Hartnett, who retired as permanent secretary for tax at HMRC earlier this year, was attending a tax planning conference held at New College, Oxford.
The ‘WeAreTheIntruders’ group, were protesting against corporate tax avoidance and included Green Party city councillor Sam Hollick.
They burst into the college’s Great Hall while Hartnett was making an after-dinner speech during the £854 plus VAT evening.
Before being ejected from the hall, they handed Hartnett a bouquet and a spoof “golden handshake” award.
Hollick told the Oxford Times:“We went into the hall and asked the audience to give him a round of applause. They seemed to think it was a nice, friendly presentation of an award.
“A senior tax solicitor called us scum, which was a little bit aggressive.”
New College was hosting the three-day conference called Practical Tax Planning 2012.
In July International Adviser reported the news that Hartnett’s successor was to be Edward Troup, who had been HM Treasury’s director general for tax and welfare. Troup’s title is now tax assurance commissioner and second permanent secretary at HMRC, responsible for shaping tax policy and strategy, reporting to HMRC chief executive Lin Homer.
