[P2P-F] Fw: The great British tax scandal

[robert searle]

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Alex Wilks - Avaaz.org <avaaz at avaaz.org>
To: "dharao4 at yahoo.co.uk" <dharao4 at yahoo.co.uk> 
Sent: Thursday, 5 January 2012, 18:50
Subject: The great British tax scandal

Dear friends across the UK, 
 
Our tax agency is letting big businesses like Goldman Sachs off billions of pounds of tax. MPs have called for action, but the government isn't responding. Let's boost the MPs' call and get the Prime Minister to ensure full transparency and full payment. Sign now: 
 Our tax chief had secret lunches with Vodafone and Goldman Sachs and then handed them billions in tax breaks – while keeping Parliament in the dark! MPs are outraged, claiming we are owed over 25 billion pounds in back taxes from these and similar dodgy deals. But the tax agency has blocked an inquiry into the scandal and refuses to release any documents to shed light on why these tax breaks were ordered in the first place.By acting together now we can ensure full transparency on the Goldman Sachs and Vodafone deals, and get them to pay the tax they owe. Let’s turn up the heat -- sign the tax justice petition to David Cameron -- we’ll deliver it with a splash next week:http://www.avaaz.org/en/goldman_sachs_pay_your_tax/?vlThe cosy relationship between the public tax authority and major private companies is shocking: the tax agency boss had more than a hundred lunches with big business tax lawyers and advisers, leading to the companies being let
 off millions in taxes. The agency tried to obstruct a recent Parliamentary inquiry using flimsy confidentiality arguments, and threatened the whistleblower who helped expose the scandal.The coalition is weak and on the defensive over the economy and several Conservative and Lib Dem MPs are fuming over these tax revelations. But the government has yet to demand full payment. Only public pressure can change Cameron's position and ensure that big businesses pay what they owe rather than manoeuvre and lobby to minimise their tax bills.We should be able to trust our public tax body to be free of corporate capture and able to recover taxes owed without fear or favour. Join the call for tax justice -- click below to sign the petition:http://www.avaaz.org/en/goldman_sachs_pay_your_tax/?vlFrom Occupy to the G20, citizens across the world are coming together to push back corporate interests, fight against dodgy deals corrupting our governments and bring back
 transparency -- and the pressure is working. Let's come together now and win tax justice for us all.With hope,Alex, Antonia, Emma, RIcken, Mary, Rewan, Diego and the entire Avaaz teamMore information:MPs attack HMRC’s ‘cosy’ deals with big business (BBC)http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16253205MPs say taxman "too cosy" with companies (Reuters)http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/12/20/uk-britain-taxes-idUKTRE7BJ03S20111220The end of all take and no give (New Statesman)http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/the-staggers/2011/12/tax-returns-public-firmsHMRC hid 'sweetheart' tax deals for big business, MPs say (The Guardian)http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/dec/20/inland-revenue-sweetheart-tax-dealsTaxman targets small firms after sweetheart deals with big business (Daily Mail)http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2081461/HMRC-plans-checks-3-000-fines-missing-paperwork.html?ito=feeds-newsxmlGoldman Sachs’s Tax Rate Drops to 1%
 (Bloomberg)http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a6bQVsZS2_18 
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