Miliband hits out at Google over tax avoidance – whilst their Chief Exec advises Cameron

Ed Miliband today hit out at Google over revelations about the extent of their tax avoidance, saying:

“People will be shocked by the evidence that Google is going to extraordinary lengths to avoid paying their fair share of tax. It comes on top of other firms apparently engaging in similar practices. It is evidence of a culture of corporate irresponsibility among certain firms which is totally unacceptable. And of course we have now seen allegations about petrol fixing as well.”

“It comes at a time when ordinary families are seeing services cut, their taxes rising and so many businesses are struggling to make ends meet and are actually doing the right thing and paying their fair share of taxes. As so often under this Government, I think it is evidence of one rule for those at the top and another rule for everyone else. David Cameron says we have to just wait for international action. He is wrong.”

Incidentally, Google Chief Exec Eric Schmidt sits on Cameron’s “Business Advisory Group” – even though he has said that he’s “proud” of Google’s tax avoidance schemes…