247: UK gets tough on corporation tax avoiders

The post number above (247) has a slightly ironic side to it today - as I am having great difficulty blogging 24/7 at the moment! After yesterday's 'blogging from a plane' episode, today I find myself sitting by a closed outdoor swimming pool, in Cornwall, England - this being the only place in the vicinity where I can find a strong enough Wi-Fi signal to connect to the internet! The pool looks quite tempting actually... in any case, it's nice enough to sit by while all around me the sounds of nature play. So... to today's article, from the UK's Guardian newspaper. It confirms that the UK government will move later this year to close corporate tax avoidance loopholes that currently cost the government - and therefore public services - many millions of pounds a year. The article uses the example of supermarket giant Tesco, which has operated several tax avoidance schemes investigated by the Guardian in the past. Tesco, in response, has said that this is the way corporations do business and they need to follow suit. But isn't that the point? In a world of such plenty, but where so many continue to live in poverty and without access to basic services, such widespread corporate tax avoidance just can't be justified - it's economically, socially and ethically unsustainable. So the UK may be first to take action, but other governments within and beyond the EU will need to examine whether they are doing enough to ensure big business pays its way.

Right, better go inside now. It's getting a bit cold and dark out here...!