Ireland’s illegal aid to the world’s richest firm is a sad story – and a warning to Brexit BritainHow’s that for taking control? On Tuesday the union that Britain has just voted to leave delivered its biggest and most important tax ruling of the lot. After two years of investigations,the European commission ruled that Apple had enjoyed special favours on its taxes from Ireland. Very lucrative favours, worth around 13bn (£11bn) in unpaid tax to the Irish government.
The case goes to the heart of much that is mistaken with modern politics and business – of a system in which ministers encourage tax-dodgers and rent-seekers to rake in billions, and while community businesses proceed to the wall and tough-pressed families see pay packets shrink and their public services reduce. It also offers the voters of Brexit Britain a grim warning of the ever more dysfunctional capitalism being urged on their government by the free-market fundamentalists around the cabinet table and the lobbyists for investment banks and ample business.
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Source: theguardian.com