Okay, I think I understand a bit more about our disagreement.
I don't care what the courts think. I agree with you - the law exists; judges interpret that law; these companies don't appear to be breaking any laws. My accusations of them not being moral isn't based in law, nor in them trying to reduce their tax bill.
I think it's fine for people to reduce their tax burden. I even think it's fine for people to employ lawyers to scour the laws and find vigorous ways to reduce their tax burdens.
But then there are tricks that are legal now, but which appear to flaunt the intent of the law, and which will get fixed at a later point.
And, in my opinion, sometimes these tricks go so far as to be dishonest. And that's the bit where morality comes in. Companies that reduce their tax bills are not immoral, unless they are telling borderline lies in order to do so.
When a UK company sells goods in the UK to UK citizens, making over £3bn per year in sales, and then say that their company is actually in Luxembourg and the UK business is just a delivery business to reduce their tax bill - well, that feels slimy. It might be legal.
Some behaviour is not illegal, but that doesn't mean it's acceptable.
The other thing about laws is that they are not fixed. They get refined over the years. And there are some grey areas until the law is tested by whoever enforces it.
I don't care what the courts think. I agree with you - the law exists; judges interpret that law; these companies don't appear to be breaking any laws. My accusations of them not being moral isn't based in law, nor in them trying to reduce their tax bill.
I think it's fine for people to reduce their tax burden. I even think it's fine for people to employ lawyers to scour the laws and find vigorous ways to reduce their tax burdens.
But then there are tricks that are legal now, but which appear to flaunt the intent of the law, and which will get fixed at a later point.
And, in my opinion, sometimes these tricks go so far as to be dishonest. And that's the bit where morality comes in. Companies that reduce their tax bills are not immoral, unless they are telling borderline lies in order to do so.
When a UK company sells goods in the UK to UK citizens, making over £3bn per year in sales, and then say that their company is actually in Luxembourg and the UK business is just a delivery business to reduce their tax bill - well, that feels slimy. It might be legal.
Some behaviour is not illegal, but that doesn't mean it's acceptable.
The other thing about laws is that they are not fixed. They get refined over the years. And there are some grey areas until the law is tested by whoever enforces it.