaction so far since the first reports based on the Panama Papers were published by news organisations around the world: | Here’s a quick summary of reaction so far since the first reports based on the Panama Papers were published by news organisations around the world: |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 5.03pm BST | at 5.03pm BST |
| 4.56pm BST | 4.56pm BST |
| 16:56 | 16:56 |
| We have more reaction from Russia. The Kremlin has dismissed revelations contained in the Panama Papers as “Putinophobia” and said that journalists investigating the Russian president’s financial affairs had “found out little new”. | We have more reaction from Russia. The Kremlin has dismissed revelations contained in the Panama Papers as “Putinophobia” and said that journalists investigating the Russian president’s financial affairs had “found out little new”. |
| Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesman, said the publication of leaked offshore files from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca was designed to “destabilise the situation in Russia ahead of elections”. | Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesman, said the publication of leaked offshore files from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca was designed to “destabilise the situation in Russia ahead of elections”. |
| The Guardian reveals how Peskov’s wife, Tatiana Navka, a former Olympic ice skater, was the registered beneficial owner of a secret offshore firm. Peskov has denied this. | The Guardian reveals how Peskov’s wife, Tatiana Navka, a former Olympic ice skater, was the registered beneficial owner of a secret offshore firm. Peskov has denied this. |
| Read the full report by Luke Harding here: | Read the full report by Luke Harding here: |
| Related: Kremlin dismisses revelations in Panama Papers as 'Putinphobia' | Related: Kremlin dismisses revelations in Panama Papers as 'Putinphobia' |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 5.09pm BST | at 5.09pm BST |