Debate House Prices
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Voluntary taxation
Comments
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Why not simply close the legal loophole which allows company to dodge tax?
Because it's not really a loophole. We live in the EU. EU holds free trade. Companies are free to harbour in any country they see fit.
Microsoft are being set upon now, as their offices are in Ireland, and haven't paid any UK tax.
Next it will be HP set upon....
Theres nothing illegal going on. Politicians seem to talk as if we can just demand our taxes. People are then going round saying "just make them pay UK taxes". It's not as easy as this, and I have no idea what Policitians are making out that the current government can just put a stop to it. We'd have to get EU laws changed, or pull out.
I've seen people and commentators suggest they should pay extra to have their business in the UK. But guess what, as soon as one of those companies (Starbucks) DOES voluntarily pay extra taxes, the same people set upon them branding the companie as playing games, choosing how much they owe etc. I mean, what do people actually want? As soon as they get what they did want, it seems it's wrong again. Some it seems won't be happy until the company leaves the UK, damaging us further and leaving all those with Franchies bankrupt.
Only then, will some, it seems, see themselevs as sucessful....but the government will be blamed!0 -
who 'willingly' pays more tax than they owe? If you are a business then the shareholders would rightly get very upset!
This is almost admitting the Government can make better use of your money than you can - something that they prove is incorrect quite frequently!0 -
Graham_Devon wrote: »Because it's not really a loophole. We live in the EU. EU holds free trade. Companies are free to harbour in any country they see fit.
Surely we can close the loophole...? Leave the EU...
(a little pedantic yes, but my point is still valid I feel)0 -
In Starbucks' case it is somewhat rational.who 'willingly' pays more tax than they owe? If you are a business then the shareholders would rightly get very upset!
This is almost admitting the Government can make better use of your money than you can - something that they prove is incorrect quite frequently!
Not because they think the government will make better use of the money - but because Starbucks' customers are irrational, and Starbucks are affected by their decision making. Starbucks have judged their their "donation" of £20m will pacify public opinion to the extent that they will make more than £20m extra profit due to increased sales.
I don't know whether their sums are correct - it must be quite difficult to predict what sort of sales gap they'd see from a tax-related PR backlash - but the principle is definitely sound.0 -
I support the principle. More than that, I do not support involuntary taxation. Involuntary taxation is a wolf in sheep's clothing - it's theft.
There should be a protocol for anyone, corporation or individual, to donate money to the government. If people want to chip in for public services, it should be permitted.0 -
I support the principle. More than that, I do not support involuntary taxation. Involuntary taxation is a wolf in sheep's clothing - it's theft.
There should be a protocol for anyone, corporation or individual, to donate money to the government. If people want to chip in for public services, it should be permitted.
No problem, if you want to donate go ahead. Fill in a self assessment form and just inflate your income HMRC will do the rest."If you act like an illiterate man, your learning will never stop... Being uneducated, you have no fear of the future.".....
"big business is parasitic, like a mosquito, whereas I prefer the lighter touch, like that of a butterfly. "A butterfly can suck honey from the flower without damaging it," "Arunachalam Muruganantham0 -
I'm aware that it's possible, but I shouldn't have to lie about my income to be able to do it. Not that I would, of course, but if people want to do so then they should have a way of making it clear that that is their intention, rather than lying about things which detail the state of the national economy.0
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if people want to do so then they should have a way of making it clear that that is their intention,
Dear Mr Taxman,
I have calculated my voluntary tax assessment as £1m, per the attached schedule. Please will confirm that this is acceptable in full settlement of my moral obligations.
If I do not hear from you within one calendar month I shall assume that the matter is closed.
Acceptance is deemed to be your confirmation that the money will be applied efficiently to correcting imbalances in the UK economy.
Failure to return the attached acceptance slip will result in interest charges which will offset the total sum assessed.
No further reminder will be issued.
Yours faithfully,0
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