Dear Val McDermid, being 'anti-wealth' is easier when you're rolling in money – John McLellan

Award-winning crime novelist Val McDermid appears to be rather well off

Crime author Val McDermid couldn’t make her political beliefs clearer. judging by the t-shirt she sported on her way to the All Under One Banner separatist march in Glasgow last weekend, now highlighted on social media. “Anti-monarchy, anti-Britain, anti-wealth, eco-zealot Marxist”, it said, emblazoned across a clenched fist and red star. It must cut quite a dash around her Stockbridge street where Georgian townhouses have recently sold for around £1.4m.

In fact, a quick search reveals the address under which she is currently listed in Companies House was bought for £1.1m seven years ago. But perhaps, like Dr Zhivago’s mansion, she will split it into bedsits for the working classes.

I doubt the anti-wealth Ms McDermid has to worry about the heating bill in one of Edinburgh’s most desirable streets, because Companies House also reveals her business, QSI(2014) Ltd has net assets of £2.39m. Another, CJMB Ltd, has net assets of £1.14m, according to the last filed accounts. Interestingly for someone apparently anti-Britain that both companies are registered in Darwen, Lancashire.

As for Marxist, her co-director in CJMB is Chorley-based Tony Totham, a senior partner in the accountancy firm Hayes & Co which handles her firms’ books, who says he “specialises in tax mitigation for clients and dealing with Revenue & Customs Investigations". Not unexpectedly for someone who minimises clients’ tax liabilities, his testimonial fails to mention helping loadsamoney novelists unchain the Scottish proletariat from the yoke of British capitalism.

I have no doubt Ms McDermid contributes all that is due to the Exchequer, but being an extreme socialist is so much easier when you’re rolling in it.