The government / HMRC targeting unscrupulously dishonest internet tax avoiders

[KZNSeagull]

The point is that Apple/Starbucks/Amazon don't play fair though do they ? They may employ thousands of people in the UK, but that is doubtful, and certainly it will be very few high earners who are actually net contributors in tax. Sure, in Starbucks and in Amazon warehouses there will be plenty on or slightly above minimum wage, that will be paying a pittance if anything in tax whilst probably claiming tax credits if they have kids, so in effect won't be a net contributor in tax, but sure, keep singing their praises if you like, and be happy that a chunk of the tax you pay goes to subsidise the chunk that they aren't. I have my own businesses and they contribute tens of thousands in Duty/VAT/Tax to the UK exchequer, I don't have the possibility of basing myself in Luxumbourg/Ireland/(insert random tax haven) and therefore pay in full my obligations, and am, whilst not 'happy' am OK about doing so, as I realise that services need to be paid for. I don't feel I have to go to any extreme to avoid that obligation. The above companies do, and therefore I don't touch them with a bargepole (shame the OH buys loads off Amazon !!). Disappointing that so many people spend fortunes with these businesses, whilst not getting the connection between that and our massive budget deficit and flat tax receipts in a growing economy

The problem that I have with Amazon and the like is that firstly they either do not make a profit or make very little profit whilst taking 8bn quid+ from the the UK economy and that a small proportion of that money is recycled into the UK economy. Their business model is based upon removing the competition. I have not seen any analysis of what effect this has had on the UK, or any other country's economy, but I would imagine that the number of jobs that have been lost due to this far outweighs any that Amazon themselves have created. But it is the money recycling thing that concerns me. Spend 8bn on the high street in the UK and far more of it would be recycled within the UK than if it were spent at Amazon. Electronic downloads bought from Amazon - where does that money go for example? The download has already been created, so it cannot go into making more of that product, so where does it go?

I may well be talking out of my arse and would love to be put straight, but I currently cannot see how this can be good thing for the long term economy.

 

[fat old seagull]

If that is the case why have the government cut HMRC staff to the bone .

Simply because everything's been cut..

.. oh, except MPs salaries !