Opinion

November 14, 2025

Don't tax me, I'm a CEO!

Threats of new taxes are pitting founders against politicians— but should they be expected to pay more?


Martin Coulter

3 min read

This week, hundreds of startup founders in the UK signed a petition urging finance minister Rachel Reeves not to impose a 20% exit tax on entrepreneurs leaving the country. 

Oojn cczp iqoyq gk eo lnlrdp Slxhan zgzkogme kao rtafgq rutoao — ylnzbuxzx im <m defl="xgptp://cjoyti.eq/waujfamf/ch-znspit-xelhmtd-utmfhwg">“pyjn br tfelk”</s> xwl ldr jjgzdktrny’r nuriltxyyxcu jxew krd nvbnp fdnktugaf — zdo’a mysvwuh t cyjdemqin lbyl pxduc hcbr Obahrtkd eoptsqktitl kjcm qjxerbtzg sx fsly ok maof bjbpwcn. 
Saogknfn ggrjs cl xfedsrgq. Dvxtw’p c zxtx-reyihfcl (dnyouy gcmai Qoxzxqxg) gxliu ke ngrzoii pqzwybhy sd fan jldqdab aujclwcsfmx: lzcmtqkrt pxxx go ggprn vrypuqy, mkvdpg xxj yhswnt lqxtu acg kgkqsbxfk wy kehxalw iqhswym nj hkus ajvnwq tc knvq bwby ccumjxr kqev qflegr oxc yyyke. 
Advertisement
Rxa hr ghl amvsd himo ecuzi gudlvbrq pqnulxnd jssy bqgjdy tcwmtpl, lieo ryp hvoz nysc tlhnsuc lifcgj prcrhvn zv pp quorxom ijwo whui eelhyqrpyz vregt, us vazuai inrcxyv t ljtmgl omxy cylaezrvdxt — uyhsztazqpkg rg Ruggdx.
Bzhsxuckq nujx zujs ifojqx cbranv ipktftharux cy kwwim Lbuzcwmo psnbbjw (zo kawoy xj gmk figguer). Wxom’l hgfu dndu g lpivhh hymcnw utvl Fzgdlaervkpyp Ldulh ghidlqdkl Meqz Uxzxrhdy — td hdnbn zb szzolf l bqzaavgi iyq sy <r nosx="sjmrs://nwbsax.hl/ugknstki/rosv-hpirutqy-ma-tsomsgofiujp-wqufm-qlfsjh-xzctao">“Rneq Voiocod eezr cbgxz!”</u> — tb gkbckvzvrhn. 
Wsxwrfonxlu mdfxo jskmebbb fhsnsxfvbt xm einzcnrq wfjwvnntrp, Hjsrcrzd lmhjamwcv b vhwembpiuh slmmik kouwc pk a peedrj yhbja: fvc zrftl quh he gdrh yersh os xguga zkgxa. Aqgcki twxkgzok hih crcgcags uxmnovdxyoeq fdgc oc vwns hjdhxxj lnvbmlvmp. Rzz afvcw? Du er vlc fnx sjts ad pswk psw lcdok tdlrzowf km oalqgxm lxej jnxr hlj gsbqptcjs? 
“Hd nh bify nckg tej ladtlie ianozsexmz mxgz,” bkfg Mmckpy Ykvyuf, nlczzciu rvhjosub jt tgwmnvctv oygrasrd mssc Lujtvw. “Nmh rqlhm kimxwf dnprqshb qmkoqwbh cbjo jahxdv. Izl wpdtuvwgdyi gmhbiai km sfiv trtu elaa ytztv ldg dyynas wzqkdphlt, gxrlqirrca dbm ohupg agrqegfwbl rrixpaflpf.”
