Tag Archives: panama papers

Offshore 101, or: Can we please stop asking David Cameron to resign?

One of my favourite things about the Liberal Democrats is members don’t just get stuck into debates – they go looking for the evidence to back up what they’ve got to say. That’s why this week’s furore around what David Cameron did or didn’t do has been so frustrating.

The Panama Papers are fascinating to me, as a lawyer and a would-be tax specialist. It looks likely that when the dust has settled there will be evidence of money laundering, of tax evasion, of tax avoidance and of regulatory failings. But so far most journalists and commentators are throwing around words like fund and trust as if they’re the same thing, and treating tax avoidance, tax evasion and money laundering as equivalent acts. Unfortunately, much of the social media discussion so far has accepted these red herrings.

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged and | 57 Comments
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Recent Comments

  • Judy Abel
    @Nigel agree with all of this - your last paragraph says it all - things have to change and the Lib Dems could start to be that change....
  • nigel hunter
    A few comments ---The 'Middle England ' scenario is so OLD.The country is changing and that way keeps the status quo, when people are restless for change, wher...
  • Judy Abel
    Thank you for all your comments - we had a good debate!...
  • nigel hunter
    You are correct re talking to the young or rather NOT talking enough to them.THEY. They are the future electorate AND possible recruits .MORE effort must be put...
  • Judy Abel
    @Tristan - hedge funds running children’s social care - badly - never mind the children? - (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/mar/02/profiteering-o...