Christine Jardine was until this Summer a Liberal Democrat Special Adviser at the heart of Government. She is now back working full time in politics in Scotland and writing occasionally for the Scotsman.
This week she’s turned her attention to the fact that large corporations like Starbucks don’t pay tax in the UK and reflects on the good that local, independent coffee shops bring to the community:
As I sat there enjoying my Americano, eyeing up the chocolate cake and cinnamon swirls, I began to think about the value that the entrepreneur behind the counter had brought to my community.
For almost two decades the same owner had supported local suppliers, given youngsters their first step on the employment ladder and even provided an outlet for the community’s artist to sell her landscape paintings.
I doubt if the profits of this one shop stretch to the sort of international tax specialist who would have found her a haven offshore. But the most important thing she has done over the years is create something unique for our village and the character of its Main Street.
You can read her article in full here.
* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings. You can find her on Bluesky at caronmlindsay.bsky.social
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