PCS says 'shocking' tax avoidance shows cuts are unnecessary

Commenting on reports chancellor George Osborne was "shocked" by levels of tax avoidance by millionaires, Public and Commercial Services union general secretary Mark Serwotka said:

"The only shocking thing is that someone who was shadow chancellor for five years before becoming chancellor apparently did not realise that our public finances are deprived of tens of billions of pounds every year through tax avoidance and evasion by the super-rich.

"Mr Osborne should spend less time courting the very wealthy and agreeing to cut their taxes even further and more time talking to his own staff in HM Revenue and Customs who have been warning about this for years.

"But now he has seen the light, he must accept his government's cuts are not only damaging they are entirely unnecessary."