“WAKE up and smell the coffee,”

David Cameron told the hordes of politicos, economists and financiers at the World Economic Forum. It was a typically blundering dig of the sort Dave specialises in, this time directed at Starbucks for the company’s history of tax avoidance.

Just to refresh your memory, Starbucks is the chain of emporia ensconced in every high street where they sell coffee – allegedly. Actually I find their coffee undrinkable, but that’s beside the point, which is Starbucks setting us all a bad example, according to Mr Cameron, by its successful attempts at tax avoidance. Well, they might not be much good at making coffee but they are experts when it comes to saving money by their tax avoidance strategy.

We should understand what we’re talking about here. There are two financial matters: tax evasion and tax avoidance. Evasion is illegal, so surely any individual or company guilty of tax evasion should be prosecuted.

But tax avoidance is perfectly legal as a means by which businesses and ordinary wage-earning people alike strive to pay as little of their hard-earned income in tax as they can get away with. Dave is batting on a sticky wicket when he castigates folk for doing this, for he and his colleagues in parliament have proved themselves adept at the practice. In fact many MPs crossed the line into tax evasion and, when found out, had to answer to the law.

Tax avoidance is simply the exercise of prudent responsibility and legitimate self-interest.

Of course, I should pay official tax demands but it’s sensible of me to try my best not to pay more than what’s right. This is tax avoidance and it’s a lawful practice whether it’s done by me or Starbucks.

And don’t tell me that our dear Prime Minister himself lacks for advisors and accountants who help him every year fill in his tax return to his own best – and entirely legitimate – advantage.

Tax avoidance is a reasonable economic activity, in principle no different from my shopping around to get the best deal on a new telly or a leg of lamb. Persecuting individuals and companies for thus acting in legitimate selfinterest is a nasty trick and yet another example of the politics of envy.

What does Starbucks have to say about the way Dave has gone for it? Boss Kris Engskov has described the Prime Minister’s barbed comments as “constant and unfair criticism”.

I would say that’s a very mild response, given the provocation he is under.

And Dave should step back from this particular back street skirmish played out on the world stage and consider the interests of the people of this country with whom he ought to profess some common interest.

There is no such thing as a free lunch, Dave. If you’re going to dish it out, then you must expect to have to take some punishment yourself – or, in this case, watch working people take the punishment you’ve earned.

Starbucks has said that the harsh and unwarranted criticism it has been subjected to might force the company to cancel its investment policy in Britain to the tune of £100m. That’s British jobs at risk. I just wish it were the Prime Minister’s job on the line and not those of British workers.

If Mr Cameron wishes to get serious about the good of our country, he should not browbeat people for legitimate tax avoidance and instead cut our exorbitant taxes. It’s investment that creates jobs.