{"id":19186,"date":"2013-02-07T13:54:44","date_gmt":"2013-02-07T13:54:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.taxresearch.org.uk\/Blog\/?p=19186"},"modified":"2013-02-07T13:54:44","modified_gmt":"2013-02-07T13:54:44","slug":"nick-clegg-really-does-not-understand-his-governments-general-anti-abuse-rule-or-what-it-does-and-thats-going-to-come-back-and-bite-him-hard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.taxresearch.org.uk\/Blog\/2013\/02\/07\/nick-clegg-really-does-not-understand-his-governments-general-anti-abuse-rule-or-what-it-does-and-thats-going-to-come-back-and-bite-him-hard\/","title":{"rendered":"Nick Clegg really does not understand his government’s General Anti-Abuse Rule or what it does – and that’s going to come back and bite him hard"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nick Clegg delivered his speech on tax fairness this morning<\/a>, and I was duly sent a copy by his office. It was a disappointing affair, saying\u00a0nothing\u00a0new that i could spot and\u00a0ignoring\u00a0either entirely or substantially the issues of concern I noted this morning<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I will not analyse the speech in detail as a result:candidly I fear that would be a waste of time. But I will offer a very clear indication that Nick Clegg really does not know what he is talking about. He said this:<\/p>\n

This year we\u2019re introducing the UK\u2019s first ever General Anti-Abuse Rule. Instead of HMRC doing all the running, we\u2019re shifting the burden of proof so that it\u2019s up to companies to explain why they\u2019re doing whatever it is they\u2019re doing, demonstrating it\u2019s all above board.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

With the greatest of respect to Nick Clegg that is just not true. As the draft GAAR guidance says<\/a>:<\/p>\n

If the GAAR is litigated, it is for HMRC to show before a court or tribunal that\u00a0tax arrangements are abusive and that the counteraction arising from the\u00a0arrangements is just and reasonable.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And as it adds:<\/p>\n

There is a high threshold for showing that tax arrangements are abusive.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There is therefore no requirement at all for a company to explain what they're doing or for them to demonstrate it's all above\u00a0board. That\u00a0responsibility\u00a0falls on HMRC, and the standard of proof HMRC have to demonstrate is deliberately very high.<\/p>\n

Nick Clegg has this completely wrong and it is time he knew he had it wrong. You can't tell people you're\u00a0introducing\u00a0a\u00a0General Anti-Tax Avoidance Principle Bill<\/a> as I\u00a0proposed\u00a0when you're actually\u00a0introducing\u00a0a long way short of that or the\u00a0politics\u00a0of this will back-fire badly. He has a duty to get this right, and didn't. Ands that's worrying.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nick Clegg delivered his speech on tax fairness this morning, and I was duly sent a copy by his office. It was a disappointing affair,
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