Main content

Offshore financial centres

A report from Ireland on how big companies channel money into low-tax nations to boost their profits. Plus, are offshore financial centres actually a boon to the City of London?

France and Germany have put pressure on Ireland to give up its famously low corporate tax rate, as a condition for a European rescue package. French officials have resentfully called the rate, of 12.5%, 'almost predatory'.

The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's Michael Robinson reports from Ireland, on how big companies channel money into low-tax nations to boost their profits.

Plus, are offshore financial centres actually a boon to major financial centres such as the City of London? That's the controversial view of British Conservative MP Mark Field, who talked to Lesley Curwen at a debate hosted by the Centre for the Study of Financial Innovation.

On the other side of the argument was Richard Murphy, a director at the policy think-tank, Tax Research UK. He argued that the offshore financial centres do not generate the money and there is little or no transparency about where it originates.

Available now

18 minutes

Last on

Fri 19 Nov 2010 08:32GMT

Broadcast

  • Fri 19 Nov 2010 08:32GMT

Podcast