The Paradise Papers leak from so-called “offshore jurisdictions” led to an overwhelming sense of déjà vu.
In spring last year, around 11.5 millions files were leaked from the database of Mossack Fonseca, one of the world’s fourth biggest offshore law firm.
These disclosures - dubbed the Panama Papers - provided a depressing insight into how corporations and the super-rich use financial sleight of hand to squirrel their money away from the taxman...and it's all perfectly legal. That is the problem.
Outrage greeted the Panama leak, and calls for change rang throughout legislatures around the world. But, sadly and predictably, little if anything changed.
Amid austerity, public services in the UK continued to be cut as a result of billions of pounds which could have gone to the exchequer being stashed away in tax havens, and the offshore industry continued to boom.
The leak of the Paradise Papers is further evidence of why radical action, rather than tough talk, is required.
We need Governments across the world to agree to an urgent summit to tackle tax avoidance.
Action in one country won’t be enough. If the UK seeks a clampdown, but France and the US resist, unilateral moves will be pointless.
We need a strong, multi-lateral agreement that includes publicly searchable registers of beneficial ownership, as well as tough sanctions on tax havens that fail to comply with international requirements.
The press has played an outstanding role over the Paradise Papers, but only Governments can implement the change that is urgently required.
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