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Abstract

This article analyses comment and editorial in the right-of-centre UK press concerning Ireland’s economic policy. This is considered in the context of academic analysis of the Irish economy. Using content analysis, it shows that business comment shared overwhelmingly the UK Conservative Party leadership’s view that lowering corporate tax was central to Ireland’s ‘economic miracle’, and tended to advocate policy transfer to the UK. The views expressed in the newspaper articles are contrasted with the academics' work. Furthermore, the piece suggests that by urging for the UK to adopt Ireland’s strategy of tax reduction in order to seek foreign direct investment, the columnists addressed a traditional focus of investor interests, while downplaying other factors leading to Ireland’s growth and later downturn.

Keywords: corporation tax, Irish economy, credit crunch, UK press, business comment, conservative party

How to Cite: Tunney, S., 2013. The UK Press and Corporation Tax: learning lessons from Ireland. JOMEC Journal, (3), p.None. DOI: http://doi.org/10.18573/j.2013.10247