Tim Worstall

In that case a clearer position emerges that lets us resolve the “extreme” (and legally unjustifiable) position of neoliberalism that says that tax must be avoided and the relativist position that says all charges must be accepted. This summarised in the concept of tax compliance. Tax compliance is seeking to pay the right amount of [...]

[Read more →]

*

[Read more →]

– XXXXXXXXXXXX stated that Cuban authorities have banned Michael Moore’s documentary, “Sicko,” as being subversive. Although the film’s intent is to discredit the U.S. healthcare system by highlighting the excellence of the Cuban system, he said the regime knows the film is a myth and does not want to risk a popular backlash by showing [...]

[Read more →]

No, really, I do understand why the Guardian has moderators. Libel issues and so on. But is this really a comment that should be deleted?

[Read more →]

Why don’t Britain’s rich give to charity like wealthy Americans? 1) Because Brits are taxed more heavily than Yanks 2) Because septics get tax breaks on their donations and Brits don’t.

[Read more →]

At the ASI. It appears that the smoking bans haven’t in fact reduced the number of heart attacks: haven’t, even, reduced the incidence of smoking.

[Read more →]

BBC’s director general says rules on impartiality on television are outdated in internet era and advocates opinionated journalism We’ve some of the most opinionated newspapers in the world (as a result of our having been a national market for newspapers longer than just about anyone else) and this leads to our also having some of [...]

[Read more →]

Omar al-Bashir, the Sudanese president, has siphoned as much as $9bn out of his impoverished country, and much of it may be stashed in London banks, according to secret US diplomatic cables that recount conversations with the chief prosecutor of the international criminal court. Sudan is exporting enough oil that such a sum could have [...]

[Read more →]

The X Factor reference is apposite. Bailey is resisting national stupefaction by Simon Cowell and all his works. He tweeted recently about another X Factor judge, Cheryl Cole, writing: “How did this violent thug become the nation’s sweetheart?” He linked the tweet to a 2003 report of the Girls Aloud singer’s conviction for assault. “I [...]

[Read more →]

The settlement has been struck between the estate of Mr Picower, who died last year, and Irving H Picard, the court-appointed trustee who has been seeking to recover billions from the biggest Ponzi scheme in Wall Street history. As part of the agreement reached with Mr Picower’s widow, Barbara, Mr Picard’s fund will receive $5bn [...]

[Read more →]

And to argue that the tax code is too complicated and we pay too much tax is completely wrong for precisely the reason UK Uncut gave – tax avoidance is morally unacceptable. Tax avoidance is abuse. I can see two different statements there. to argue that the tax code is too complicated and we pay [...]

[Read more →]

Although we do need to recognise that here in the UK we are already paying suficient carbon tax….

[Read more →]

Martin Kettle really does seem to have firmly grasped the shitty end of the stick in this argument: Moody’s believes? Who, pray, elected Moody’s? Which treaty did Moody’s sign? On what basis do we bow the knee to Ms Muehlbronner? I have nothing against her; but I do have something very strongly against the salience [...]

[Read more →]

The increase in feed prices comes despite strong commodity supplies. Wildfires destroyed some Russian wheat during the summer, but the US and other grain producing regions have had good harvests. Since the financial crisis began, market analysts have watched speculative money pouring into commodity derivative markets, including food. Many experts link this activity by banks [...]

[Read more →]

Clearly I’m out of date here: The government’s radical programme to slash spending will see the first rise in absolute child poverty for 15 years, with almost 200,000 children pushed into penury, according to an analysis by the Institute of Fiscal Studies. Tax changes introduced by the coalition government will, the leading independent fiscal thinktank [...]

[Read more →]

The Mail looks at the case of Alliance Boots, which was bought up by a private equity firm in 2008 and shifted (at least its legal base) to a nondescript building, 94 Baarerstrasse in Zug, Switzerland. A company which had a tax bill of £89 million in the last year it was quoted on the [...]

[Read more →]

In an astonishing move, the European Com­mis­sion (EC) has reversed a decision made in a UK tax tribunal, and refused to classify works by Dan Flavin and Bill Viola as “art”. This means that UK galleries and auction houses will have to pay full VAT (value added tax, which goes up to 20% next year) [...]

[Read more →]

A 43 page guide for you from UBS.  Although a Swiss bank, their guide is in French, and contains this gem: Les sous-vêtements Pour des raisons esthétiques et d’hygiène, ainsi que pour des questions de bien-être général, nous vous recommandons de porter un maillot de corps. Choisissez vos sous-vêtements de façon à ce qu’ils soient [...]

[Read more →]

So Chris Huhne is going to announce a new tax on coal and gas generated electricity, is he? But, umm, we’ve already got a method of dealing with that, the European Union’s cap and trade system, the EUTS. We don’t need both: either will do the trick. So what’s going on?

[Read more →]

From: One day when I was a junior medical student, a very important Boston surgeon visited the school and delivered a great treatise on a large number of patients who had undergone successful operations for vascular reconstruction. At the end of the lecture, a young student at the back of the room timidly asked, “Do [...]

[Read more →]