Earl Aelfheah

livingstine is a bell end. I think where Cameron deserves to be criticised is in relation to his hypocacy (berating others who have been involved in similar schemes) and for his evasive and frankly weasely response to initial questions. That account Liz is very partial / partisan in the sense that it takes as read that Cameron is the best person to be trusted with running things. That's a matter of opinion and not a matter of fact.

To be fair, this government has done more to crack down on avoidance than New Labour ever did. I don't think the Blairmore thing would have been much of a story had Cameron not (a) been so vocal on the ills of tax avoidance and (b) just given a single, straight forward statement on it all in the first place.

I can't find the site plans online. Sorry for being thick, but could someone point me in the right direction?

LadyDeliah has my vote!

Cameron was very vocal on Jimmy Carr's tax avoidance. I believe he called it 'immoral'. He?s been exulting everyone not to avoid tax and yet he himself has held shares in a company which seems to have been set up with the purpose of doing exactly this. @Londonmix - I think it's obvious why some feel that using off shore companies to hide income and avoid tax (opportunities which are certainly not open to all) is at odds with the notion of everyone being in 'it' (deficit reduction) together.

Just seen the latest (5th?) statement from Cameron over (the ironically named) Blairmore. Must say, he's handled that marvellously. Seriously, who is advising him?

Have you checked out the prices in Question Air a couple of doors down. Really bland, conservative casual wear at high prices. Uninspiring and over priced.

Louisa Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Public services at breaking point, cuts all over > the shop, and Cameron justifies ?9mil of public > funds on a propaganda campaign to encourage the > status quo with Europe. Disgraceful. > > Louisa. I agree it's pretty poor that taxpayers money is being used to promote one side of a political debate in this way.

I have heard so many Brexiters with completely different (and contradictory) visions of what 'out' would mean for the UK. This for me is a big problem.

....and we shouldn't lose sight of the fact, as you say, that there are people actually committing crimes and laundering money.

LondonMix Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Rahrahrah-- I agree that there are people actually > committing crimes and laundering money. It should > be investigated who they are and they should be > prosecuted. > > The point I was making to Jeremy is that people > legally using existing tax law are unlikely not to > do so unless the law changes. You think these > people are morally bankrupt and I think these > people are like most people on earth, neither good > nor bad. > > I was simply drawing the distinction regarding the > plumber that few people will knowingly break the > law compared to those that simply use the law as > its intended to their advantage. I agree that people legally using existing tax law are unlikely to stop unless the law changes. I have said that the law needs to change. I haven't suggested people who reduce their tax burden are 'morally bankrupt', but that it's not true that everyone seeks to do so. People are capable of making different moral judgments. I don't think it's necessarily true that people who avoid tax 'simply use the law as its intended to their advantage'. sometimes this is true, but often complex avoidance schemes deliberately take advantage of unintended flaws in the system, of loop holes. This is what I mean about breaking the spirit of the law, if not the letter of it.

I think it's an individual judgment. My point is simply that it is not true that given any opportunity to reduce one's tax burden, 'everybody would'. Plenty of people have turned down opportunities to reduce their tax because schemes seem less than straight forward and (although legal) morally dubious. And again, I point to the final line in that article which I think it the whole point: "Perhaps it is not because the behaviour is criminal: tax evasion or money laundering or public corruption. Perhaps it is not. But ? and especially in the case of Panama ? very possibly it is."

