Tax Relief

International Tax Review is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Garden, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2026

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

Tax Relief

Sharp suits for Sean’s Accountants

007.jpg

Your secrets are safe with me, Mr Bond

It's not often that accountants make the showbiz news for anything other than a tax avoidance scandal, but a quirky payment method by James Bond star Sean Connery caught Tax Relief's eye.

Meg Simmonds, an archivist for Eon Productions, revealed in July that there are "virtually no" Bond costumes from the 1960s. She said this is because Connery, who played the iconic spy from 1962 to 1967, and again in 1971 and 1983, kept most of his suits for himself.

For keepsakes? For nostalgia? Well, not quite.

In an auction for the coat that Connery wore in Dr No, Simmonds found out that the vendor was in fact Connery's accountant, leading several news outlets to conclude that 007 was paying his accountant in sharp suits.

The Connery family has made the news on tax issues on more than one occasion, so it's unlikely that this small revelation will leave them shaken… or stirred.

Bishop bangs bag burglar

bishops.jpg

PwC’s security team get ready for a day guarding the office

A soon-to-be partner at Big 4 firm PwC took down an alleged burglar – while dressed as a bishop.

Max Lixingstone-Learmouth was taking part in a world-record attempt relay race when he heard someone shout "stop that man" at a suspected handbag thief, who he chased down over 100 metres before pinning him against a wall with his crosier.

"It's not your day if you've been run down by a bishop," Livingston-Learmouth told the man, who must have felt that God was not quite on his side that day.

Tax Relief recommends that next time he finds himself being chased down by a member of the clergy he runs in a straight line, rather than diagonally.

Eels, badger hair and anvils are off the American menu

Wile E Coyote will feel his chances of catching the Road Runner are getting even worse if a new round of 10% US tariffs on Chinese imports are imposed as planned in September.

The list includes a range of bizarre products including, unfortunately for the hapless cartoon character, anvils.

Here are some of the more interesting items on the list:

  • Badger hair for shaving brushes

  • Human hair

  • Manure spreaders

  • Bovine semen

  • Live eels, carp and other fish

  • Shark fins

  • Baseball gloves

  • Stroboscopes

  • Anvils and portable forges

  • Magnifying glasses

more across site & shared bottom lb ros

More from across our site

Governments are rewriting tax policy for the AI era, deploying digital taxes, tailored incentives and algorithmic enforcement that redefine where value is created
Wingrove will succeed Bill Thomas, who has served in the role since 2017; in other news, Andersen unveiled a sharp increase in revenues for 2025
Partners are divided on Italy vs PDM D’s analytical depth, evidentiary standards, and what the judgment signals for future intra-group financing cases
As GCCs increasingly become strategic hubs, multinationals face heightened risks around permanent establishment and place of effective management
While all options presented ‘drawbacks’, European Commission tax leader Wopke Hoekstra said the controversial US carve-out deal has ‘many benefits’
From tech preparations to competitiveness concerns, Tax Systems’ Russell Gammon addresses the most pressing client considerations arising from the SbS deal
Despite estimates that the US/OECD agreement will cost countries billions, the Fair Tax Foundation’s Paul Monaghan believes the deal is a ‘necessary evil’
The firm’s eye-catching UK launch is a major statement of intent, but it will face stern opposition in its quest to be the top global tax player
The postponement came after industry representatives flagged implementation issues with the registration regime; in other news, firms made key tax partner additions
Despite the increased yield, the time taken to resolve enquiries was at a six-year high, new HMRC statistics have revealed
Gift this article