It would be an understatement to say that many large corporations have found their reputations dragged through the mud over their tax affairs. Google’s laudable pledge of “don’t be evil” backfired when British parliamentarians led by the combative Margaret Hodge decided that the company’s tax arrangements came across as just a little bit too evil […]
Why you should consider the Fair Tax Mark Read More »
As David Cameron was in Brussels for vital talks on tackling tax havens, I was invited back on RT News to give my two tax compliant cents.
Appearance on RT News: Tackling tax havens Read More »
I was honoured to chair last night’s IF Campaign debate with David Gauke, the Conservative Exchequer Secretary, Catherine McKinnell, Labour’s Shadow Exchequer Secretary, and Stephen Williams, Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Treasury Committee. The debate threw up a lot of interesting questions around tax and transparency and Britain’s crucial role in reforming the international financial
Catherine McKinnell backs country-by-country tax reporting to tackle hunger Read More »
Britain has placed tax avoidance at the centre of the global agenda as it prepares to host the G8 summit in June. But despite the headlines generated by high profile cases such as Google, Amazon and Starbucks, tax avoidance is not just an issue for the UK and the other wealthy nations of the G8.
Tax: Law and morality – which way now? Read More »
A massive leak exposed in the Guardian yesterday by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists identified thousands of the world’s super-rich who have hidden trillions of dollars in tax havens such as the British Virgin Islands. In the wake of the expose, I was asked to discuss the social cost of tax havens on Voice
Appearance on Voice of Russia: The social cost of tax havens Read More »
Around this time last month, George Osborne was in Moscow meeting his fellow G20 finance ministers to talk about tax avoidance. Describing tax avoidance as “morally repugnant”, Osborne has commendably acknowledged the extent of the problem as a drain to public finances. Unfortunately the key weapon in Osborne’s arsenal to tackle the problem – the
Osborne may need to rethink anti-tax avoidance measures Read More »
It used to be that tax avoidance saved businesses money. For decades, the world’s biggest multinational companies have been quietly shifting profits into tax havens to legally lower their tax bills and few but the most hardened activists batted an eyelid. The financial crisis has changed everything. With the public feeling the pinch of punishing
Tax avoidance is beginning to hit multinationals’ bottom lines Read More »
My editorial from the March issue of International Tax Review. It has been a busy month for tax reform with the European Commission announcing the details of how its financial transaction tax (FTT) will look under enhanced cooperation, as EU Commissioner Algirdas Šemeta writes in this issue. But by far the most important document
A new era dawns for tax reform Read More »
This article was originally written for the New Statesman. George Osborne’s article in the Observer following the G20 meeting of Finance Ministers in Moscow at the weekend provides the first sign that Britain is finally ready to tackle tax avoidance and help reform an international tax system that is almost a century out of date.
Osborne must turn warm words into action on tax avoidance Read More »
I was on Ken Livingstone and David Mellor’s LBC 97.3 show this morning, speaking in support of Ed Miliband’s plan for a 10p tax rate funded by a mansion tax, and how I would go about cracking down on tax avoidance in the unlikely event George Osborne were to call me up. My favourite moment
