He said he had bought the London home in 1991, before becoming an MP and had his tax declaration checked when he sold it in 2006 - he said HMRC had confirmed there was no liability for CGT.

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For example, Mr Ariely finds that people are less likely to cheat if they read the Ten Commandments before doing a test, or if they have to sign a declaration of honesty before submitting their tax return.

ECONOMIST: Schumpeter

The Federal Council stopped short of requiring a certification, but noted that a credibly designed self-declaration can be a strong indicator of tax-compliant behavior.

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And Mr Blair's abrupt declaration that Scottish Labour was bound by the national party's pledge on tax made George Robertson, Labour's Scottish spokesman, look like an idiot.

ECONOMIST: Devolution

He dismisses the president's declaration that any future budget cuts will have to be "balanced" with more tax hikes.

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