'Don't let bigger fish off of the hook": Nine tax dodgers named and shamed but ... - Mirror.co.uk

THE identities of tax dodgers were revealed by HM Revenue & Customs chiefs for the first time yesterday.

The list was published after a public outcry over companies who fail to pay their dues.

But it did not feature multi-nationals such as Starbucks, Amazon and Google, who go to great lengths to legally minimise their tax bills.

Instead, a hairdresser, coach operator and knitwear firm were among the nine much smaller "deliberate defaulters" named and shamed.

When added together, the tax owed amounted to less than £1million.

Those named yesterday owed at least £25,000 each and received fines ranging from a few ­thousand pounds to £291,830.

Treasury Minister David Gauke said: "The publication of these names sends a clear signal that cheating on tax is wrong."

Margaret Hodge, chairwoman of the Commons Public Accounts Committee, which has taken on the big corporations over tax avoidance, said: "They have named and shamed a whole lot of small and medium-sized ­businesses.

"That is welcome. But I hope they are not letting bigger fish off of the hook."