Given the pressure building for a harmonisation between Northern Ireland’s and the Republic’s rate of Corporation Tax, it seems the Isle of Man intends to stay ahead of the game by offering an inducement to one major IT firm of a 0% percentage rating! Thanks for the heads up Cormac!!
Writer Christopher Hitchens has died aged 62. He was as contrary as he was brilliant. Here is a brief In Memoriam from Vanity Fair (his outlet of choice since 1992) and, here, a longer tribute from his friend Christopher Buckley Stanley in The New Yorker. Better, perhaps, though to post one of Hitchens’ own writings in [...] read our review »
World by Storm has a nice piece up on the IRA’s role in helping MK, the armed wing of the ANC, in the 1980s. In particular he sees a strange alchemy at work there: …if one can think of a clearly legitimate contemporary struggle it was that against apartheid and it is to the credit [...] read our review »
Extract from Greg McLaughlin and Stephen Baker: The Propaganda of Peace: The Role of Media and Culture in the Northern Ireland Peace Process. Bristol: Intellect Books. 2010. Political opponents Ian Paisley and Martin McGuiness were confirmed as First Minister and Deputy First Minister of a new executive in May 2007, closing yet another chapter in [...] read our review »
From the article: “Because the Isle of Man is not part of the UK, but is a self-governing crown dependency, it is able to make its own laws.”
An idea for Northern Ireland?
Also, the IOM is not a member of the EU, so is not governed by its tax harmonising regulations.
Not sure it can be linked into that debate successfully Mick, as the article points out -
Of course NI could go the same route.. but we’d still have to have an operating government..
Mick,
Your intro is mistaken. From From 6 April 2006, the standard rate of income tax for all companies in the Isle of Man will be 0% (“the standard rate”), with two small exceptions.
Details here.
In the end companies do not pay taxes, people pay taxes. There is a danger of placing over-emphasis on company tax, we forget that if income tax is higher, or if the VAT on goods is higher, or if rates are higher, or if there are more charges on healthcare etc, then that adds to the cost of remunerating employees to a given standard of consumption.
Stephen
(a self-governing crown dependency)An idea for Northern Ireland?
Definitely worth looking at. We need a bit of flexibility and rid of Hain, Rooker & Co. Just listening to budget and need to build houses, invest in new energy etc. How can we here with the decisions being made!?!?!?
Of course EU law would probably prevent countries introducing that sort of corpo-tax rate. Estonia I understand already had 0% before it joined the EU.
The North doesnt need special measures, it needs a populous prepared to get up of their arse and make it happen economically..in short take responsibility for their own lives and own successes. Always look for subsidy..always looking for support above the ordinary…its pathetic
Hain will go soon enough..and some of his pushing and shoving measures will be reversed..Blair is desperate to get his defining moment before he goes and they’ve chosen here as the subject to do it. Once he goes so will much of the current coercion approach.
Yokel, you said:
“The North doesnt need special measures, it needs a populous prepared to get up of their arse and make it happen economically..in short take responsibility for their own lives and own successes. Always look for subsidy..always looking for support above the ordinary…its pathetic”
Well said. Had the PEACE I & II money, and the many millions in other slush funds been used to fund real economic incentives, we’d be in a whole different place. But alas, the bleeding hearts who run this show have their heads up their backsides and all the money’s gone.