The Taxcast

In the May 2017 Taxcast: we talk to film director Michael Oswald about his new film The Spider’s Web: Britain’s Second Empire. Watch it here. Also, we discuss booming Sweden’s ‘reverse-Trumpism’: its economy grew almost twice as fast as the US last year – and it wasn’t achieved through cutting taxes. Plus: the Russian Parliament is considering sweeteners that would accelerate Crimea's progress further along the tax haven and secrecy jurisdiction route.

We look at the Panama Papers, one year on - we talk to the journalists who got the scoop. Plus: we discuss the raid on Credit Suisse, and new data exposing the profit shifting shennanigans of the EU's biggest banks.

We look at the high price we’re paying for our finance sectors – we look at staggering statistics showing how the US finance sector is a net drag on their economy. Also, as the British government initiates Brexit divorce negotiations to leave the EU, we discuss something they ought to know, but obviously don’t – they’re actually in a very weak position. Could it mean the beginning of the end of the finance curse gripping the UK economy? Read: The High Cost of High Finance here https://rooseveltinstitute.org/publications/overcharged-the-high-cost-of-high-finance/ City of London costs UK £4.5tn in lost economic growth https://www.taxjustice.net/press/press-release-city-of-london-costs-uk-4-5tn-in-lost-economic-growth/ Featuring: John Christensen and Alex Cobham of the Tax Justice Network, and Professor of Economics Gerald Epstein of the University of Masachusetts Amhurst. Produced and presented by Naomi Fowler for the Tax Justice Network.

In the February 2017 Taxcast: how financial transaction taxes can protect us from finance sectors dragging our economies down. Plus: the Swiss referendum - taxpayers have refused to pick up the tab for corporate tax 'reforms'. What does that mean for one of world's biggest tax haven players? Also, we discuss President Trump’s valentine gift for kleptocrats and the extractives industry as he repeals anti-corruption regulations - the criminal race to the bottom is on. And, the influence of dark money, the experts in distorting democratic debate and the results of the 2017 Transparify report.

In the January 2017 Taxcast we look at tax justice and public procurement - the efforts to hit tax dodging companies where it really hurts on a local level – trying to stop them bidding for public money for public contracts. Also: how massive amounts of money are flowing into Tax Haven USA to circumvent the flawed Common Reporting Standard - South Dakota is apparently raking in tax evading capital the slippery world of ‘residence planning’ and the ‘synthetic residency’ dodge we discuss the UK’s Criminal Finances Bill likely to be passed this year, which includes proposals for ‘Unexplained Wealth Orders’ and holding tax evading enablers to account. An amendment to the bill could force UK satellite tax havens, the overseas territories to create public registers of the real owners of companies, something they’ve so far refused to do. and we consider the British threat to the EU: ‘if you give us a bad Brexit deal, we’ll push regulation-lite, tax haven UK even further in a race to the bottom and shoot ourselves in the foot.’

In trusts we trust? We look at the new game in town: beneficial ownership avoidance, the booming industry in alternative escape vehicles from public registers and why we must shine the spotlight on all of them. Plus: we discuss two big stories we think will define 2017: the race to the bottom between nations on tax aka a transfer of wealth to the corporate community, and how the world's biggest havens are increasingly having to account for the devastating effect their tax and/or financial secrecy policies are having on human rights around the world...  

We look at Tax Inspectors Without Borders – a practical project that’s changing lives and aiming to level the global playground of tax minimising multinational companies. Plus: what does new US President Trump mean for tax justice? In Trusts we trust? The French Constitutional Court upholds a challenge to France’s trailblazing public register of Trusts: what does it mean for progress on financial transparency?

We look at the offshorisation of Iceland's economy, its collapse and recovery. Also, Brazil adds Ireland to its tax haven black list and Panama threatens anyone who dares call it a tax haven with a new law...plus more scandal and unique analysis you won't find anywhere else.  

How a conman can devastate the lives of thousands of ordinary people, aided and abetted by the offshore industry - with banks, law firms and accountants all happy to look the other way and not ask questions. Plus, we discuss the latest leak from the Bahamas, #BahamasLeaks, and Apple's 13 billion euro underpaid tax bill: a defining moment in the battle between the low/no-tax world big corporations would like to see and democratic, accountable governance in the public interest.

The Big Four accountancy firms: Are they in fact more like the Big One? And should they be broken up? Also: the Duke of Westminster's 9 billion tax free inheritance and how his family history forms the legal basis for the justification of tax avoidance around the world; how come the world's biggest banks are now officially endorsing transparency measures? And...so much for Panama cleaning up its act post-Panama Papers scandal: we discuss the demise of Panama's not-so-transparent Transparency Commission.