Politics

Former Deputy PM Nick Clegg has called for delay on tax on his new boss Facebook


FORMER Deputy PM Sir Nick Clegg has called on the Chancellor to delay plans for a digital services tax that would hit his new employer Facebook.

The shameless former leader of the Lib Dems who now works for the social network did not rule out the tax becoming a bargaining chip in future US trade talks.

 Nick Clegg has called for delay on new taxes that will hit the tech giants

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Nick Clegg has called for delay on new taxes that will hit the tech giantsCredit: Alamy Live News

Sir Nick urged Sajid Javid to pause plans for the tax so an international agreement could be arranged.

He said: “I would simply throw the question back and say to Sajid Javid ‘Look, you’re not giving anything up by just saying you want to give the international talks more time to succeed’.”

The former politician was blasted online for taking the view – especially as he would have demanded Facebook pay their taxes when in parliament.

Tory MP Neil O’Brien joked: “2013 Nick Clegg: ‘When Google goes to extraordinary lengths to avoid paying its taxes, I say it’s wrong.’
“2020 Nick Clegg: Lets not be too hasty lads”

Labour MP Alison McGovern said: “Oh really Nick Clegg. Would you have said the UK Government should hold off taxing Facebook when you were still leader of the sanctimonious Lib Dems.”

And Lord Andrew Adonis, said: “Of course Facebook should pay its fair share in tax and it doesn’t remotely at the moment.”
“I don’t much approve of Sir Nick Clegg lecturing us from California that he should get a tax break at the expense of the NHS and UK based companies.”

Speaking on the Today programme, the Facebook Comms chief said: “No-one wants to see trade wars but equally no-one wants to see what is, in the end, not a sustainable solution, which is a lot of patchwork set at different levels in different ways.

“I totally understand the political significance which is attached to this because people want to see big global companies like Facebook pay their fair share, but actually the solution the Treasury has come up with compared to total tax intake for the Treasury is very, very small indeed.”

 Nick Clegg is the top PR guy for social media giant Facebook

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Nick Clegg is the top PR guy for social media giant FacebookCredit: AFP or licensors





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