Claim: A HMRC boss, Edward Troup, once said that taxation is "legalised extortion".
Fact-check: "Taxation is legalised extortion": a quote out of context? - Full Fact
Verdict: he did write this, but says it should be seen in context. the words appeared in a 1997 opinion piece in the financial times, in which mr troup argued against a particular approach to preventing tax avoidance.
Organisation: Full Fact
Author: Conor James Mckinney
Date published: 2016-04-11T00:00:00