Richard Baron, head of taxation at the Institute of Directors, gets idiot of the day award. He told Accountancy Age:

I don't think our members would have any problem about the G20 countries co-ordinating anti-avoidance legislation but they would have a problem if this leads to a higher tax burden or cost of location in the UK.

Perhaps he didn't realise how crass his comment was. In that case I'm worried for him.

If he did realise he was pleading for everyone else to pay tax bar his members in the UK then I hope he realised how crass his request was. In which case I'm worried for him.

Either way, what he reveals is the continuing arrogance of large business that thinks that the tax burden falls on anyone but them.

We've been there Richard. It was Leona Helmsley who said:

We don't pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes.

It would really be very unwise for British business to go the same way Richard. Trust me - the people won't forgive you.