GOODY TWO SHOES: Other People’s (Tax) Money
U2 front man and rock legend “Saint” Bono loves to lecture Western governments for not doing enough to help people in Third World countries, but has taken steps to evade taxes on earnings of roughly £80 million in his native Ireland that could help the poor of his own country, The Daily Mail (London) reports:
[W]hen Bono's band U2 perform at Glastonbury later this month, protesters are planning to accuse them of avoiding taxes which could have helped exactly the sort of people the singer cares about so dearly.
Members of activist group Art Uncut will hoist a massive inflatable sign with the message 'Bono Pay Up' spelt out in lights during the Irish band's headline performance. …
The protest has been provoked by U2's decision to move their multi-million-pound music and publishing business away from Ireland – thus allegedly avoiding taxes on record sales. …
[A spokesman for Art Uncut] said: 'We will be showing the very real impact of U2's tax avoidance on hospitals and schools in Ireland. Anyone watching will be made very aware that Bono needs to pay up.' …
Bono has been reluctant to explain the tax strategy, but the band's guitarist The Edge has admitted: 'Of course we want to be tax-efficient – who doesn't?'
Indeed.
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