The Taxcast

In the November 2017 Taxcast: we discuss the latest offshore scandal, the Paradise Papers with one of the journalists who got the scoop, Frederik Obermaier of Suddeutsche Zeitung. We interpret the enquiries to Jersey from offshore lawyers looking for a new tax haven for Apple which they'd rather had remained secret, look at the anti-democratic processes the Paradise Papers uncover and ask - what now for tax justice?

In this month's Taxcast we look at the booming business of passports and residency for sale, and why it should worry us all. Also, even the IMF now advocates wealth taxes to combat inequality, yet governments around the world – most recently President Macron of France – are going in the opposite direction despite all the evidence that it's a bad idea, we discuss how Russia and the US are now world leaders in inequality and the good news that the European Commission has ordered Luxembourg to claim back $293 million in taxes from Amazon in another ruling on illegal state aid.

In the September 2017 Taxcast we look at our over-reliance on unhelpful economic measures, like Gross Domestic Product and how it constrains us. Also: we discuss hurricanes, tax havens and disaster capitalism; and the bitcoin bubble - China may be closing its doors on it for the moment but tax havens like Switzerland are very interested…

In the August 2017 Taxcast: #10yearsafter the crash we ask - what will the next one look like? Can we avoid it? Also: Panama Papers fallout - another Prime Minister bites the dust, this time in Pakistan the offshore law firm Mossack Fonseca has closed 39 of its 45 offices around the world a UK court ruling spells the end for 'employee benefit trusts' being used by footballers to minimise their tax bills and the Bank Of England Governor has predicted Britain's financial sector could double in size in the next 25 years. Has he not heard of the finance curse?

In this month's July 2017 Taxcast: we explore Land Value Tax and the billions in revenue we're missing out on. Plus: Tax Haven USA signs up to potential sanctions and blacklisting of the few nations still refusing to comply with international financial transparency rules, which would er, include itself as the world's prime offender. Did Team USA read the small print? And will the G20, OECD and the EU really blacklist one of the world's biggest economies? Also, at last, Members of the European Parliament vote for public country by country reporting for the world's biggest companies – but a last minute amendment was tabled…

In the June 2017 Taxcast we ask - has the UK just had its first tax justice general election? Are we seeing a popular shift towards tax justice in the UK and in the US? Is this the beginning of the end to our long austerity winter? How much do people REALLY care about taxes, who pays them and who doesn't?

In the May 2017 Taxcast: we talk to film director Michael Oswald about his new film The Spider's Web: Britain's Second Empire. Watch it here. Also, we discuss booming Sweden's 'reverse-Trumpism': its economy grew almost twice as fast as the US last year – and it wasn't achieved through cutting taxes. Plus: the Russian Parliament is considering sweeteners that would accelerate Crimea's progress further along the tax haven and secrecy jurisdiction route.

We look at the Panama Papers, one year on - we talk to the journalists who got the scoop. Plus: we discuss the raid on Credit Suisse, and new data exposing the profit shifting shennanigans of the EU's biggest banks.

We look at the high price we're paying for our finance sectors – we look at staggering statistics showing how the US finance sector is a net drag on their economy. Also, as the British government initiates Brexit divorce negotiations to leave the EU, we discuss something they ought to know, but obviously don't – they're actually in a very weak position. Could it mean the beginning of the end of the finance curse gripping the UK economy? Read: The High Cost of High Finance here https://rooseveltinstitute.org/publications/overcharged-the-high-cost-of-high-finance/ City of London costs UK £4.5tn in lost economic growth https://www.taxjustice.net/press/press-release-city-of-london-costs-uk-4-5tn-in-lost-economic-growth/ Featuring: John Christensen and Alex Cobham of the Tax Justice Network, and Professor of Economics Gerald Epstein of the University of Masachusetts Amhurst. Produced and presented by Naomi Fowler for the Tax Justice Network.

In the February 2017 Taxcast: how financial transaction taxes can protect us from finance sectors dragging our economies down. Plus: the Swiss referendum - taxpayers have refused to pick up the tab for corporate tax 'reforms'. What does that mean for one of world's biggest tax haven players? Also, we discuss President Trump's valentine gift for kleptocrats and the extractives industry as he repeals anti-corruption regulations - the criminal race to the bottom is on. And, the influence of dark money, the experts in distorting democratic debate and the results of the 2017 Transparify report.