Tax evasion smokescreen

[woodmally]

And if we were out of the EU , Clarkson et al wouldn't be able to claim CAP subsidies on unfarmed land , which he boasts about . Money for nothing - £25 million a day in CAP leaving our shores.....paid out of our taxes , yet what could the UK do with £25 million a day ? £25 million times 365 days of the year... we could have a fantastic education and health system , there would be money for decent policing ....

 

I disagree the reason why I am in favour of a European Union is if it had more powers and became more of a nation state there would be less places for these tax avoiders to hide.

 

My frustration with the inland revenue is that they are posting about known tax avoiders on their website yet blatantly ignoring idiots like Clarkson and Lewis Hamilton. They should both be barred from the country till they payed tax.

[TeaFan]

You've answered your own question, haven't you?

 

Tax Evader - Law breaker. What he does is illegal.

 

Tax Avoider - Not a law breaker. What he does is legal (though perhaps it shouldn't be.)

 

Why would rich people (many of whom are actually quite smart) choose to break laws (and risk severe penalties) when they can comply with poorly-written inadequate laws and still keep the majority of their money?

 

It's not as straightforward as that. It is often very unclear whether a particular scheme is avoidance or evasion and it can take tax authorities years to determine whether a scheme is legal or not. By which time a new one has been created.

 

Apart from the obvious detriment to the rest of us of the rich stealing revenue from us, the same financial secrecy is used by organised crime and terrorists. If it weren't for rich peoples' greed it would be much harder for organised criminals and terrorists like Al Qaeda to operate.