AS Spain flies its citizens back from Dubai, will Britain rescue its tax exiles too?
Repatriation efforts by Spain and the UK have sparked heated debate, particularly over Dubai-based influencers, with critics arguing that those who moved abroad to avoid UK taxes should not be prioritised.
It comes as Spain has begun evacuating some of the estimated 30,000 Spaniards living and holidaying in the Middle East.
Britain, meanwhile, has around 300,000 citizens, including military personnel, in Middle Eastern countries targeted by Iran.
As many as 130,000 Brits are registered with the Foreign Office for updates on how to leave the region – but how many are tax exiles who fled the UK to avoid paying their way?
Dubai has become a global hub for influencers and online entrepreneurs, drawn by zero income tax and long-term ‘Golden Visas’ offered to prominent content creators – as well as gangsters, Russian oligarchs and serious fraudsters.
In return for turning a blind eye to their activities, Emirati authorities require influencers to respect the state, its politics and religion in their online content.
Influencers are used to sell the ‘Dubai dream’ promoting their luxury apartments, skyline selfies and frequently describing the city as ‘the safest place in the world’.
But critics argue that their Instagram posts belie the darker realities of the UAE, namely the restriction to freedom of speech (criticising the government is illegal) and abuse of migrant workers.Â
This influencer facade came crashing down almost overnight after Iran started launching missiles and drones, and many of the most high-profile online celebrity became war correspondents overnight and posted live updates from Dubai.
The imminent danger, and the grounding of commercial flights, triggered cries from the Brits to the local embassy to arrange repatriation flights out of the war zone.
READ MORE: EU leaders close ranks around Spain after Trump’s furious threat to cut trade over Iran tensions
It triggered a debate – should the UK tax payer pay to rescue these tax-dodging influencers?Â
Liberal Democrat MP Callum Miller jibed with Dubai-based journalist Isabel Oakeshott – whose move was prompted by the introduction of VAT on private school fees by the Labour government.
On X, the Lib Dems summarised their position stating ‘tax exiles and influencers who make a living criticising the UK should contribute to the country they still expect to protect them.’
Keir Starmer, on the other hand, says whether you’re an influencer or not, protecting British citizens is the government’s ‘number one priority’.
Meanwhile, over in Spain, 175 Spanish residents arrived in Madrid on a flight from Abu Dhabi on Tuesday evening.Â
Foreign Minister, Jose Manuel Albares, said that further flights are expected from the UAE via Istanbul.
Yesterday, Albares said that 22 Spanish residents had crossed Iran’s border with Azerbaijan from where they are expected to fly home via Baku (Azerbaijan’s capital) and Istanbul.
Britain has also started evacuating citizens from the Middle East – but with repatriation flights departing from Muscat in neighbouring Oman, rather than Dubai, due to airspace restrictions across parts of the Gulf.
A chartered flight scheduled to take off from Oman yesterday evening, however, due to difficulties with loading passengers, the plane did not depart and the would-be passengers were taken back to a hotel.Â
The flight was finally confirmed to have departed this afternoon.
The remaining Brits in the UAE have been advised to take commercial flights where possible or travel to Oman if they require assistance from the evacuation scheme.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said there would be two more flights ‘in the coming days’.
The UK government said evacuation support in the Middle East will be available to British nationals regardless of where they live or pay tax.
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