AAT director takes swipe at Starbucks

SO WHO’S UP IN ARMS against Starbucks’ tax strategy?

Mainly tax advisors have been against the furore, claiming that – in general – such dealings that Starbucks had are pretty much par for the course, above board, previously scrutinised by tax authorities, while arguing that talking about turnover and corporation tax in the same breath is conflation.

There have been exceptions: TS was unsurprised to see Richard Murphy take umbrage.

But we haven’t seen the institutes step out on this one – think back to the ICAEW’s ‘guidance’ to advisors on ‘helping clients avoid tax‘ earlier this year.

So TS noted with interest that the Association of Accounting Technician’s director of professional development, Adam Harper, quoted in The Guardian’s letters page, to the effect that the coffee chain ‘sidelines’ the UK tax system despite priding itself on ethical standards.

Strong words Adam – not necessarily the views of your employer? Would be interesting to know the direction the AAT’s taking with its exams. Maybe its introduction of an ethics microsite provides the answer…