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This is a link post Morally wrong
Warning - may contain words

tl;dr - the minister who claims it's morally wrong to pay cash in hand for work (you know, because it deprives the treasury of much-needed revenues), claimed upwards of ten grand in costs for his 2006/7 house move, including £8,550 in stamp duty, on his expenses.

If the excuse "it's OK 'cos everyone was fiddling it" works for MPs, then why not for others?
 (I helped save b3ta! barryheadwound Mul-ti-pass? Multipass!, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 11:24, Reply)
This is a normal post This debate has been on 5-Live this morning ....
The Minister can go fuck himself - the Govt. (not just this one) need to sort out the big companies \ huge earners who are either, not paying tax or paying less tax than is 'morally correct before he complain about the 'man on the street'. Cunt.

Cash is hand is very handy when a plumber recently did four hours of pipe work for me on a Sunday and charged £80 - ta v much, I don't earn too much these days.
 (mrmatt is staging a 'dirty protest' on, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 11:31, Reply)
This is a normal post A hard working tradesman who skips out on £15 in tax by doing a cash job for a neighbour on a Saturday is morally wrong.
A global conglomerate who offshores billions of revenue in order to avoid paying tax is acting fairly and responsibly within its rights.

Go figure.
 (I helped save b3ta! barryheadwound Mul-ti-pass? Multipass!, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 11:35, Reply)
This is a normal post According to Dave Harnett's successor (The new head of the treasury)
who's job used to be creating "tax efficient structures for clients" at PWC, tax law is created by parliament and has nothing whatsoever to do with morals, therefore "efficient tax planning" is absolutely fine, morally and legally. That's the _successor_ to Dave Harnett, the chap who let Vodaphone off billions.

We're basically screwed.

/Edit: Found it. (Private Eye #1318 p30, for those following at home).

"...appt of a new chair for HM Revenue and Customs...Step forward Ian Barlow, who has built a career on tax scheming every bit as contrived as comedian Jimmy Carr's dodge - but far more costly tto the UK.

Barlow was head of tax and accountancy at KPMG from 1993 to 2001 and then became senior partner in London until 2008. Over this period he was directly responsible for selling some of the most aggressive tax avoidance schemes on the market, many of them already exposed by the Eye. Here is a taste of some that made it in to the courts..."

[snip synopsis of each dodge, many of which involve giving offshore child companies lots of tax free money, then borrowing it back from them]

"As a dyed-in-the-wool tax dodger, before it became unfashionable he wasn't shy about it. "There is no meaningful distinction to be drawn between acceptable tax planning and unacceptable tax avoidance," he declared in 1999. "Tax is an aftificial construct of legislation. If parliament deems something unacceptable, it can legislate against it. What is left is acceptable." Exploiting loopholes, however artificial, is fair same: so no room for "moral repugnance" there. What next? Bob Diamond for the Band of England no doubt..."
 (MrOli is ugly, but in the morning you will be sober, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 13:32, Reply)
This is a normal post as I said below
Just because someone is a massive shit, doesn't mean you should be a tiny bit of a shit too.
Lead by example and send them to the tower
 (I helped save b3ta! HappyToast Groat froth, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 11:38, Reply)
This is a normal post But the guy in front was doing 105 as well officer...

(I helped save b3ta! evil_andy Stick stick stick stick sticky sticky stick stick, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 11:40, Reply)
This is a normal post the guy in front is a serial killing paedophile...

(I helped save b3ta! HappyToast Groat froth, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 11:43, Reply)
This is a normal post *Orders car sticker*

(I helped save b3ta! Cerebus Sticky! Sticky! Stick! Stick!, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 12:13, Reply)
This is a normal post ....Toyota's less successful marketing slogan

(Quintno EXPERIMENT RUINED CANCELLED, LEFT 4EVER, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 12:24, Reply)
This is a normal post Ah apols I hadn't seen that.
I've no problem with the legalities of it - I think everyone knows if they get busted doing a foreigner then they're in trouble. It's when some kind of moral judgment comes into the equation that my hackles rise.
 (I helped save b3ta! barryheadwound Mul-ti-pass? Multipass!, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 11:44, Reply)
This is a normal post Well, I agree with your first statement, but
The problem with "leading by example" is that 1/ no one cares about the little people to follow & 2/ big business doesn't care about personal morality.
 (I helped save b3ta! Tab Hunter Make this useless process end and so, begin again, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 11:56, Reply)
This is a normal post which is why you prosecute the fuck out of them
safe in the knowledge that you're not some kind of terrible hypocrite
(which is where all these mps are going wrong)
 (I helped save b3ta! HappyToast Groat froth, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 11:58, Reply)
This is a normal post ....the problem is that a lot of controversies recently have been "morally wrong" but not actually breaking any laws.
So you can't.
...and also, big business/MPs et al know that the hoi polloi have extremely short term memories.... I've not bought a Sunday Times since the phone hacking scandal kicked off, but their sales recovered nicely.
 (I helped save b3ta! Tab Hunter Make this useless process end and so, begin again, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 12:02, Reply)
This is a normal post Assuming the figures can be trusted.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_newspapers_in_the_United_Kingdom_by_circulation#Circulation_since_2000_2

