Great news for Billionaire Tax-dodging multinationals

[JohnD]

With the UK pinched by Austerity, and a county having difficulty meeting its legal obligation to provide services to the disabled and needy, isn't it a shame that we don't have a government willing to treat the rich as firmly as it does the poor?

Amazon Services cuts tax bill in the UK to £4.6m despite a rise in profits and revenues of just under £2bn

"Amazon paid less corporation tax in the UK in 2017 even as it increased revenues and profits from its operations.

The company's UK logistics arm, Amazon UK Services, paid just £4.6m in tax in the year ending December 2017, down from £7.4m the previous year, according to a filing on Companies House.

The lower payment to the UK taxman comes despite an increase in operating profit at the tech behemoth. Amazon's UK operating profit grew to £79m up from around £26m the previous year.

An Amazon spokesman said the company pays all taxes required in the UK."

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2018/08/02/amazon-tax-bill-uk-falls-28m-despite-rise-profits/

Perhaps our next government will be less generous. The EU is starting to crack down on tax-dodgers. We should too.

 

[JohnD]

The government can be brutally tough. But only with the poor.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-42789610

 

[motorbiking]

Don’t buy from Amazon then. I don’t. In their defence they probably pay quite a bit through employment taxes.

 

[Brigadier]

Amazon Services cuts tax bill in the UK to £4.6m despite a rise in profits and revenues of just under £2bn

I refer the writer of the above to the "sh!t grammar" thread.

 

[IWalkLikeHimaMartian]

I refer the writer of the above to the "sh!t grammar" thread.

Ad hominem attack.
Zero contribution to the discussion.

Additionally, I would suggest you address the writer,

• Matthew Field

rather than someone who merely reproduces the press article.

Amazon Services cuts tax bill in the UK to £4.6m despite a rise in profits and revenues of just under £2bn

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2018/08/02/amazon-tax-bill-uk-falls-28m-despite-rise-profits/

 

[JohnD]

Here's a comma.

Insert it yourself.

,

 

[Yafo]

Don’t buy from Amazon then. I don’t. In their defence they probably pay quite a bit through employment taxes.

Hmm, interesting response.

I wonder if House of Fraser, john lewis, debenhams etc think that is a suitable answer too ? And their employees of course.

Taxation is only 1 of the issues involved.

 

[Brigadier]

I wouldn't want to be altering your quotes. That's bad form.

 

[Ihavenojob]

So prosecution Amazon if they're breaking the law.

 

[JohnD]

Silly hate fails to read the thread.

With the UK pinched by Austerity, and a county having difficulty meeting its legal obligation to provide services to the disabled and needy, isn't it a shame that we don't have a government willing to treat the rich as firmly as it does the poor?

 

[ellal]

Don’t buy from Amazon then. I don’t. In their defence they probably pay quite a bit through employment taxes.

The problem though is that with austerity having no end in sight, most people have to look for the cheapest option.

And if you've ever traded through Amazon, you'd know that their business model is based on a race to the bottom price wise in order to wipe out the opposition - including you competing against yourself!

So what if they pay 'employment taxes' - so do all other businesses who employ people.

And given that regulations in UK PLC will drop away after we leave the EU, then the already risible tax take will fall even further.
Leaving the ordinary person to make up the shortfall whilst public services wither and die!

 

[SirGalahad]

Here is a brilliant article about Amazon in the US. The main points are that it can suppress worker wages and then due to weak employment laws in the US (coming to us post Brexit) they can make employees sign non compete agreements so they cannot join what they consider as a competitor which would be like an Asda employee not being able to go work at Tesco. Alos by suppressing wages these low paid workers then have to rely on government assistance.

https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2018/08/the-problem-with-bezos-billions/566552/

 

[SirGalahad]

Don’t buy from Amazon then. I don’t. In their defence they probably pay quite a bit through employment taxes.

Whataboutery indeed. So can I indulge in some of that? How much business rates do they pay? I believe Tesco pays about £700m and Amazon is estimated to pay around £11m.

The point if you have missed it is that as power concentrates into fewer corporations they can then influence policy through their business decisions and lobbying to the detriment of the wider public and economy.

 

[Ihavenojob]

Silly hate fails to read the thread.

Silly John fails to respond to my question.

 

[Yafo]

Silly John fails to respond to my question.

I think he did. You just glossed over it and tried to move the thread on, past the initial point.

But to address your point. Nobody has accused them of breaking the law.

Do you think leaving the laws as they are is a good future to look forward to? Or do you think the establishment (brexiteers voted anti establishment, remember ), should be left to unequal market forces ?