![]() He added: “The reality is in so many ways Jo Swinson is indistinguishable for the Tory politicians she used to sit in government with.” “The reality is she was a minister in Cameron and Osborne's government supporting the bedroom tax, the rape clause and massive cuts in public spending and now we find out she is taking cash from accountants who are the forefront of actively working on tax avoidance on an industrial scale.” ![]() “Jo Swinson likes to claim that she is the person to challenge the establishment and Conservative politics,” he said. ![]() The Labour MSP, Neil Findlay, attacked the LibDem leader for being like the Tories. “This cash should be returned, or she will risk whatever shreds of credibility the LibDems still have.” “If Jo Swinson wants to be taken seriously on climate and tax justice, she cannot remain in the pay of those who profit from fossil fuels or advising tax dodgers,” he said. The co-leader of the Scottish Greens, Patrick Harvie MSP, urged Swinson to give back the donations. There has to be zero tolerance for anyone connected with the tax avoidance industry.” Sikka told the Ferret: “I think it is wrong for MPs to accept donations from organisations and individuals who seek to deplete the public purse by designing and marketing complex tax avoidance schemes. In March 2018 she tweeted an article by Prem Sikka, professor of accounting at the University of Sheffield, saying it suggested “aggressive, extensive and deliberate tax avoidance by Caffe Neroįascinating article suggesting aggressive, extensive & deliberate tax avoidance by Caffe Nero (h/t Swinson has publicly criticised tax avoidance. Paul Monaghan, chief executive of the campaign group Fair Tax Mark, told the Financial Times in September 2018 that KPMG are “active advisers on tax avoidance”. KPMG has been criticised by campaigners and academics for helping large multinational companies minimise their tax bills. Quest also “leads thinking on the changing tax landscape and tax strategy, while seating (sic) on the Global Tax Steering Group helping make decisions globally for clients”. Quest, who has donated £15,000, is head of tax while Geiger, who has given £2,000, is head of international tax.Īccording to KPMG, both women lead the “tax relationships with some of the firm's most significant clients”. ![]() The Liberal Democrat leader has also received funding from Michelle Quest and Melissa Geiger, two senior tax advisers at consultancy and accountancy firm, KPMG. Swinson has called for the Scottish and UK parliaments to stop investing in fossil fuels and was previously branded a “hypocrite” for accepting funding from a fracking businessman. Natural gas is a fossil fuel emitting carbon dioxide on burning, which is blamed for climate warming, and nitrogen oxides which can cause cause respiratory problems One of the companies it invests in is Gazprom, a natural gas and oil company which is majority-owned by the Russian state Mondrian's business is investing other peoples' money. Desmond is the chief investment officer of Mondrian Investment Partners Since October 2018 Swinson has received £40,000 from Liz Desmond and her husband. The Liberal Democrats responded by accusing the SNP of being “scared”.Ĭlimate change denier makes big donations to Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt One SNP MSP said Swinson's donations were “questionable to say the least” and a Green MSP said they should be returned.
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