Not my idea, but Ken Livingstone's - as a judge at the Fabians dragons' den on one idea to make Britain fairer.
OK, slightly in jest, but Ken is certain that "with Barack Obama on our side", it is time to call time on tax havens. And he simply pointed out that De Gaulle prevented free riding by moving funds to Monaco by sending tanks to the border.
The question - I think from fellow dragon David Aaronovitch or chair David Lammy - was "so leave Saddam alone and invade Guernsey". Ken sounded keen, pointing out it could bring democracy.
But Livingsgtone has also supported the modest proposal pitched to the dragons by Tim Horton, Fabian Research Director, that half of the money spent on benefit fraud advertising should target tax avoidance. And the gradualist audience backed that too.
"I suppose it's a step to invading Guernsey", said Ken.
1 comment:
Ken hasn't lost his ability to take our thinking out of the box through provoking our progressive sensisiblities. If I make a few million quid on the side, it doesn't make me a tax dodger, but channeling our profits through an offshore tax haven doesn't make me a tax dodger, if I rip off millions from public services, it doesn't make me a tax dodger. No ifs, no buts, we're closing in!
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