Lots of reactions to this story along the lines of “Why isn’t this already banned?” For many other countries' nationals it is, from 🇺🇸 to 🇿🇦. Why not 🇬🇧? There’s a colourful 25-year history to this. A (very) long 🧵if you like Whitehall history, mercenaries and Kate Adie. Starting in 1998, both Labour and Tory govts have considered regulating the overseas provision of military services. All have actively declined to do so: including, I’m afraid, when @Tobias_Ellwood had ministerial responsibility for this area at @FCDOGovUK, as we’ll see. [2/x]

One other point about the Ireland-Ghana tax treaty that Irish parliamentarians are about to debate. Of course it takes two to tango in a treaty - but it's not a level playing field. As capital exporters, developed countries hold more cards to start with. [thread] Maybe this is why at the Oireachtas Finance Committee last month the minister was at pains to stress that Ghana first requested a tax treaty with Ireland, not vice versa. He said it three times. oireachtas.ie/en/debates/deb…

This afternoon the Irish parliament, unusually, will debate the new Ireland-Ghana tax treaty. Green TDs have laid down this amendment @TaxJusticeAfric @martinhearson @profchristians Why does it matter? First, because @martinhearson's excellent quantitative work has shown that Ireland's existing tax treaties with developing countries restrict their taxing rights more, on average, than almost any other EU country martinhearson.wordpress.com/2018/09/27/the…