Verso to publish 'explosive' book on tax havens

Verso Books is to publish Dirty Secrets, an "explosive" new book from tax expert Richard Murphy, following the revelations from the Panama Papers.

Senior editor Leo Hollis acquired world English rights to the title from Carrie Kania at Conville and Walsh, and plans to publish in the UK and US this autumn.

Dirty Secrets argues that the extent the rich hide their wealth in tax havens has "wide-ranging and calamitous" effect on all of us, and tells readers "what we can do to fight this corrupt practice".

Hollis said: "Richard is a world expert on this subject, he was one of the first people to highlight the dangers of tax havens. This will be an explosive book."

Murphy is the head of Tax Research UK and the author of The Joy of Tax (Bantam Press).

The author said: "The tax haven world is changing fast, but there's a risk that its dirty secrets will continue to undermine the world economy unless there is concerted action to save markets from the abuse the offshore world facilitates. This book will explain how and why capitalism must turn on tax havens to save itself from them."