All in it together?

[observer]

The media will be all over Farage like a rash; cos that's the nature of the beast, to destroy personalities. Especially when a cosy stus quo is being challenged.

[Lt Kije]

Funny Obs, but when the Media do it to politicians you don't like its fair game, but if you like them it's not , get over it, it's something he is going to have to learn to live with, as all politicians do, if he has to many skeletons in his closet he will fall if not after time they will leave him alone, and pick on another up and coming, it has always been that way. He is not receiving special treatment, it happens to all. And something in the past you have supported. How things change when one of your heroes is under the spot light. Are you that shallow?

[observer]

You obviously are "that shallow", and evidently don't read what I've written - I've said it's nowt to do with personalities or their peccadillos, it's (or should be) about the policies of their Party. Unfortunately many get influenced by press gossip.

[Lt Kije]

Policies and where they hide their money

[observer]

Perhaps you could let us know of any rich person you know, who doesn't employ an accountant to minimise their tax liabilities? The folk to blame for this, are MPs who can't come up with a tax system that hasn't got loop holes that a coach and horses can't be driven through. Indeed, they're so incompetent, that they allow accountancy firm employees to advise on tax reforms; who then go on to advise folk on how to avoid them. Such is the state of the Nation.

[Lt Kije]

So it is not alright to dodge tax Obs if you come from a political party you do not like, but if you happen to support some of the policies of a leader of a party that is dodging tax, you are willing to turn a blind eye

[observer]

Errrm nope. Avoidance is perfectly legal; it's up to MPs to change the law to prevent them avoiding tax !

[Lt Kije]

Remember posting this, you did not like tax evasion when you posted it, now the change of mind, be careful Obs or you old posts will come back to haunt you

 

 

It appears Starbucks have woken up and smelt the coffee, and are prepared to voluntarily pay £10million a year to HMRC for the next two years - strange, given they have no legal obligation to do so, and have not done so for the past 14 years (so Labour didn't sort it either). The balls clearly in the court of MPs, who've failed to give the HMRC the teeth and the staff to maximise revenues; quite the opposite, around 12,000 staff were lossed under Labour, and another 5,000 have gone under the Coalition. As with the UKBF and others, IF the staffing and the necessary legal powers arn't there, they won't do there job properly. 

[observer]

Really don't know what your going on about Kije. There's no inconsistency there: "The balls clearly in the court of MPs", "who've failed to give the HMRC teeth", with the "necessary legal powers". I'm all for a tightening and simplification of the tax system to ensure a legal requirement for those with the most pay the most; BUT that requires MPs capable of coming up with such a system; which they've totally failed to do todate. Instead, they wring their hands at every example of someone jumping through the legal tax loop-holes that they leave in our legislation.

[asperity]

Tax evasion is illegal, tax avoidance is legal and, if you think about it, should be used whenever the opportunity arises. I'm not sure how Starbucks is going to square their voluntary payments of money to HMRC with their shareholders though. There might be a case for the directors to be sued for mismanagement of company finances. Giving money to government to which they aren't entitled only encourages them to be more profligate than they already are.

[Lt Kije]

You did not Agee when Starbucks were doing it!!!

 

But it's alright now, as UKIP are doing it and you like Mr Farage

[observer]

Kije, I don't agree with folk parking on pavements; but if the laws aren't there or not being enforced - your relying on goodwill; and where money is concerned, that's in short supply. To believe money management by those who have it, is somehow irrational, is itself irrational and extremely naïve.