Lord Ashcroft was made a peer in 2000 Former Conservative deputy chairman and donor Lord Ashcroft is to act as a lead advisor on a government review of the UK’s military bases in Cyprus.
More than 3,000 UK personnel are stationed in two bases, Akrotiri and Dhekelia, on the Mediterranean island.
The study, due to be completed by the end of 2011, is part of the government’s strategic defence review.
Lord Ashcroft was forced to reveal last year that he did not pay UK tax on his earnings outside Britain.
In a statement, Defence Secretary Liam Fox confirmed that Lord Ashcroft would undertake the role of senior independent advisor to the review of the Cyprus bases.
He will work alongside Conservative MP and former Army officer Patrick Mercer.
Lord Ashcroft came under fire from Labour and the Lib Dems over his tax status in the run up to last year’s general election, including fierce criticism from Nick Clegg.
The future deputy prime minister said it was “wholly wrong” that someone “seeking to influence the outcome of the general election” sought to pay taxes “only partially” in the UK.
The peer confirmed in March that he did have so-called “non-dom” status, but later renounced it in order to keep his seat in the Lords.
A non-dom is someone who is resident in the UK but not domiciled in the UK for tax purposes – although they will pay some UK tax, they will not be fully taxed in the UK on their interests overseas.
Lord Ashcroft has donated more than £4m to the party in recent years, much of which has been spent on campaigns by Tory candidates in marginal seats.
There had been speculation for a number of years that he was a “non-dom”, but both he and the Conservatives had previously refused to clarify the matter.
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