Alastair Irvine's Page

There's been a lot in the media about the tax avoidance strategies adopted by various multinational corporations. UK Uncut has been highly effective at raising the issue of tax avoidance and whilst (being a tax consultant) I would broadly support any person's right to arrange their tax affairs in the best way they see fit, I can understand the outrage from individuals who probably do not understand the technicalities of the UK tax system and can thus be easily led by snappy headlines. Behind…See More

Nearly every single one of us equates money with happiness. We want our pigs to be treated well but we don’t want to pay for it. We don’t like working long hours but do like the lifestyle (trap) that comes with it. We expect the Government to provide for us but aren’t really happy to pay for it. Individuals frequently reassess these priorities. They go on trips to Third World countries to be horrified by living conditions and come back with a renewed love of life, nature and the world. They…See More

A conversation about how people are interpreting the concept of Big Society and does it need tightening as Matthew Taylor suggests, or might a 'baggy' concept be a strength and help more people get involved?

A network that will encourage the traditional business model to become more active and effective in social, environmental and economic sustainability.

@InspirateCIC is a social enterprise set up by Alastair Irvine (me) with the lofty aim ofMaking money by providing accountancy and tax consultancy servicesTo support disabled entrepreneurs & social firmsFor a sexy diagram explaining this please go here (pdf). It is early days for the company at the moment,…See More

Muhammad Yunus, the practical visionary who pioneered microcredit and, with his Grameen Bank, won the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize, has developed a visionary new dimension for capitalism which he calls 'social business'.The worldwide economic crisis has exposed the failures of unfettered capitalism more starkly than at any time since the Great Depression. By channelling the energy of profit-making while addressing pressing human needs, social business offers a powerful alternative to traditional…See More

Discussion and work of the Glory of Failure campaign and the Failure Files.