LondonMix Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > It might seem trite but its true. There is a > difference between acting legally and illegally. > If you want people on mass not legally reduce > their tax bill you have to change the laws that > allow and induce them to do so. Trying to plead > to some moral duty would be as effective as > telling an average person not to put money in an > ISA because the government needs more tax revenue. > It would seem absurd, because it is absurd. Tax free ISAs were created for the purposes of encouraging saving. They are intentionally and explicitly set up for the purposes of not paying tax on savings. Putting money in a cash free ISA complies with not only the letter of the law, but the spirit of it. Putting money into an ISA is completely different to off shoring money in Panama. The key point of that article is this: "What Panama has offered ? its USPs in the competitive world of tax havenry ? is an especially strict form of secrecy, a type of opacity of ownership, and (if the reports of backdating are correct) a class of wealth management professionals some of whom have especially compromised ethics. You go to Panama, in short, because, despite its profound disadvantages, you value these things. And the question you should be asking is, what is it about this Mr X or that Mrs Y and his or her financial affairs that causes them to prioritise secrecy or opacity or (if the reports are correct) ethically compromised professionals above all else? Perhaps it is not because the behaviour is criminal: tax evasion or money laundering or public corruption. Perhaps it is not. But ? and especially in the case of Panama ? very possibly it is." I agree that the law needs to be tightened. To imply that anything which is lawful is necessarily moral however, is quite different.

LondonMix Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > There a plenty of people who don't break the law > rahrahrah but everyone uses legal ways to minimize > their tax bill. Paying dividends from your > company is really no different than investing in a > tax free ISA. > > Some people's behavior might seem morally wrong to > you but the reality is they are simply using > government set up structures and policy like > everyone does. There is a world of difference between a tax free ISA and some of the more complex tax avoidance which takes place (which whilst not in breach of the letter of the law, is clearly not in the spirit of it). It is simply not true that 'everyone does it'. Plenty of people decide to pay more than they strictly have to, because they don't want to get involved in lawful, but unprincipled avoidance strategies. I guess you'll just have to take my word on this.

I thought this was an interesting early response to the leak. Notice that many of the predicted responses have been trotted out: http://waitingfortax.com/2016/04/04/some-thoughts-on-the-panama-papers/

LondonMix Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > It isn't equivalent because using offshore > structures isn't illegal unlike what the plumber > is doing. In fact, the only reason it works is > because this country (as is the case with most > countries) have specific tax treaties with certain > offshore jurisdictions that make the entire > structure work. > > It is more equivalent to the self employed person > taking dividends-- and every self employed person > I know does that. No one pays more tax than they > are legally obliged to. > > The only solution if you don't like the status quo > is to end all of the treaties but that would need > to be done by not just the UK but every country > globally to have the desired effect. > > Jeremy Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > IMO it's ethically equivalent to the plumber > who > > asks to be paid cash, or the IT contractor who > > avoids tax by paying himself dividends. Almost > > everyone who can, does - so to blame the > > individuals seems rather pointless. Like BB > says.. > > you need to close down the loopholes... I agree that the loop holes need to be closed. It is not true however that everyone who can avoid tax does. Many people take a principled position on it.

Jeremy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > IMO it's ethically equivalent to the plumber who > asks to be paid cash, or the IT contractor who > avoids tax by paying himself dividends. Almost > everyone who can, does - so to blame the > individuals seems rather pointless. Like BB says.. > you need to close down the loopholes... There are plenty of people who chose not to avoid tax believe it or not.

There is a big sign up now in the window of the old deli

Speak to my kids

horrible name.

To insist that a high performing school, who are happy with how things are organised, must restructure in order to please the whim of central government is crazy in my view. Totally unnecessary disruption / distraction.

Loz Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > If you aren't on the road, I think you have an > extra 14 days. If you are currently parked on the > road, you are quite possibly stuffed (though I > imagine you have to be caught, first). It's an > ?80 fine. > > You could try ringing the DVLA (0300 123 4321) - > they might be able to help. Thanks for the number Loz. I managed to get it taxed over the phone in the end.

I'm on holiday and just realised that my car tax expires on Thursday. Stupidly I left the renewal form at home and from what I can tell, I need the reference number on the form in order to renew online. Does anyone know if DVLA have a grace period of a few days, or am I in trouble! Cheers

According to southwark's website all park gates should be opened by 7:30 http://www.southwark.gov.uk/info/200073/parks_and_open_spaces/600/opening_hours