SIR – Isn’t the plan to reveal cabinet ministers’ tax returns just another ruse dreamed up by Tory ‘spin doctors’ to divert public attention away from real issues like wholesale corporate tax avoidance? In spite of being classed as morally repugnant by the Chancellor, tax avoiders flourish unabated under this Government, just like they did under New Labour.
For example, two foreign-owned internet companies doing billions worth of business in the UK pay about 0.25 per cent tax on the proceeds, while the working man or OAP pays 20 per cent on wages, pensions or savings interest.
They get away with this by moving their tax domicile to places where corporate tax rates are substantially lower, or put it through other tax havens using complex avoidance schemes.
The Coalition could stop all such scams with one simple piece of legislation, but it is never going to happen.
D S Boyes, Rodley Lane, Leeds
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