Tax reform news: pick your own post

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Tax reform news: pick your own post

By Mark Pack | Sun 16th January 2011 - 11:55 am

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If you are generally a supporter of the government, read Version A. If not, read Version B.

Version A
In excellent news that the government is taking cracking down on tax seriously, the government has appointed a heavy-weight team of tax experts to review the case for introducing a General Anti-Avoidance Rule (GAAR). The selection of legal, judicial and tax experts means the case for a GAAR will receive expert scrutiny and make it very hard for the government to reject any recommendations for action.

Version B
In appalling news that shows how the government has sold out to rich tax-dodgers, the government has hand-picked people from the heart of the current system to review the case for introducing a General Anti-Avoidance Rule (GAAR). The selection of people who advise multinationals on how to minimise the amount of tax they pay means the case for GAAR will get quietly buried.

Read more by Mark Pack or more about general anti-avoidance rule or tax.
This entry was posted in News.

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3 Comments

Robson Brown 16th Jan '11 - 5:12pm

I approve of this news portrayal format or style

Sincerely
R Brown
Liberal Democrat candidate 2011

P.S. stripping the SFO and HMRC of the ability to reach top-secret tax deals without running it past a court first might help too, maybe more so.
Simon McGrath 16th Jan '11 - 9:02pm

Mark you might also have mentioned the consultation on ‘disguised remuneration’ which was issued at the end of last year and which is expected to stop various esoteric tax avoidance strategies and save around £500m.
Alix 17th Jan '11 - 11:12am

It was the same under the previous government – these people were regularly consulted on changes to the tax system, both in specific cases and I seem to recall there was a sort of annual review process. I suppose the thinking then as now was that it’s simpler to get them inside the tent from the start.