One of those from the Right who is apt to comment on this blog has noted that earlier today I said in my blog on Tescos that
Tax planning and tax avoidance are both normal and legal
My response is to quote President Roosevelt’s Treasury Secretary, Henry Morgenthau, who said:
if taxes are the price of civilized society, [...]
The Guardian has admitted that it libelled Tescos in its articles (no longer available on the web) published in February in which it alleged that Tesco avoided corporation tax using a complex offshore structure. This follows the apology it published two weeks ago.
I have advised the Guardian, but not on the original stories it published [...]
At yesterday’s ECOFIN meeting the EU increased its commitment to tax cooperation to tackle tax evasion. It said:
TAX ISSUES IN AGREEMENTS WITH THIRD COUNTRIES - Council conclusions
The Council adopted the following conclusions:
“The Council:
1. CONSIDERS that recent events involving tax fraud and evasion have proven the need to tackle this throughout the world and to reinforce [...]
CDC plc had a letter in the Independent this morning. They said:
Sir: Few will doubt the sincerity of Christian Aid’s motives in drawing attention to child poverty in developing countries (”Tax evasion ‘costs lives of 5.6m children’ “, 12 May) but the charity misrepresents some basic facts about CDC, the UK development finance institution.
It is [...]
The Right are out in force, commenting on the Christian Aid report. I wrote this in reply on the Spectator blog this morning:
There’s always an excuse for greed. Ample are on display here.
There’s always an excuse not to do the right thing.
There’s always an excuse to walk on the other side.
You clearly know them all.
Christian [...]
Thanhniennews.com has reported:
At the [Vietnamese] National Assembly session, the government filed a report saying 2006’s tax revenues collected from foreign-invested businesses were around VND1.97 trillion (US$122 million) less than expected. The government attributed the discrepancy to the slow growth of the automobile and tobacco markets.
But the explanation was met by harsh opposition from other deputies. [...]
I have the following letter in the London Evening Standard today in response to a comment made yesterday by Anthony Hilton that Gordon Brown has run a dual track economic policy:
Gordon Brown has indeed run a dual economy: one for the people and companies of the UK; another for the itinerant people and companies he [...]
I have been asked this question yet again today. I have a five step plan:
1) Increase the tax threshold at which tax is paid by £1,000 for everyone. For most people this will reduce their tax liability by £200 - the value that (near enough) the 10p band gave them;
2) Reduce the standard rate band [...]
It’s been rumoured that the TUC is to be included in Alastair Darling’s review of corporation tax.
I can confirm, the rumour is true.
That’s one down.
Now, how about civil society as well?
I know it’s the start of Christian Aid week, and I know they’re talking about tax, but it also seems to be tax avoidance day in the Guardian.
They point out that those seeking to get round the government’s proposed new rules for taxing the foreign income of companies by moving to Ireland are tax avoiders, [...]
