![](https://taxjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/nicshax-1-150x150.jpg)
Nick Shaxson ■ Quote of the day: on corporate tax policy making
![Swag](https://taxjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/fly-images/561/Swag1-1-1400x600-c.jpg)
From Martin Hearson:
“What my clients are concerned about,” said my friend, “is political interference in corporate tax policymaking.” I found this quite startling. Is it possible that businesses consider corporate tax policy to be a matter for private negotiations between them and the government, rather than the subject of public (and even parliamentary) debate as part of the government’s budgeting process?
This is a question of profound and fundamental importance, and the nonchalance with which it is seemingly uttered is testament to the remarkable degree of ‘political capture‘ that large multinational corporations have achieved in the United Kingdom, a country with a large and boisterous democracy and a (fairly) effective press. For an example of the egregious anti-democratic processes at play, you only need to look at this brief summary entitled The Principles of Tax Policy at the UK parliament. Hearson continues:
“The UK’s corporate tax regime has been dramatically overhauled over the last ten years, with a plummeting corporation tax rate and vast swathes of the multinational tax base exempted. This is a serious structural change in our tax system, yet there’s been barely a peep about it in public debate. And we continue to sign tax treaties, with only a cursory discussion in parliament each time.
The more we can bring democratic debate into these issues – not just in rich countries like the UK but in developing countries too – the more the veil of secrecy can be lifted, and the more accountable and representative the tax policy making will be.
Related articles
![A large sculpture of face sits in the middle of a garden hedge maze - UNSPLASH A large sculpture of face sits in the middle of a garden hedge maze](https://taxjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/fly-images/18379/A-large-sculpture-of-face-sits-in-the-middle-of-a-garden-hedge-maze-UNSPLASH-380x210-c.jpg)
Another EU court case is weaponising human rights against transparency and tax justice
Submission to Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers on undue influence of economic actors on judicial systems
![OECD podium - U.S. Department of State from United States, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons OECD podium](https://taxjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/fly-images/16449/OECD-podium-U.S.-Department-of-State-from-United-States-Public-domain-via-Wikimedia-Commons-380x210-c.png)
Litany of failure: new briefing sets out OECD’s manifold shortcomings in international tax talks
![Outline of Africa (cover image from report) Outline of Africa filled with water, forests, money to represent Africa's climate finance](https://taxjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/fly-images/18104/Cover-image-for-blog3-1-380x210-c.png)
Financing Africa’s Climate Action
![ab062332-0d4e-45f5-ab59-ad1d7a074939](https://taxjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/fly-images/18119/ab062332-0d4e-45f5-ab59-ad1d7a074939-380x210-c.jpeg)
Tax injustices are eroding women’s rights in Brazil, and we need to talk about it
Submission to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
20 May 2024
The fiscal social contract and the human rights economy
29 April 2024
![Ireland Tech Sector The tech sector in Dublin, Ireland](https://taxjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/fly-images/14059/ireland_dublin_tech_sector-scaled-380x210-c.jpg)
Ireland (again) in crosshairs of UN rights body
![podcasts-new-look](https://taxjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/fly-images/17696/podcasts-new-look-380x210-c.png)
New Tax Justice Network podcast website launched!
![The-Taxcast-cover-episode-1_resized](https://taxjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/fly-images/17690/The-Taxcast-cover-episode-1_resized-380x210-c.png)