The Guardian seems to have noted the theme on this blog suggesting that multinational corporations wish to float free from the constraints of government. So has Google. As the Guardian have noted: A week or so ago, Google’s chief executive, Larry Page, caused ripples when he suggested at a public event that laws older than 50 years or so shouldn’t
Read the Rest…

From the Guardian this morning:   and   I have been saying that this was inevitable.  

Having done so there is only one reasonable response, to the IMF’s demand for stimulus and Osborne’s refusal to do it. And that’s “I (and others) told you so”. Long ago. And we’re all paying the price for that being ignored.

The Guardian’s editorial today says: Labour – a party that pussyfooted around with avoidance for 13 years – needs to convince the country it will do better next time But as it then notes: That will have to involve hard and specific commitments to act. Mr Miliband is making the right noises, talking up comprehensive country-by-country reporting
Read the Rest…

A big finance sector is good for an economy – isn’t it? Actually, no. In this Tax Justice Network podcast the  Finance Curse is discussed – how an oversized financial sector can weaken growth, slow the economy, erode democracy, foster corruption and increase inequality. Produced by @Naomi_Fowler For monthly Taxcasts go here.  

TJN this morning publishes a short new book entitled The Finance Curse: how oversized financial centres attack democracy and corrupt economies.  The book, co-authored by TJN’s Director John Christensen and Nicholas Shaxson, is available for free here, in pdf format. It is also available on the Kindle e-reader, for a nominal fee. This book emerges from our
Read the Rest…

As the FT has noted this morning: Fiat Industrial aims to move its tax residency to the UK from Italy after a merger with US business CNH to take advantage of a lighter fiscal regime, according to a regulatory filing. Now there’s no chance that this means Fiat will be making cars here. No, this is just a
Read the Rest…

The FT has reported that: Dublin [has] strongly rejected allegations contained in a US Senate Committee report that it is a tax haven But then every tax haven does that. And they have to do so because the rest of the world thinks they are a tax haven, and it’s the opinion of the rest of the
Read the Rest…

Oxfam has issued a new report today that suggests: People using tax havens are depriving the world of more than $150 billion (£100bn) in lost revenue, enough money to end extreme poverty twice over As the add: A high proportion of this tax dodging is taking place on David Cameron and George Osborne’s watch. Of
Read the Rest…