CHRIS TAILBY CBE | former Head of Policy & Anti-Avoidance at UK Customs / UK Tax Authorities

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In this episode, I interview CHRIS TAILBY CBE, former Head of Tax Policy at UK Customs and Head of Anti Tax Avoidance at the UK Tax Authorities (HMRC).

Tax which is due is a cost for any business and Tax Avoidance is an area of the law that we should all be aware and wary of.

He explains:

- His career as a barrister at the Inner Temple in London

- What motivated him to eventually dedicate his career to attacking tax / VAT avoidance schemes

- His time at Customs and HMRC

- The difference between tax avoidance (civil) and tax evasion (criminal) / tax scams

- Press coverage and The Guardian

- Signing the JITSIC (Joint International Shelter Information Center) Treaty

- Comparisons with the United States and lessons to be learned from the Inland Revenue Service (IRS)

- His dealings with Gordon Brown, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer and British Prime Minister; Minister Margaret Hodge

- Explanation of the fundamental principles of tax law; black letter law versus applying the spirit of the law

- The Westminster Principle and the Halifax European Court of Justice decision

- Judge Benjamin N. Cardozo and US interpretation of statute and anti tax avoidance

- Whether it was a moral decision to take on Anti-Avoidance

- The McVitie’s Jaffa Cake VAT decision

- What makes a good lawyer and what makes a good people manager.

The episodes aims as well to explain some pretty complex tax issues and concepts but in a manner that is accessible, without you having to be an expert in the field.

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