Google to pay £130 milion in backdated UK tax

They kept them at bay for 10 years because they have vast teams of experts in giving HMRC the run-around (accountants, mathematicians, lawyers (including highly experienced, highly paid tax barristers). As someone else said, it took 6 years for HMRC to fully investigate this case - imagine the labour and financial cost of this. How can they possibly do that for every huge company that has all these resources at their disposal and who will use them to fight HMRC all the way?

Gill and gillybob - what a good idea. I wonder if there is a way of getting other members to voice their dissatisfaction to the FSB so that maximum pressure is put on them.

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2016/01/28/31-countries-sign-up-to-country-by-country-reporting/

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2016/01/28/googles-unfair-tax-is-actively-supported-by-the-uk-government/

Why? I can only think it is because too msany of the present government will benefit from keeping the status quo.
If we vote to leave Europe there will be no chance of getting the taxes we should.

www.independent.co.uk/news/business/google-still-owes-the-uk-nearly-700m-in-unpaid-taxes-a6839391.html

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2016/01/29/32173/

Juncker is backing country by country reporting, and the EU is looking into how much tax google paid to different European countries.
It will be interesting to see how much more google suddenly finds it needs to pay, voluntarily, of course.

As others say, that Google is not breaking any laws , true, and also that until countries get together internationally to demand more taxes from them nothing will happen.Google do pay taxes in the US. This is the first time we have got any tax from them at all, so yes, it's a start.

www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ill-publish-tax-returns-now-7279368

There's a poll online about whether you think Osborne should publish his tax return like McDonnell has.

It's not the first time Google has paid any tax; it's just the first time we have been told about it.
Why are you sticking up for Google, roses? This amount of tax paid is for the last ten years. If they paid annually like the rest of us, and if every big company did the same, perhaps we would not be in the situation we are in.

On Tuesday, Osborne has been asked to go before the finance committee in parliament to explain the deal. That should be interesting to watch.

i100.independent.co.uk/article/everyone-wants-the-google-tax-deal-investigated-by-the-eu--Z1ftUvU4px

The title is wrong. It's not quite everyone, but a large majority.
Let's hope it happens.

i100.independent.co.uk/article/heres-how-much-tax-five-of-the-uks-biggest-companies-have-paid--bkjm3ysb6g

These companies should also be investigated by the EU.

i100.independent.co.uk/article/even-one-of-googles-biggest-shareholders-thinks-the-company-should-pay-more-uk-tax--Wkmr_h_z6l

www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jan/31/google-tax-deal-not-a-glorious-moment-says-minister

He's seen which way the wind is blowing. I wonder if it means the sack, disagreeing with his boss.

Djen hardly 'sticking up for them'! I agree that they should pay more taxes, but the problem is that they are not doing anything wrong ( in the eyes of the law) as the present laws on corporate tax stand.So, at some point the laws themselves will have to be changed.Am pointing out that at least we have got something, it's hugely complicated, and presumably HMRC have done their darndest to get the sum they have.

DJ just voted yes on the petition re Osborne's tax return- an incredible 96% voted yes... (and that is the Mirror too!) - I'd like to see Cameron's and Boris's too!

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2016/02/01/we-dont-just-want-country-by-country-reporting-to-hold-google-to-account/

You might get it, granjura, if country-by-country reporting goes ahead.
Or at least from Osborne and Little, even if not Osborne junior.

"There are reports that the French and Italian tax authorities have ongoing investigations into the amount of tax owed by Google. The French tax authorities are reportedly seeking around £380 million in back taxes from Google.43 The Italian tax authorities are reported to have asked for £150 million in back taxes, and that Google is also suspected of evading £173 million of tax in Italy between 2009 and 2013.44 These amounts are larger than the UK tax settlement, despite the UK being the most significant market for Google outside of the US.45 We were told that some European tax jurisdictions begin their investigations with police action and the seizure of documents. For example, in 2011, French authorities raided Google’s offices in Paris.46 Google would not comment on the press reports, but told us that the UK settlement was the largest so far outside of the US."

HMRC told us that it could re-open its investigation into Google if new evidence came to light from the investigations by other authorities.
HMRC said that it collaborated regularly with other tax authorities and had a good understanding of what they were doing. While HMRC does not receive information on tax settlements outside of the UK routinely, there is sharing of information on particular taxpayers."

From a public accounts committee report.

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2016/02/24/the-public-accounts-committee-is-not-sure-hmrc-have-delivered-on-google/

No chance to get more back from Google now, or Amazon.

The new head of HMRC has said that he thinks tax is legalised extortion. He's the man who signed off the Google deal.
That can't be right. Who chose him?

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2016/02/25/why-does-hmrc-need-a-boss-who-thinks-tax-is-legalised-extortion/

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2016/03/11/the-uks-tax-competitiveness/

An interesting post today.
Should we be proud of this or not?

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2016/03/12/caroline-flint-mps-multinational-enterprises-financial-transparency-bill/

Caroline Flint is to have a ten minute rule bill on Tuesday to make large multinationals publish their tax information, not just report it.
It has cross party support, including the majority of the public accounts committee.
Will it have Osborne's support on Wednesday?

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2016/03/21/there-are-good-and-bad-easter-eggs/

Hope this does not spoil your Easter.

www.change.org/p/consider-steve-lewis-for-next-chief-executive-of-hmrc-board-peoplestaxman

The man who was chair of the Fair Tax Town group now wants to be elected onto the board of HMRC, so at least there will be one person who will not do deals with multinationals.

He has over 150,000 signatures already. More needed if anyone hasn't signed already and wants to.
He's Welsh, by the way. Lives in Crickhowell.

www.private-eye.co.uk/registry

This is a map of the UK. You can look on it to find out where land and businesses near you are registered offshore in tax havens.
It makes very interesting reading.

I have just checked the carehome where my mother in law is. It's a 4Seasons home, and is registered in Jersey. You can get quite close detail on the map.
I wonder if the careworkers there know that the company does not pay tax on the profits that they make for them.

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2016/04/04/who-is-in-panama-and-the-bvi/

I do hope someone from those big four accountancy firms ends up in court.
No line should be drawn under the past as often happens.

updates.oxfam.org.uk/c/1NExBL93GQTWXJEwvXMU0oake

From Oxfam about tax havens.