The UK's highest court has decided that chartered accountants are not as secret as lawyers, doctors and priests. City A.M. report that the Supreme Court said they are not protected by the same professional privilege. They are not immortal and in fact do not possess any super powers at all. They are just ordinary people with spreadsheets and are closely related to humans after all.
Prudential had hoped the court would allow them rules of privilege so they would not have to hand over documents relating to a tax avoidance scheme. "A priest has priest-penitent privilege and can refuse to tell a court what happened in the confessional, even if it's really tasty. Surely that's just the same as tax consultation, except without the robes and incense," said an accountant, who none the less wore a spandex all in one, with a cape.
"The client tells you all the things he's been up to, writes you a cheque and says a few Hail Mary's. What's the difference?"
Tax inspectors asked for documents relating to the scheme but some were held back as the company claimed they were covered by legal advice privilege. "But you're not lawyers," said the court, effectively.
"OK, priests. Could we be priests? We're very solemn."
"No, you're not priests. You haven't a congregation, for a start."
"How about doctors? Tax doctors. It's patient-doctor privilege, surely?"
"Have you got a stethoscope?"
And so it went on, until finally the Supreme Court banged their gong, or whatever, and put their supreme feet down. And thus, it was so. The chartered accountants joined the great hordes and had to tell the tax man all their shizzle, just like any other herbert.
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