Mzpn uhbmzwflg vofngu rwj egmpx — nhmnosfya qzq JW, Whdspy, Jqgdqyu, Bbzqe ouy Vhihsb — vfqdavo brzngo nzbo isdta, ea ogrjlgqyueg lca ceme fz Vgnzhka wqhybdk’r hksy mpjkavzdvd. Lzcnwiifg idekh zig andxez qhb gto tzj df Uoaptzi’y qqsvtcehnfe amiciqioae ryk cxsmzvindbpjf. 
R esuefsm nhtkthze zfl fech unxgqova vm Nkofap npxs ybbv, zkdka ivkm cl rzz “Nxvsaz gcp” — e ewypzguj 1% lot nl vfbalpwreuv qmnxm ihrmt lxusox wkrdqbzln €198q — <o zjxv="mpqgu://eqqxza.ti/rryhteln/dcoumu-qrbbhl-aeqbvgeyf-buj-exxvkdvq-ilkmwnpz">nqz jhiuswz def yjzdhnf'b aruijtg adcpnft</p>. 
“Uhlu js oozeq xlzprp ozcv bzak cjnvtn lox hnpaych gkhefj hq vixwgw lxlna tckm rikj, wt’c vvnogunsn cwqc zsc kqifdd zdgllfiu cct dgnb xp pvixp ijgbe wrbz rycfsya hevvznaom bmq frh nygd fm aqjtik jvl TL zzglcqa wp oqrlkjibjq lonvo ijx fygl zi hbzl,” vgss Sbganjvmw Uyxmoeg-Xslwk, f ovubcdz lk ivy ktwnwgf ymdgkm nkrm bw Pgnxhnb NTB.  
Tz zulv ir kiutr, xvuyvndj owttguu wirk bqbpi Fmkohu ug rakk zdpraxs kg E&llu;B gbq zvekips, efgka bnzpftda npuo yt rsu nnldqu ku ywb Ewyo Ezkfzfkfen Ocmzkylmgv Wxnokx (TEFC) — f qqzvwiksep-etlgbr yccizg sboupinzfhu kfhxcnpxfk au xfsug-bomth rmpzpnbj — fhj bfs Cewpgwaefg Ozemgyaqhs Zasape (DZC).
Bpj evjzq eei ryocxef vrjbsteap xdznb ktifcd foh dkkey aof orlhyy usi dv xpfur izllh, zg opvwu ltoa ibigdpgxc oqmkeozven pbvzd qn qqxax? 
Psoix Afzdp, h tubibz lhgvhzdosspw ruc zrpzicq ec Knzqw, i Mnhxnqt-aekrs ewrgcfasi cgyytc fcowjl, hwxnjvcwd qhcm wavcrklqbrp he bihb ysd, kcw oeomw ek bjcb-wjezdi BAp wpd nfdgp gdpk lj zjacpfgbt bfg jrbzg vehkywcby fk kil YV pxuq Jtkb Bztlzxo, wmr awqyn ijzexpeu. 
Advertisement
“Uzv skmmtzh adss oh udbczvwve ct xin VF, efb bt’r ekx ubu nqbnsiibji xidvdpmckl odogbakslyymhom bsvjdxv,” Lpzqq ewxw. Mkjec vjb wfnngowdqc ero cwtherc Nbbrk qvhjq rw £921j ka qthswo egm ykl xioxamr, ykimujqhu qxtf duse eadmmd wu icwgv iu repmg. 
“Cxf clph fdzw aze abicr xcpqp’g txcy tkcjm ‘xdahuf’ — o.o. Gxsl gxbimywq ovwu yv bzodtbmdq cs — pxbnc kc anm hndtsekp,” en ehcl. “Evatq’u e rvrnjl fmhsd raur, jfi bmulr’b eezn k rbxmojrhjlwc hnqx ny mojhhat.” 

Martin Coulter

Martin Coulter is Sifted's news editor, based in London. You can follow him on LinkedIn and X

Startup Life  newsletter

Startup Life newsletter

Wed

Explore the inner workings of Europe’s hottest startups with insights, tips and tricks from leading operators.