Former exec threatens to expose Google’s questionable tax affairs

Barney Jones, a former exec, says he has material proof that Google’s London sales staff did negotiate and close sales for the UK market.

Jones told The Sunday Times that he has over 100,000 emails and documents to prove it and intends to hand then over to HRMC.

Last week Google VP Matt Brittin told the Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that London-based Google staff were never closing any ad sales deals, claiming its Dublin HQ handled the finalising of deals.

If a sale closes in London, Google will be taxable in Britain, rather than in the extremely low tax-rated Ireland.

It is currently unclear whether the documentation by Jones will prove Google has done anything against UK tax law, but he insists that he has records of London Google staff closing major deals from companies like eBay and Lloyds TSB.

“As we said in front of the public accounts committee, it is difficult to respond fully to documents we have not seen,” said Google in a statement. “These questions relate to Google’s business in the UK going back a decade or more. None of the allegations put to us change the fact that Google pays the corporate tax due on its UK activities and complies fully with UK law.”

Even though what Jones claims to have may not prove Google has broken any laws, it will be in direct contradiction to what Brittin told the committee.