Tax Havens

This is interesting.
Cameron was writing a book about anti-corruption to be published before the summit. He asked Clare Short to write a chapter, saying it would "spark debate and action across the world because of her distinguished record."
Then he turned it down, saying it needed to be more forward looking.
I think I know why he turned it down.

opendemocracy.net/clare-short/why-did-david-cameron-reject-this-essay-from-anti-corruption-book

Apologies for not reading the whole thread - i'll have a look soon.

There was a chap on BBCR4Today a couple of days ago who said it in a nutshell.
People who stash money away offshore don't choose to live there because they have minimal infrastructure etc. They live in London and take advantage of all the things the honest tax payers have paid for.
(If anyone can tell me what time the business news is on BBCR4Today I'll locate the episode).

www.theguardian.com/business/2016/feb/23/uk-tops-global-table-of-damaging-tax-deals-with-developing-countries

The corruption summit did nothing to fix this. Cameron forgot to say that the UK allows networks of tax treaties to make it possible for multinational companies to shift money out of developing countries and into the UK while paying little or no tax. These treaties should be reviewed to make sure they do not tie the hands of poor countries.

www.actionaid.org.uk/blog/campaigns/2016/05/13/what-does-eurovision-have-to-do-with-tackling-tax-avoidance

For anyone who will be watching Eurovision tomorrow.

www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/12/super-rich-may-sell-london-homes-under-anti-corruption-rules

There are going to be a lot of big houses in London avaiable to turn into flats or care homes.

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2016/05/12/its-time-for-brittanic-majesty-to-get-a-grip-of-the-bvi/

I'd like to see this happen after the anti-corruption summit.
There are no representatives from the Panama and BVI tax havens at the summit.
Both governors have said they did not receive invitations. So there is a meeting about corruption with no representatives from two coutries we know are corrupt.
All the corrupt governments that Cameron talks about have set up accounts in Panama or the BVI. Why are they not there?
Over a trillion dollars have gone missing from African countries and most of it has ended up in Panama or the BVI.
Apparently the President of Nigeria is going to ask Cameron for the assets in Britain of Nigerian public figures accused of fraud. He thinks it will be better than an apology. I'd quite like to see both.

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2016/05/12/the-uk-will-fail-the-new-standards-set-at-anti-corruption-summit/

So much for Cameron's much vaunted new rules about corruption.

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2016/05/10/secret-transparency-coming-our-way-on-thursday/

The two Johns on here, assuming you remember them.

OK will look in the morning too shattered this evening to make any sense, except chat.

That's what I thought, at first, whitewave. It looked as though nothing happened.
You have to scroll down.

Sonds an interesting job, whitewave. Did you get any prosecutions?

No I could nothing in the site at all. I'll give it a go in the morning

Have you signed up to emails from them?
I was wondering, but they might not be interested in the same companies I am.

That is the problem when tracing hidden companies/money and directors. I suspect you will need other information in order to make connections. I used to do that before I retired. Fascinating stuff especially when you get a break!

That's going to take a lot of searching. I have done a couple of companies and gone round in circles.

This is important.

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2016/05/09/city-lawyer-says-that-whatever-you-do-dont-mention-offshore-secrecy/
I imagine Richard Murphy will be checking up on him.

I've downloaded it, but it's not very user friendly. I've just downloaded the UK data and there's so much of it and it doesn't tell you much, apart from the name of the company, that I think it might send me to sleep.

Got the Panama Papers up but can't download any data. Anybody tried and succeeded?

It is probably so large it won't work on my tiny ipad

www.change.org/p/david-cameron-mp-david-cameron-fight-corruption-insist-uk-tax-havens-reveal-company-owners?source_location=search_index&algorithm=curated_trending&grid_position=1

A petition on change.org about tax corruption in the Ukraine from a mother who has to buy drugs on the black market for her daughter.

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2016/05/09/300-economists-and-one-message-end-tax-havens-now/

Cameron is going to have fun this week at the tax haven summit.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/panama-papers-search-google-like-database-monday-who-is-in-a7018956.html

The reporters are going to name individuals in the Panama Papers.

Been in despair since the tories got into government last year

Do not despair yet.

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2016/05/08/4-in-5-voters-think-the-pm-should-tackle-offshore-secrecy/

They are going to have to do something about the BVI. There are over fourteen companies registered there for every man, woman and child living there.
That's where lots of our NHS money goes.

Anniebach- your last comment says it all and is so so true.

Beneficial ownership need NOT be disclosed.

An anti-poverty group estimates that t he amount of money being siphoned off to tax havens amounts to more than $1trillion and there is increasing evidence that British overseas territories are helping to hide it.

Nick Bryer of Oxfam said that Cameron should listen to huge public concern over Britains dirty offshore backyard, and end the secrecy that allows the rich and powerful to get away without paying their fair share of taxes.

These territories also play a central role in Londons property market, illicit money is hidden by the purchase of property - beneficial ownership need to be disclosed in these purchases. The average property purchased by these companies stand at £5.6m. 33 times greater than other property in England and Wales.

80% of the population believe that Cameron has a moral responsibility to ensure these territories are transparent. Cameron has the power to force transparency.

The summit in London is coming up we will await the outcome with interest.

Observer report.