UK for sale: how the wealthy hold British property via offshore firms

Exclusive: New register shines light on how businessmen, Gulf royals and states such as China have spent billions through offshore jurisdictions

The BBC chair, Richard Sharp, more than 20 Conservative donors, a string of billionaire businessmen and the Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton are among those who have declared they own UK property through offshore jurisdictions, a Guardian investigation has found.

The declarations are made on the UK government's new register of overseas entities, brought in to increase transparency and help the tax authorities by showing the ultimate owners of British property held offshore.