THE decision by the leaders of the SNP, Labour, the Conservatives and the Lib Dems in Scotland to publish their tax returns is welcomed. Jeremy Corbyn and Tim Farron have also promised to share theirs.
These are, however, something of meaningless gestures. The whole point of tax evasion and tax avoidance is that you don’t tell the taxman about money you have earned and don’t want to pay tax on.
Also, there is a danger that such politics becomes a race of worthiness; of who is seen to be behaving the most virtuously the soonest.
Pressure is on George Osborne to release his tax return and the SNP are calling on members of the Cabinet to reveal any links they may have to offshore trusts.
Clearly, members of the SNP must also follow suit. If they are asking for this level of transparency from the UK Government, we must get the same from whomever forms the next Scottish Government.
Ultimately what the Panama Papers have exposed is just how ethically uncomfortable, morally dubious and yet widespread tax avoidance is.
That Cameron is quite rich should not come as a surprise. There are very poor Etonian old boys.
What is the most damning about his behaviour lately is that he did not at first admit that he had benefited from the Panama-based offshore trust set up by his late father. It took him three days of stalling and four partial statements before he confessed to having owned shares in the tax haven fund, and selling them for £31,500 in 2010.
We don’t quote Henry Kissinger often, but his remark that “if it’s going to come out eventually, better have it come out immediately” is worth keeping in mind.
He knew exactly what was happening and what was being asked of him. His decision to hide, to prevaricate and to accuse questioners of besmirching his father’s name is wrong-headed.
Cameron aims to deflect pressure of Panama Papers scandal with new tax-avoidance legislation
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