Goggle at Google Cheek
Goggle at Google Cheek
Scotch Defence for Embattled Internet Giant
Now you and I can’t fathom the comings and goings of the tax authorities and the corporate monsters that by and large control our daily lives. But sometimes we can raise an eyebrow at their cheek. The government in London are in hot water because they haven’t kicked the HMRC sweetheart deal with Google into touch. No, instead they initially praised it – until a few bright sparks worked out how pathetic it was. So the executives were hauled before the relevant Commons committee and lightly grilled over their Byzantine accounting procedures.
Distilling the Truth?
In order to explain why the company paid only £130m in back taxes at time when every government budget is being trimmed and generally trashed they have gone a step too far and brought something dear to my heart into the argument. And what is dear to my heart, why SCOTTISH WHISKY!
99 Million Cases of Scotch
In the Telegraph the Google CEO Matt Brittin tried to use the argument that Google was like the Scotch industry. He said that just like for Scotch the tax for Scotch should be paid where it is made and not where it is consumed. Well that is amongst the most convoluted thoughts for a while. He says that In support of argument he said the 99 million cases of Scotch whisky sold worldwide were a major boost for tax in the UK and shouldn’t attract tax elsewhere. This despite the enormous tax it gets slapped on it in almost every country in the world and especially in the USA where he import duty rate for importing Scotch whisky ranges between 0% and 3000%. I think 3000% is kind of radical!
Time for a Dram
Well if such shenanigans make you want to reach for a drink why not reach for the nation’s best tipple and pour yourself a Scotch. I am drinking The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve because it is on special offer in the supermarket. I am drinking mine out of a Royal Scot Edinburgh tumbler as befits this great drink, but a little search on James Pirie shows you a host of offers that we have on the crystal ware at the moment that will make your delight in the good stuff even greater.
