October 1st, 2009
Those who campaign for tax justice are often challenged about why having a record of the beneficial ownership of companies on public record matters.
Well, let’s use a real example to demonstrate this, reported in the
Guardian today concerning an issue I have commented ion before, the ownership of Leeds United, which ahs been unknown since the company was ‘taken over’ by Ken Bates (or maybe not, as it now transpires) four years ago. As they note, Ken Bates has just changed his evidence on ownership to a court in Jersey where there is a long running legal...
September 29th, 2009
FT.com / Entrepreneurship - Tax crackdown defended.
A leading adviser on research and development tax credits has leapt to the defence of HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), claiming its officers are right to crack down on those trying to exploit the system.
Peter Denison-Pender, managing director of Alma Consulting, refuted claims made by accountancy Grant Thornton earlier this month that tax inspectors were being unfairly tough with companies seeking R&D tax credits.
“HMRC is not the bad guy here,” Denison-Pender said. “All they are doing is clamping down on...
Continue Reading
September 24th, 2009
Bloomberg notes:
UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling called for the Group of 20 to draw up a “blacklist” of countries whose regulatory systems pose a risk to the world’s financial system.
The finance minister said Britain wants to extend the G- 20’s effort to set standards on taxation and bank rules to cover countries that have a poor record overseeing institutions and allow wealthy individuals to hide cash.
“Just as we have been tackling tax havens, we also need to go after those countries that offer...
Continue Reading
September 18th, 2009
My week in DC is not yet over: I have some meetings still to do, but my on-line week nearly is. I admit it’s too early to appraise all that has happened. But I’ll offer first thoughts.
First highlight:
World Bank MD Ngozi Ikonjo-Iweala calling for mass civil society action against illicit financial flows. Has the Bank got the issue? I think so.
Second, constructive dialogue with the Oxford team. I hope we can build on it.
Third, clear rejection of the view put forward by some economists that data prevents analysis of this issue or that there is even...
