What is tax avoidance?

[Axeman]

Eeverybody does it!

But then, as Lord Fink so eloquently says:

"Tax avoidance, everybody does it"

Lord Fink: tax avoidance is normal in British society | Business | The Guardian

[zimbtar]

Err, was it me or did Sarah Wollaston MP just say that Tax Avoidance can't be applied retrospectively live on TV?

I definitely heard that as well. I thought I'd misheard.
Now we are clearly seeing why those clauses are in the legislation to protect MP's from these measures...

[webberg]

I definitely heard that as well. I thought I'd misheard.
Now we are clearly seeing why those clauses are in the legislation to protect MP's from these measures...

Would clearly be an error to think that an MP with a background as a medic would know anything about tax (lots of doctors though use tax avoidance schemes) or even policy.

The main parties have no policy on tax avoidance other than "it's bad for votes" if they are weak.

It's policy by tabloid headline.

[zimbtar]

“HM Revenue & Customs says that this legislation is only there to stop ‘tax avoidance’. However, Section 554E(8) specifically exempts members of the House of Commons and the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority from the new legislation in situations where they are actually caught by it."

Why should MPs be exempt from new law to block tax avoidance? – Telegraph Blogs

[Zero Liability]

Shocking.

There's always votes to be had in bashing the more fortunate.

The more successful*.

It was also nice to see Lin Homer getting a pasting off Maggie Hodge yesterday. At one point Hodge criticised HMRC by pointing out that they just sit and wait for people to come forward. Homer defended, saying HMRC are 'proactive'.

Proactive my *rse. I've had a COP8 open for almost ten years and they have done precisely ***k all in that time other than wait for new legislation that provides them with the toolkit to achieve what they wanted to achieve over the last decade but without any effort.

Laughable really. 'HMRC' and 'proactive' cannot be used in the same sentence.

Nice, but it'd be even better if someone with a bit more moral fibre than Margaret Hodge did the grilling... her only issue with HMRC is that they're not proactive enough in extracting more money from the productive in society, without discrimination. Meanwhile, when it comes to her own family's company and its use of "tax efficiency", we get silence and "I know nuffin' about UK company tax law". Sure, Maggie.

[Not Losing Any Sleep]

I think Ed was listening!

Shocking.



The more successful*.



Nice, but it'd be even better if someone with a bit more moral fibre than Margaret Hodge did the grilling... her only issue with HMRC is that they're not proactive enough in extracting more money from the productive in society, without discrimination. Meanwhile, when it comes to her own family's company and its use of "tax efficiency", we get silence and "I know nuffin' about UK company tax law". Sure, Maggie.

'I probably shouldn't be advocating this': Video of a young George Osborne advising voters how to dodge taxes unearthed | Daily Mail Online

[squirrel]

Oops!

'I probably shouldn't be advocating this': Video of a young George Osborne advising voters how to dodge taxes unearthed | Daily Mail Online

Oh dear! I hope this gets the Facebook / Twitter treatment. I'm not usually one for a witch hunt but we can't let this go surely?

I am also somewhat amused (and bemused) by the response to the suggestion of getting receipts for cash jobs. This must be the first time in history that a crime (evasion) is acceptable but a non-crime (avoidance) isn't!

Is the general population of this country really that idiotic to believe all this tosh? Are they all so blinded by jealousy? It seems that way and it saddens me.

[Zero Liability]

It gets better...

Ed Balls among 12 shadow cabinet members who claimed expenses without receipts - Telegraph

[squirrel]

It gets better...

Ed Balls among 12 shadow cabinet members who claimed expenses without receipts - Telegraph

And in that article:

"He had earlier said that even someone who “cuts your hedge for a tenner” should provide an invoice to discourage tax avoidance"

Err, no, that' would be to discourage tax evasion!

[Not Losing Any Sleep]

Worth reading

And in that article:

"He had earlier said that even someone who “cuts your hedge for a tenner” should provide an invoice to discourage tax avoidance"

Err, no, that' would be to discourage tax evasion!

Waiting for Godot | Tax Avoidance – Game Over? The Hardman Lecture 2014