No To Retro Tax – Campaign Against Section 58 Finance Act 2008

[Alba]

Vote labour - ed milliband for mp talks sense

Who has Milliband as their MP - worth getting in touch

Labour leader Ed Miliband opted not to join in with the chorus of criticism of the 8 Out of 10 Cats star's tax affairs.

He said: "I'm not in favour of tax avoidance obviously, but I don't think it is for politicians to lecture people about morality.

"I think what the politicians need to do is - if the wrong thing is happening - change the law to prevent that tax avoidance happening."
Shadow leader of the House of Commons Angela Eagle turned her fire on Take That star Gary Barlow, who with two bandmates, is facing questions about £26m they are alleged to have invested in a scheme that is facing a legal challenge from HMRC.

The Labour MP said: "The prime minister rushed to the TV studios to condemn the tax avoidance scheme used by Jimmy Carr but he did not take the opportunity to condemn as morally repugnant the tax avoidance scheme used by Conservative supporter Gary Barlow, who's given a whole new meaning to the phrase 'Take That'.

"If it's all so morally repugnant, why has he just been given an OBE in the birthday honours list?

"Why is the prime minister's view of what's dodgy in the tax system so partial? Sir Philip Green has interesting tax arrangements but far from being labelled morally repugnant in a Mexico TV studio, he's got a government review to head up."

[FTTM]

Perhaps if we apologised and said sorry even though it was legal and declared to HMRC we would be okay too.......................

Disconnect between HMRC and Cameron "But the PM refused to comment on Take That star Gary Barlow's tax affairs - saying it was a different case - after Labour called for his OBE to removed "

Comedian Jimmy Carr: I've made terrible error over taxComments (1675)
Jimmy Carr: No longer involved in the tax scheme Continue reading the main story
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Comedian Jimmy Carr says he has "made a terrible error of judgement" over using a tax avoidance scheme.

In a statement on his Twitter account, Mr Carr said he was no longer involved in the K2 tax shelter.

Prime Minister David Cameron on Wednesday called Mr Carr's use of the scheme "morally wrong".

But the PM refused to comment on Take That star Gary Barlow's tax affairs - saying it was a different case - after Labour called for his OBE to removed.

The K2 tax scheme used by Mr Carr is a way of lowering the amount of tax paid. It is legal and Mr Carr made clear in his statement it was fully disclosed to HMRC.

In a series of messages on Twitter Mr Carr said: "I appreciate as a comedian, people will expect me to 'make light' of this situation, but I'm not going to in this statement.

"As this is obviously a serious matter. I met with a financial advisor and he said to me 'Do you want to pay less tax? It's totally legal'. I said 'Yes'."

"I now realise I've made a terrible error of judgement.

"Although I've been advised the K2 Tax scheme is entirely legal, and has been fully disclosed to HMRC (Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs).

Continue reading the main story
Analysis
Kevin Peachey

Personal finance reporter, BBC News

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do regular taxpayers care whether a comedian pays his tax? Or do they think it a joke that he, and hundreds of others, are given the opportunity to avoid paying it?

The government says it wants to put an end to "contrived" avoidance schemes. It needs the extra tax income after all.

Next year it plans to bring in a new general anti-abuse rule, to stop cunning schemes designed solely to avoid tax.

But accountants are lining up to argue that the line between artificial avoidance and legitimate tax planning is blurred - and the proposals will not end disputes entirely.

Which side of the line is sheltering your family from inheritance tax? And what about tax breaks for investing in small businesses?

Clearly Jimmy Carr's "error of judgement" will not be the punchline to this story.

Most common tax avoidance schemes
When is tax dodging illegal?
"I'm no longer involved in it and will in future conduct my financial affairs much more responsibly. Apologies to everyone. Jimmy Carr."

More than 1,000 people, including Mr Carr, are thought to be using the Jersey-based K2 scheme, which is said to be sheltering £168m a year from the Treasury.

Under the K2 scheme, an individual resigns from their company and any salary they subsequently receive is paid to an offshore trust.

Downing Street welcomed Mr Carr's apology.

A spokeswoman said: "HMRC are working hard to investigate the sort of scheme that Jimmy Carr had been reported to be involved in to ensure that they are not aggressively avoiding tax, and, if they are, they are closed down."

She defended Mr Cameron's decision to speak out about an individual's tax affairs - in contravention of normal government practice.

"The prime minister was expressing what probably lots of people felt after reading the coverage," she said.

Business Secretary Vince Cable also backed the prime minister, telling BBC Radio Sheffield he was not prepared to go "through a hit-list of our celebrities" but adding: "We just want people to pay their dues."

The Lib Dem minister said he did not use tax avoidance schemes himself and that, as far he knows, no members of the cabinet did either, saying: "We observe the law... but also try to set an example."

Interestingly this article is now showing as the most read article on the BBC news website!

