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Miliband pledges corporate tax avoidance crackdown | Miliband pledges corporate tax avoidance crackdown |
(1 day later) | |
Labour leader Ed Miliband says he will write new rules to tackle corporate tax avoidance if he wins the next election, even without international agreement. | Labour leader Ed Miliband says he will write new rules to tackle corporate tax avoidance if he wins the next election, even without international agreement. |
Prime Minister David Cameron will be trying to secure a deal on the issue at the G8 summit next month. | Prime Minister David Cameron will be trying to secure a deal on the issue at the G8 summit next month. |
Mr Miliband told the Observer the government had "got to act" on the "massive" issue. | Mr Miliband told the Observer the government had "got to act" on the "massive" issue. |
He said if no deal was done, he would order multinational firms to be more transparent about the money they make. | He said if no deal was done, he would order multinational firms to be more transparent about the money they make. |
His statement follows the condemnation of Google's tax practices by MPs. | His statement follows the condemnation of Google's tax practices by MPs. |
Google's sales in the UK are worth £3.2bn, but most are routed through Dublin. In 2011 it paid £6m in UK corporation tax. | |
It is one of several multinational companies that have been strongly criticised in recent months for organising their tax affairs in ways that minimise the amounts they pay in the UK. | |
Mr Cameron has said he will raise the issue at the G8 to try and prevent multinational companies exploiting tax loopholes. | Mr Cameron has said he will raise the issue at the G8 to try and prevent multinational companies exploiting tax loopholes. |
'Culture of irresponsibility' | 'Culture of irresponsibility' |
Mr Miliband said he would pursue a new global system where multinationals must publish their revenues, profits and other key corporate information in each country in which they operate. | Mr Miliband said he would pursue a new global system where multinationals must publish their revenues, profits and other key corporate information in each country in which they operate. |
And if international agreement cannot be found on the issue, he would force multinationals to publish such information in the UK | And if international agreement cannot be found on the issue, he would force multinationals to publish such information in the UK |
He would also make it a legal requirement for multinationals operating in the UK to disclose details of any tax avoidance schemes they were using globally. | He would also make it a legal requirement for multinationals operating in the UK to disclose details of any tax avoidance schemes they were using globally. |
He would seek reforms to "transfer pricing" rules to stop companies from moving money to other parts of their firm based in tax havens. | He would seek reforms to "transfer pricing" rules to stop companies from moving money to other parts of their firm based in tax havens. |
Mr Miliband will speak at a Google event in Hertfordshire on Wednesday, | Mr Miliband will speak at a Google event in Hertfordshire on Wednesday, |
The Labour leader said it was up to politicians to change the laws on taxes, but they also had a responsibility "to talk about the kind of society we want to create and what the responsibilities of a company like Google are". | The Labour leader said it was up to politicians to change the laws on taxes, but they also had a responsibility "to talk about the kind of society we want to create and what the responsibilities of a company like Google are". |
"I don't think they are living up to their responsibilities at the moment, and I will be very clear about that on Wednesday," he said. | "I don't think they are living up to their responsibilities at the moment, and I will be very clear about that on Wednesday," he said. |
"It is part of a culture of irresponsibility. If everyone approaches their tax affairs as some of these companies have approached their tax affairs we wouldn't have a health service, we wouldn't have an education system." | "It is part of a culture of irresponsibility. If everyone approaches their tax affairs as some of these companies have approached their tax affairs we wouldn't have a health service, we wouldn't have an education system." |
'Reinvest their profits' | 'Reinvest their profits' |
A Conservative Party spokesman said Labour had had 13 years to tackle international tax avoidance, but did nothing. | A Conservative Party spokesman said Labour had had 13 years to tackle international tax avoidance, but did nothing. |
He said the prime minister was putting the issue "firmly at the centre of his agenda for Britain's presidency of the G8 this year". | He said the prime minister was putting the issue "firmly at the centre of his agenda for Britain's presidency of the G8 this year". |
Google's executive chairman Eric Schmidt, who is also due to visit Downing Street on Monday, wrote in the Observer that his company "has always aspired to do the right thing". | Google's executive chairman Eric Schmidt, who is also due to visit Downing Street on Monday, wrote in the Observer that his company "has always aspired to do the right thing". |
He called the amount that the company paid in corporate, local and employment taxes in the UK "significant". | He called the amount that the company paid in corporate, local and employment taxes in the UK "significant". |
But he said "international tax law could almost certainly benefit from reform". | But he said "international tax law could almost certainly benefit from reform". |
He added: "It's important to remember that many corporations reinvest their profits in research and product development, which in turn tends to lead to job creation, further economic growth and, ultimately, more tax." | He added: "It's important to remember that many corporations reinvest their profits in research and product development, which in turn tends to lead to job creation, further economic growth and, ultimately, more tax." |
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