The Mirrlees Review the Institute of Fiscal Studies’ comprehensive review of the tax system chaired by Nobel Laureate has finally been published. It covers all aspects of the UK’s tax system and shows up how chaotic, irrational and unfair the present system is. The suggestions in the report are in the main a tidying up operation aimed at bringing about more cohesion to the system. Followers of Henry George will welcome the positive way that land value tax is treated and the fairly strong recommendation for reform business rates by changing it to a land based tax. What they might find more frustrating is the way the reasons in favour of taxing income from economic rent are clearly but forward but then not applied as an underlying principle of the tax system as a whole so the burdensome taxes on production still remain
