WHAT WAS CLAIMED
Only eight cases of tax evasion have been prosecuted in the past two years.
OUR VERDICT
False. This figure refers to prosecutions for the enabling of tax evasion. HMRC says around 400 people have been prosecuted for tax evasion in the last two years.
Under the Tories, prosecutions for tax evasion have dropped by 80%. Only EIGHT cases were prosecuted in the past two years.
Labour MP Imran Hussain, also serving as the shadow minister for employment rights, promptly rectified an inaccurate tweet wherein he incorrectly stated only eight cases of tax evasion had been prosecuted in the last two years. The original post, subsequently deleted, garnered significant attention before Full Fact informed Mr. Hussain of the error.
The figure of eight prosecutions, arising from a Freedom of Information request to HMRC by the Financial Times, specifically pertained to cases involving the enabling of tax evasion. Despite an 80% decline in such prosecutions, HMRC clarified that a total of 399 tax evasion prosecutions occurred in the past two years, a notable decrease from the preceding two-year period’s 1,440 cases.
HMRC attributed this decline to pandemic-related disruptions and emphasized a strategic focus on severe cases. They highlighted ongoing investigations into more than 100 enablers, emphasizing their commitment to holding both enablers and perpetrators of tax fraud accountable.
Upon contact regarding the error, Mr. Hussain expressed gratitude, promptly deleting the original post and replacing it with a corrected version specifying the context of enablers of tax evasion. The incident underscores the importance of MPs promptly correcting false or misleading claims, which Mr. Hussain commendably addressed on the same platform.
