Algirdas Šemeta, the EU Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud, addressed the EU Parliament late on Tuesday and talked about the UK- Swiss (and similar German) tax deals. The German deal he reckoned was illegal on the basis of the tax rates in operation. I think we can safely assume a rapid challenge is going to happen on
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I juts had to dash to get provisions to keep children going during the day. The man at the checkout in Morrison’s  addressed me as ‘young man’ and we fell into conversation. It transpired his youngest son is 53, the same age as me. He had the right to address me as young man. And as he
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Yesterday was a long day. For me. It was longer for Europe’s senior politicians. But at least IU got home late and tired feeling like I’d achieved something. What did the Euro politicians achieve? Well, forgive my cynicism please, but the answer is ‘not a lot‘. A deal that does not say how much money is going to Greece,
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I am well aware some have not appreciated my dedication of space to the issues ongoing at and with St Paul’s over the last week or so. I admit I am unrepentant. I was not convinced by Giles Fraser’s approach right at the beginning of the occupation that accidentally alighted outside St Paul’s door. We now have likely insight that he worked against considerable constraints and
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A commentator on this blog this morning has said: I really don’t think this post is a useful contribution to what’s happening. You appear to be trying to make St Paul’s the enemy and every time we do this, the press make this more about OccupyLSX versus St Paul’s and less about the real reasons
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The Guardian has a stunningly good editorial on #occupylondon and St Paul’s this morning summarised in this one short section: This rather messy and absurd situation has handed the dean and chapter of St Paul’s a truly historic opportunity to discredit Christianity in this country. They seem determined to take it. So true. Choice time
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Allyson Pollock – one of my heroes – wrote this in the Guardian today. Please share it widely, which is why I quote at length: Put simply, the legal effect of the [Health and Social Care Bill] is to abolish the statutory basis of a national health service by repealing duties to provide a comprehensive and universal
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This has come in from the Greens in response to the EU’s commitment to country-by-country reporting for the extractive sector and forestry: The European Commission today adopted proposals to revise EU rules on accounting and transparency (1). The Greens welcomed the proposals as a first step to improving transparency on the payments and accountability of large corporations
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Statement from EU Commissioner for Internal Market and Financial services, Michel Barnier and EU Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs During the African Union Summit with African Ministers of Finance last January in Addis Abeba, we committed to lead on the fight for more transparency of European extractive and forestry industries active in Africa. Today, by
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