Busting myths about tax justice

Reposted from Public & Commercial Services website

Prime minister David Cameron has talked tough on tax havens but his government can’t be taken seriously on tax justice. Here are 4 reasons why

The Left Economics Advisory Panel lists these reasons:

1. Maude wants the UK to be a tax haven

   In 2012, Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said it was a“compliment for” for the UK to be described as a tax haven.

2. George Osborne slashing taxes for big business and the rich

   A hallmark of a tax haven is low or minimal tax rates. Corporation tax has been slashed from 52% in 1979 to 23% now, and chancellor George Osborne aims to lower it to 20% by 2015. 

3. Many government ministers’ wealth is based on tax avoidance and evasion

   As Guardian investigations have proven in the case of Cameron’s family fortune, and Channel 4’s Dispatches showed in the case of Osborne, Andrew Mitchell, and Phillip Hammond.

4. You can’t collect taxes without the resources to do it 

   Combined the annual tax gap is estimated at £120 billion. Yet the government is slashing HMRC’s resources.

For a serious look at tax justice, see taxjustice.net