U2's Bono Defends Ducking Taxes, Blames 'Cranky Left'

U2's Bono Defends Ducking Taxes, Blames 'Cranky Left'

U2 lead singer Bono bristles at the notion of being called a hypocrite.

The rocker is known for his band’s chart-topping anthems as well as his do-gooder efforts, like his role in the ONE campaign to stamp out hunger.

So when the band’s use of creative tax devices hit the media the lead singer felt the heat.

Now, Bono is defending his group’s penchant for stashing some of its cash beyond the borders of its native Ireland with a cryptic interview in the British press. Bono claims the Irish government doesn’t mind how his band operates, so why should anyone else?

U2 is in total harmony with our government’s philosophy,” he told The Observer. “Tax competitiveness has taken our country out of poverty. [The revenue] accept that if you engage in that policy then some people are going to go out, and some people are coming in.”

He added: “At the heart of the Irish economy has always been the philosophy of tax competitiveness. On the cranky left that is very annoying, I can see that. But [that] is why Ireland has stayed afloat.

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