The sunday times is heading south.
 (I helped save b3ta! Cerebus Sticky! Sticky! Stick! Stick!, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 12:09, Reply)
This is a normal post I think the overarching trend there (my balding, ginger, alexic nemesis) is that all printed media is on the way out.
I can't find it (obv) but there was a short-term survey taken that showed the boycott of the Murdoch papers lasted as long as the general public's indignation/about a month.
 (I helped save b3ta! Tab Hunter Make this useless process end and so, begin again, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 12:13, Reply)
This is a normal post Your word of the day calender has "alexia" on it AICMFP

(I helped save b3ta! Cerebus Sticky! Sticky! Stick! Stick!, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 12:34, Reply)
This is a normal post Judging me by your snakebelly standards, eh?

(I helped save b3ta! Tab Hunter Make this useless process end and so, begin again, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 13:04, Reply)
This is a normal post I least I have standards you deviant.

(I helped save b3ta! Cerebus Sticky! Sticky! Stick! Stick!, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 13:52, Reply)
This is a normal post You're an ugly, balding, bearded, ginger cornishman.
"All signs point to 'No'".
 (I helped save b3ta! Tab Hunter Make this useless process end and so, begin again, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 15:16, Reply)
This is a normal post or be the good little boy
and do what the man is telling you...even though he's not doing the same?

how does following hypocritical advice benefit us?
 (DefyingDarwin Old, untalented and white,, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 12:00, Reply)
This is a normal post how does everyone being shit to each other benefit the human race
I appreciate I'm being foolishly optimistic, but I'd feel like a twat getting angry at companies fiddling their books if I was fiddling mine.
 (I helped save b3ta! HappyToast Groat froth, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 12:10, Reply)
This is a normal post my arguement, is that untill as a society
we say "everyone pays tax" thats when its a moral issue... right now its a class issue... if your rich enough or powerful you dont have to pay tax... therefore its a punishment for not being ambitious/cuntish enough...

so only the stupid and weak pay their fair amount of tax...

so when ikea is registered as a charity and the politicians tell you that your handyman neighbour is "morally wrong"

thats when its being a good little boy....

when the rich and powerful AREN'T doing it, yet saying everyone who isn't is morally wrong.

fuck that.
 (DefyingDarwin Old, untalented and white,, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 13:02, Reply)
This is a normal post Paying taxes is how you contribute to the community.
It's not being a "good little boy"
 (I helped save b3ta! Cerebus Sticky! Sticky! Stick! Stick!, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 12:12, Reply)
This is a normal post how much is on a sliding scale of how much power and influence you have...
so i' argue that while the deficit could be filled by the corporate big boys paying their share...instead we are being asked to "shop our neighbour"

thats exactly being a good little boy.
 (DefyingDarwin Old, untalented and white,, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 13:24, Reply)
This is a normal post Ok so the big corps are being naughty so the rest of us shouldn't bother?

(I helped save b3ta! Cerebus Sticky! Sticky! Stick! Stick!, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 13:55, Reply)
This is a normal post no im saying that
you dont make the corporations play ball by forcing the average man...

you go the other way round....

you make sure the big boys are paying up and THEN you go for the little guy...

if a boat had 4 holes one hole with a surface area twice the size of the other 4 holes... you wouldn't say the best solution would be to plug the smallest hole would you?

(fluid dynamics will tear this metaphor apart... but you get it)
 (DefyingDarwin Old, untalented and white,, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 14:08, Reply)
This is a normal post Just thought of another angle to this.
Not all tradesmen want to fix the books for whatever reason yet will be undercut by 17% anyone that does.
 (I helped save b3ta! Cerebus Sticky! Sticky! Stick! Stick!, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 11:47, Reply)
This is a normal post 20 %
get with the times man.........
 (I helped save b3ta! claptonista ,the idiot boy..........🫥, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 12:37, Reply)
This is a normal post I personally am a Plumber and last year I paid less than 1% tax.....
...which would have netted the treasury over 21 trillion in revenue. What's your fucking problem?

Yours sincerely
John Vodafone esq.
 (I helped save b3ta! The only Dave is pushing things forward, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 12:24, Reply)
This is a normal post Thank you for being evil, it makes it right for us to be naughty.

(I helped save b3ta! Cerebus Sticky! Sticky! Stick! Stick!, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 12:50, Reply)
This is a normal post Politicians are in no position to offer moral guidance.
That's the job of preachers, philosophers and my girlfriend.
 (I helped save b3ta! Brandy_Bumwinkle, Tue 24 Jul 2012, 13:14, Reply)