SHOULD they or shouldn’t they?

The tax returns of the nation’s top politicians have come under scrutiny after it was revealed that the family of Prime Minister David Cameron had invested in an off-shore tax haven.

As a result the Tory leader came under pressure and revealed his personal tax returns.

Chancellor George Osborne, London mayor Boris Johnson and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn have now all followed suit.

The figures showed that The Prime Minister paid £75,898 in income tax, while the Chancellor paid £72,210, the Mayor of London paid £260,621 and the Labour leader paid £18,912.

But should all MPs now be forced to publish their tax returns to their constituents?

In Hampshire only two of our MPs backed the plan.

Labour MP for Southampton Test Alan Whitehead and his New Forest East Conservative counterpart Julian Lewis said they would both be prepared to follow the example set by their political leaders.

Dr Whitehead said: “I am tempted to go it alone but that is second best to a scheme for everybody.”

But that is not a view echoed by the campaign group Taxpayers Alliance and a majority of Hampshire MPs.

Harry Davis, campaign manager at the alliance, said: “MPs already have to declare outside income, significant shareholdings and so on in the publicly-available Register of Members’ Financial Interests but enforced publication of full tax returns would be an invasion of privacy.

“Politicians’ energy would be better spent simplifying our labyrinthine tax code instead of unnecessary public posturing.”

What our MPs said: NO: Winchester Conservative MP Steve Brine said: “In answer to your question, I do not plan to do so - do you?

"Like the PM, I submit a tax return and pay every penny due in tax as well as ensure all my contact with the parliamentary commissioner for standards is up-to-date."

NO: Fellow Conservative Caroline Nokes, Romsey and Southampton North MP said: “I can confirm that any income in addition to my parliamentary salary is properly declared and published in the Register of Members Financial Interests.

“I pay tax in the UK and have no income from overseas whatsoever.

"I am not required to publish my tax return and, until such time as I am, have no plans to do so. “ NO: The Tory MP for Eastleigh, Mims Davies said: “I appreciate the interest in this matter however I will not be releasing my personal tax return.

"Before the election I was a housewife and a local councillor.

“My husband works for a publicly listed company and I refer to you my Register of Members’ Interest.”

NO: Conservative MP for Meon Valley, George Hollingbery said: “I will not be publishing my tax returns, but I can direct you to links to the register of MPs’ interests and the register of ministers’ interests.

“I’m also perfectly happy to put on the record that all the income I receive and any capital gains I may make from time to time are fully subject to UK income and capital gains tax at the standard applicable rates.”

NO: Royston Smith, Conservative MP for Southampton Itchen rejected calls to publish his tax returns: “No I won’t! Will you be releasing yours?” When asked why, he replied: “Because there is no requirement for me to do so.

“It is all recorded in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. Why would I need to do anything more? There is nothing else to register. Obviously I pay all my taxes or else I would be in prison.”

NO: Desmond Swayne, Conservative MP for New Forest West, said: “I really dislike the precedent that has now been set. Is there to be no privacy?

"Are we going to go the way of those Nordic countries that require everyone’s tax returns to be published and available to every nosy parker? "Should all our gifts and private arrangements be made public? What on Earth are we becoming?”

NO: Fareham’s Conservative MP Suella Fernandes made the following statement: “I consider myself a full-time Member of Parliament, and my salary is taxed under PAYE.

“Any additional income I receive is fully declared in the Register of Members’ Interests, and has been for work I completed before I was elected.

"I think declaring our additional income and interests in this way is an appropriate level of transparency for MPs, as the Prime Minister also said today.”

YES: Alan Whitehead, Southampton Test’s Labour MP, said: “More than happy for anyone to see my tax returns. The only caveat is that the PM’s tax returns leaves as many questions as answers. He produced a partial tax return that was not really good enough”

“My ideal would for the House to agree what it is that is published and for the same rules to apply to everybody. I am tempted to go it alone but that is second best to a scheme for everybody.

"I published my Parliamentary expenses years before it was a requirement.”

YES: Julian Lewis, Conservative MP for New Forest East, said: “I have no objection in principle to following the Prime Ministers example in publishing his tax records and will be content to follow any procedural advice on this matter from the House of Commons authorities.”

“I do not have and have never had any interests in, or benefit from, offshore tax-investment arrangements.”

Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage did not respond to the question.