this thread shows that the general public are just not aware of how petrochems are taxed in the UK. They already pay an effective rate of around 60% corporation rate on their UK profits - this is before the windfall. Most other companies only pay 19%.

The UK has had a productivity puzzle for many years, and economists will tell you that investment is one way to drive up growth by improving productivity. In this respect successive governments have used the tax system to encourage investment rather than distribute as profits. It seems to be that if Shell are reinvesting profits rather than paying tax and distributions, these funds are being spent directly into the UK economy, increasing the velocity of money, and improving the economy in a way that just wouldn't happen if the profits were taxed and spent via the public sector.