I was on Radio 4's You and Yours discussing the morality of tax avoidance and evasion today.
Start 9 minutes in here.
The evidence I referred to is here.
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Excellent contribution (09.14-14.06 – in case the timings help others).
I’d like to see more emphasis on the way in which tax avoidance is a betrayal of (rejection of … insult to ….) democracy in the most blatant and offensive way.
Democracy is how we settle our disagreements about how the country is to be run – we allow the different political visions to be aired, and then everyone has a vote, and we agree to abide by the outcome – the implementation of the political vision of those that win the election. Those are our legislators.
When tax avoiders evade the intention of legislators, they reject that most basic principle of democracy – abiding by the results of elections. They do so – usually – in pursuit of their own self-interest, considering that to be more important than respecting either the electorate or the democratic process.
To this offensive stance is added – often – gross hypocrisy, since often it is the very same people that laud the values of democracy in foreign policy as flout them in their own private or business dealings.
We should concede that sometimes the intentions of tax legislators is unclear. But this is really a harmless concession. It does not touch the majority of cases.
I thoroughly applaud your work, Richard, in taking up the moral arguments (the above is only one argument – but an important one, alongside free-riding, etc.) against not only tax evasion but also tax avoidance (by whatever name, incl. much tax “planning”, etc.).
Thanks
I’ve been saying for years that tax avoidance is a moral issue much more than a legal one. Been shot down in flames on various blogs/newspapers for saying so.
And the people shooting you down in flames will probably be the first people to attack anybody who receives social security, for whatever reason: and as for those who commit social security fraud costing the UK an enormous £1.2 billion a year, they are, of course, according to the same people, the lowest form of scum.
I’d keep at it if I were you John. Remind them of Denis Healey’s comment about the difference between tax avoidance and tax evasion being the thickness of a prison wall. Oh hang on……..as the HSBC case has revealed, we don’t even try to put wealthy tax evaders up before the court now, do we? HMRC are ‘very pragmatic’ in choosing to negociate settlements rather than prosecute. Apparently it’s more cost effective (according to the tax profession, anyway).
I wonder if putting social security fraudsters in jail is also cost effective? I doubt many of then have funds that can be recovered, and putting people in prison is very expensive. So let’s be ‘pragmatic’ and ‘negociate’ with them shall we? Or is it the case that in the UK, that legal sanctions, like taxes, are only for the little people?