{"id":16415,"date":"2012-07-16T10:18:44","date_gmt":"2012-07-16T09:18:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.taxresearch.org.uk\/Blog\/?p=16415"},"modified":"2012-07-16T10:18:44","modified_gmt":"2012-07-16T09:18:44","slug":"the-uks-tax-profession-shows-its-true-colours-and-gets-edgy-on-tax-dodging","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.taxresearch.org.uk\/Blog\/2012\/07\/16\/the-uks-tax-profession-shows-its-true-colours-and-gets-edgy-on-tax-dodging\/","title":{"rendered":"The UK’s tax profession shows its true colours – and gets edgy on tax dodging"},"content":{"rendered":"

I noted a while ago <\/a>the the\u00a0Chief\u00a0Executive of the\u00a0Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales had commented on recent UK tax\u00a0scandals. I thought his comments quite inadequate<\/a>, but others\u00a0clearly\u00a0do not agree. Now the Tax\u00a0Journal\u00a0has given\u00a0some\u00a0coverage\u00a0t<\/a>o the stories in the ICAEW web site, noting of comments on Izza's article that:<\/p>\n

\u2018Michael Quinlan\u2019 claimed that Izza did not have \u2018the intellect to distinguish between acceptable tax avoidance and the unacceptable\u2019. Izza was \u2018out of line\u2019, he said, adding that major firms of accountants \u2018have all been deeply involved with aggressive tax avoidance since time immemorial, much more so today\u2019. Izza should \u2018withdraw or resign\u2019, he wrote. But this was not Michael Quinlan, partner and competency leader for stamp taxes at Deloitte, who told\u00a0Tax Journal\u00a0<\/em>that he had not commented and did not wish to do so.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I'll take his word for it, but the comment certainly reflects widespread opinion. For example the Tax Journal noted that long standing tax avoider, Robert Maas said:<\/p>\n

he did not think the film schemes \u2018abhorred\u2019 by\u00a0The Times<\/em>\u00a0were particularly aggressive: \u2018It also seems to me to be wrong for chartered accountants to react to what the press deems to be \"public opinion\", without a full consideration of the facts. Isn't accountancy built on interpreting facts? I don't promote tax schemes but if a client wants one I'll find it for him. I think that part of my professional duty.\u2019<\/p>\n

He added: \u2018Fortunately, I'm getting old and though I would like to have seen out my 50 years as a chartered accountant if my professional body no longer wants me, so be it. My conscience is clear; so is my moral compass. Personally I would much prefer my institute to explain to Joe Public that we have an unfair tax system in many respects and that tax avoiders often simply want to redress the balance and achieve what they perceive to be fairer.\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Which is so typical of the accountancy profession: hang democracy and the rule of law is the message; we'll go out to defeat it. That, of course, is the culture of the tax haven pinstripe mafia writ large.<\/p>\n

But what's really interesting is that this debate is breaking out now. The profession can finally no longer duck this issue - and if it means some leave, that's a massive\u00a0benefit\u00a0to society.<\/p>\n

And by the way, they don't\u00a0escape\u00a0regulation\u00a0by leaving. They are just\u00a0regulated\u00a0by HMRC instead. Now there's an\u00a0interesting\u00a0g idea into\u00a0which\u00a0many more resources should be\u00a0injected with the\u00a0aim\u00a0of extending that\u00a0regulation\u00a0to the profession as a whole in the interests of putting to an end the\u00a0farce\u00a0of self\u00a0regulation\u00a0once\u00a0and for all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I noted a while ago the the\u00a0Chief\u00a0Executive of the\u00a0Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales had commented on recent UK tax\u00a0scandals. I thought his
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