Protesters demand resignation of HMRC boss for colluding with tax avoiders

Right-Wing Watch

Protesters are today demanding the resignation of HMRC boss Dave Hartnett for his role in approving deals that allow big companies to avoid billions in tax.

Protesters are descending on Whitehall today to demand the resignation of HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) boss Dave Hartnett for his role in approving deals that allow big companies to avoid billions in tax.

Activists from UK Uncut and Occupy London are protesting Hartnett’s role in approving “secret sweetheart deals” to allow feral companies to dodge billions in tax – money that could have been used to fund public services going into the pockets of the irresponsible rich.

Hartnett was made to answer MPs’ questions over the scandal, which enabled Vodafone and Goldman Sachs to effectively rob the taxpayer of £6 billion and £10 million respectively. MPs on the public accounts committee have accused Hartnett of abusing his position to “cover up his own mistakes”.

A survey in 2010 revealed Hartnett to be Britain’s most ‘wined and dined’ civil servant, treated by corporations 107 times in three years. Commentators from across the political spectrum and even Conservative MPs have also called on Hartnett to resign.

As Occupy London’s Kyshia Davey says:

“HMRC has just announced it will be going after 146,000 pensioners to demand hundreds of pounds from them following a tax code cock-up. Meanwhile, its boss is striking secret deals with opulent corporations to let them off billions of pounds in tax.

“Hartnett is fatally undermining public confidence in the UK’s tax system at a time of austerity and he must resign immediately.”

And UK Uncut’s Sam Gilbert adds:

“Whilst 25,000 rank-and-file staff at HMRC have been fired, leaving the organisation almost incapable of functioning, Hartnett has been carving out a career as the most ‘wined and dined’ civil servant in Whitehall.

“The money from Vodafone’s £6bn tax dodge alone could have prevented all of the cuts in public services over the past year.”

All in it together?

See also:

• Exclusive: 98 of the FTSE 100 companies are addicted to tax havens – Asha Tharoor, October 11th 2011

• Glasto, where the tax dodgers are named – Dominic Browne, June 24th 2011

• Balls: “Rock and roll” time for tax avoiders – Dominic Browne, March 18th 2011

• Millionaire footballers exposed as the latest tax dodgers – Shamik Das, January 17th 2011

• A crackdown on tax dodgers will help the poor and make huge cuts unnecessary – Paul Collins, October 20th 2010

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24 Responses to “Protesters demand resignation of HMRC boss for colluding with tax avoiders”

  1. Bern O'Donoghue

    Protesters demand resignation of HMRC boss for colluding with tax avoiders l Shamik Das – http://t.co/wqajHLcx

  2. Samantha Johnston

    Protesters demand resignation of HMRC boss for colluding with tax avoiders l Shamik Das – http://t.co/wqajHLcx

  3. Alex Braithwaite

    RT @leftfootfwd: Protesters demand resignation of HMRC boss for colluding with tax avoiders http://t.co/Ahwnsf7L

  4. Mike Campbell

    RT @leftfootfwd: Protesters demand resignation of HMRC boss for colluding with tax avoiders http://t.co/4aGenpri

  5. danielelton

    @occupylsx @aaronjohnpeters @ukuncut The 99% versus HMRC Boss Hartnett on @leftfootfwd: http://t.co/9CAgXKyb #occupylsx

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