Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
WHAT WE’RE ALL SAYING FIONA PARKER Tax avoidance is cheating the UK THE ISSUE
The leaked Paradise Papers have exposed tax avoidance by the super-rich, with Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn saying “tens of billions” is being “leeched” from public services. You say it’s time to end tax avoidance...
Things have come a long way since pirates buried their booty on Caribbean islands. Apparently, now it’s all done with the press of a button. The leaked Paradise Papers will come as no surprise to those who have witnessed governments past and present turning a blind eye to the outrageous tax avoidance mechanisms used by the super-rich. Politicians often take a blinkered attitude to big business, celebrities, soccer club owners and political heavyweights who have all gained handsomely from hiding their money overseas to avoid paying their fair share of tax.
No such leniency for ordinary lowpaid working families whom the Government prefers to punish by cutting their in-work benefits.
Stephen Dixon, Redcar, Cleveland
For over 50 years of working I paid my full share of tax, and I continue to pay it on my pension, but millionaires and others squirrel away a fortune without paying their fair share. Have they no conscience? The NHS is falling apart, the police and fire services are being cut back due to ‘austerity’ and these people count their fortunes. Shame on them.
Terry Wright, Derby
Why ever do people think a
Tory Government will do anything meaningful about tax avoidance when their MPS benefit and their party receives millions of pounds from super-rich donors? They penalise health workers, police, firefighters, civil servants and local government staff by restricting their pay, perpetually using the excuse their salaries come from the taxpayer.
However, public servants are taxpayers – they pay through PAYE, so there can be no avoidance there. Mike Broom, Bedford
Has anyone noticed the general difference in attitude towards tax avoiders and benefit cheats?
For the benefit cheats, the attitude is “Send them to prison”.
With the tax avoiders who rob the country of billions, the response is “Ah well, if I had loads of money I would do the same”.
Is it any wonder they get away with it? Clearly attitudes need to change – and we need to change.
Brian Doherty, Barnsley
Until we elect a Government that will change the laws on tax avoidance and the use of offshore tax havens, the UK will continue to be an unfair society split between the riches of the wealthy and the austerity and foodbanks of the poor.
K R Moreton, Draycott, Derbys
Hopefully, the Government will now be telling us taxpayers how we can have our wages and pensions directed to offshore accounts. I look forward to seeing how big a shortfall in tax revenue there will then be.
John Wright Nottingham
HMRC has 26,000 people policing the tax rules rather than the 800 Alison Phillips says (Mirror, Nov 8). Since 2010 they have secured £160billion for our vital public services by tackling avoidance, evasion and non-compliance.
Everyone has to pay their share and most do. On their behalf we crack down on the small minority who set out to abuse the tax rules.
Penny Ciniewicz, HMRC director general for customer compliance