The first figures are in and it seems that some non doms really have made good on their threat to leave the UK in response to a £30,000 annual levy imposed by Alistair Darling. The vast majority, though, have decided to swallow the charge and stay put.

The figures, obtained through a freedom of information request by McGrigors law firm, reveal that the number of non doms in the UK fell 11.5% in the 2008-2009 tax year to 123,000, City AM reported http://bit.ly/dMYv36 . It was the first fall in five years.