The Guardian has just reported that:
Tax officials used intrusive investigative powers meant to catch serious criminals to try to prove that a whistleblower who uncovered a "sweetheart" deal with Goldman Sachs had spoken to the Guardian, it has emerged.
The belongings, emails, internet search records and telephone calls of the HM Revenue and Customs solicitor Osita Mba and the telephone records of his wife, Claudia, were examined by revenue investigators, according to previously undisclosed documents.
The powers, which are supposed to be used to combat large-scale criminal tax frauds, were used because the tax inspectors suspected that Mba had been in contact with the Guardian's former investigations editor, David Leigh.
Leigh's telephone numbers and email addresses were cross-referenced with Mba's, but investigators found no evidence of contact, documents show.
I'm shocked by this for two reasons. First, I know and like Osita Mba, who I consider to be a man of the highest personal ethics and who has, as far as I can see, acted with integrity in pursuit of genuine tax justice in this country.
Second, I am shocked by the the apparent abuse of powers on the part of HMRC.
HMRC should have welcomed Osita Mba's actions: he was drawing attention to a weakness in recovering tax due. If they've abused their powers in investigating him I have no hesitation in saying prosecutions should follow. And from the top, please.
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This completely fits with the corporatist state we now live in and is very much in line with Klein’s Shock Doctrine. Clearly as HMRC are no longer responsible to the citizens of this country but to their corporate masters, then in their view Osita Mba’s actions are criminal as they are working against the good of their establishment.
Yes, this is absolutely shocking – and in a real democracy this would make national television news and cause outrage far and wide. Lets see how well buried this is instead.
I wonder what we would find if HMRC used RIPA to trawl through Hartnett’s phone records, bank records etc at the time of these deals!
Quite.
This sort of thing happens all the time, in a less public manner, to individuals interacting with governmental types exercising their ‘power’ on a daily basis.
Ever wonder why so many people do not buy into the whole Courageous State routine? Precisely this type of HMRC jobsworth who will be staffing the ‘caring community’.
This is the cowardly state
Don’t you realise?
Shocking and appalling abuse of RIPA. I remember when the Finance Act 2007 that gace HMRC RIPA powers was going through Parliament and we were worried they would be used against tax advisers. it never occurred to me they would be used against staff raising concerns!
what an odd thing to do to a civil servant !
Whistleblowers are a vital part of democracy. They help keep totalitarianism at bay and ensure that the institition or organisation remains accountable to the people.
Once the whistleblowers are completely silenced, then it won’t belong before the streets resonate to the sound of marching jackboots!
There is a wider issue here. Theresa May wants to force through the Communications Bill that will extend such invasive powers but the LibDems are fighting this. They always paint a picture of evil criminals when they seek these powers but once they’re granted they go after innocent people.
Richard. Just read the article in The Guardian. I’m not surprised as I (and you) have long argued that the culture and purpose of those at the top of HMRC has been dangeroulsy corrupted away from serving the public good. This is an example of just such a corrupted value system.
But it also brings to the fore the courage of Anon HMRC Officer, who comments on your blogs occasionally, the most recent occasion being the blog on the PAC on 26th when they wrote:
‘…I have said previously that the HMRC Large Business Service’s philosophy is one of “customer facilitation” in other words “help” them to get their tax right rather than challenging them robustly by carrying out in depth transaction analysis ( as used to happen). The relationship has become too cosy — evidenced by the preponderance of ex private sector individuals on the HMRC board- we no longer have an impartial service.’
No doubt this individual is being hunted at this very moment, and if and when discovered will be subject to the same warped, disgraceful, behaviour as Osita.
If this latest incident isn’t grounds for Labour to announce they will hold a public enquiry into the management, governance and purpose of HMRC when they come to power I don’t know what is.
Don’t hold your breath