Call to name and shame tax dodgers
Peter Oborne has argued that tax dodgers should be named and shamed
A leading political columnist has called for tax dodgers to be named and shamed. Peter Oborne, a journalist with the Daily Telegraph, was speaking at a debate organised by Christian Aid and chaired by Giles Fraser. It was held at Christ Church, Spitalfields, in London.
Christian Aid research estimates that tax dodging by unscrupulous corporations costs developing countries $160 billion a year. This is more than the entire global aid budget.
The event was part of the Tax Justice Bus tour, a campaign by Christian Aid and Church Action on Poverty that aims to bring the message of tax justice to the UK.
The debate saw the former political editor of the Spectator sparring with panellists including Richard Wellings from the right-wing think tank the Institute of Economic Affairs.
Peter Oborne said: ‘People and companies who don’t pay tax should be shamed. I believe, as citizens and as political beings on the left or the right, that we have a duty to shame companies that don’t pay their taxes, that don’t fulfill their civic duties.’
Richard Wellings argued that governments were corrupt and so it should be celebrated that they aren’t able to collect the taxes they are due.
Sabina Alkire, director of the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Institute, said the important thing was to bring about a culture change so that tax dodging became unacceptable.
She said: ‘What’s interesting is that, currently, corporate social responsibility doesn’t include the expectation of tax paying. It’s important to bring that in to the ethos so that is part of the definition. That’s the kind of change that needs to happen.’
Comments
To avoid paying taxes which are due is immoral. Equally it is immoral to use part of this tax revenue to pay for the armed forces and weapons of destruction and suppression. The whole question of taxation and the use of this revenue needs questioning. We should have greater choice as to how this money is spent.
By ChrisButler on 23rd September 2012 - 16:28
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