[smalldog]

The Lib Dem minister said he did not use tax avoidance schemes himself and that, as far he knows, no members of the cabinet did either, saying: "We observe the law... but also try to set an example."

Yes Mr Cable, we observed the law too! as it stood at the time of course.

[Fireship]

Interestingly this article is now showing as the most read article on the BBC news website!

Interestingly there’s a lot less negativity aimed towards us in the comments than I thought there would be, plenty of people appear to accept such planning is legal and instead blaming the government for failing to act and not closing down loopholes in a timely fashion.

Another interesting twist is that there‘s a sizable number of people using the moral argument against the government, if only they knew the truth about the years of inaction and the use of retrospection!

[OnYourBikeGB]

Interestingly there’s a lot less negativity aimed towards us in the comments than I thought there would be, plenty of people appear to accept such planning is legal and instead blaming the government for failing to act and not closing down loopholes in a timely fashion.

Another interesting twist is that there‘s a sizable number of people using the moral argument against the government, if only they knew the truth about the years of inaction and the use of retrospection!

I have to admit, and short-sighted as it may be, part of me almost wants them to go ahead with the Accelerated payments legislation, because it had the potential to be a massive own goal.

A lot more people will be threatened by this and pointing of the moral fingers will be towards the Government and HMRC (or the immoral middle finger in my case). Maybe if it all blows up (just an expression, officer) we can have a proper, open, public debate where HMRC can't hide so easily behind slogans and hypocritical hand-washing MPs and Treasury Ministers might just get the flak they deserve. I'd love to see Gauke getting ripped a new one by Paxman. At the moment it is too easy for Joe Public to accept the labels the PR machine churns out for groups the Government / HMRC want to victimise. What we actually need is a groundswell in the number of victims.

[BrilloPad]

I have to admit, and short-sighted as it may be, part of me almost wants them to go ahead with the Accelerated payments legislation, because it had the potential to be a massive own goal.

A lot more people will be threatened by this and pointing of the moral fingers will be towards the Government and HMRC (or the immoral middle finger in my case). Maybe if it all blows up (just an expression, officer) we can have a proper, open, public debate where HMRC can't hide so easily behind slogans and hypocritical hand-washing MPs and Treasury Ministers might just get the flak they deserve. I'd love to see Gauke getting ripped a new one by Paxman. At the moment it is too easy for Joe Public to accept the labels the PR machine churns out for groups the Government / HMRC want to victimise. What we actually need is a groundswell in the number of victims.

Not sure I would wish this on anyone. Except Brannigan.

[OnYourBikeGB]

Not sure I would wish this on anyone. Except Brannigan.

Unfortunately I think it's coming for us sooner or later. I'd rather it was later too, if it can't be not at all. I did send my letter to HMRC opposing the legislation, I think it's vicious, unfair and unnecessary, but if it does go through I hope the fallout is spectacular. If more had backed us in the early days, maybe it wouldn't have got this far. Now more people will have to fight for their rights, and that might be a turning point, because this has gone on too far and for too long.

[SantaClaus]

Not sure I would wish this on anyone. Except Brannigan.

I believe that we will be judged in the afterlife and I can guess where Brannigan, McDougall and Gauke will be going.

Clue: It 'aint heaven.

[reckless]

Tackling Tax Avoidance

In a way, I too welcome the imminent 'Tackling Tax Avoidance' proposal by HMRC. Admittedly the down side is that we may have to pay the 'tax shortfall' sooner rather than later, but as it excludes interest, this may not have been far from the NTRT negotiating position anyway. The likelihood then is that by having picked the low hanging fruit, HMRC will lose interest in pursuing further (Tax Tribunals etc), giving more time for the Adjudicator/Ombudsman/ECHR route. Victory here would then open the dam for claims by us, and the pillorying of Branigan, McDougal et al (of course the slime Gauleiter Gauke will have attempted to wash his hands of it all by then, simply blaming Civil Servant ineptitude, as was done recently by Eric Pickles v the Environmental Agency).
The plus side, is that this proposal will affect so many people (including I'm sure the establishment types and no doubt a host of MPs) that HMRC will find they are simply outgunned, and the spotlight will be truely shone on their incompetence and deceit, giving us the opportunity to explain our sorry plight on a far bigger stage.
I do however realise that unfortunately this scenario may force many innocents into early bankruptcy, which is a crime that warrants custodial sentences (as a minimum) for those responsible at HMRC.

[eek]

I do however realise that unfortunately this scenario may force many innocents into early bankruptcy, which is a crime that warrants custodial sentences (as a minimum) for those responsible at HMRC.

One argument for the new rules is that supposedly by asking for the money earlier it is less likely that the demand will lead to bankruptcy. I know thats not the case for anyone on here and I'm not sure how accurate the idea is full stop but its been argued more than once...