Activists gate-crashed a retirement dinner for outgoing HMRC boss Dave Hartnett in Oxford over the weekend, presenting him with flowers and a fake award for allowing large companies to avoid paying tax.
The protesters, who accuse Hartnett of allowing corporations such as Vodafone and Goldman Sachs to avoid payment, donned black tie and Vodafone name badges to present Britain’s top taxman with a “golden handshake” award.
Those attending the dinner appeared not to know it was a wind-up, joining in with a round of applause for the departing revenue chief.
Only after delivering the award, and a rousing chorus of “for he’s a jolly good fellow”, were the presenters finally ushered out of the building, with one po-faced diner threatening to “set the dogs” on the “trespassers”.
Hartnett appeared unmoved by the intrusion. One diner called the activists "scum"
Hartnett, who remained impassive throughout, announced his retirement late last year following revelations about the department’s decisions to waive millions owed by corporations.
The 61-year-old admitted at the time that it had been a “mistake” to allow Goldman Sachs to get away with not paying £10m in interest charges.
According to UK Uncut, tax avoidance by corporations costs the UK taxpayer billions in lost revenue.