The Debate

[Zero Liability]

Shock News: 103 millionaire Tories say Vote Tory

Yes its the traditional Tory letter to the Tory press. One third Tory donors, One fifth Tory peers, a smattering of tax dodgers, payers of poverty wages, fat cats, friends of the Camerons. ...

Very, very few women.

Who cares? They're better positioned than most people to assess economic policy.

[pjclarke]

Who cares? They're better positioned than most people to assess which party will enable them to become even wealthier.

FTFY. E.g One signatory Rooney Anand, is chief executive of the pub chain Greene King, Greene King has been involved in a decade-long tax battle with HMRC over a tax scheme dismissed as “purely artificial” by the Tory MP Richard Bacon.

Looks like one Tory's assessment of economic policy was perhaps a little more avaricious than prescient. We should take advice from this guy?

[Zero Liability]

And I am sure if they backed Labour or some leftoid grab-as-much-as-you-can party, it'd all be dandy and they'd be hailed as prescient on economic policy. Fact of the matter is that irrespective of how many personal attacks you try to sling at these individuals, they represent very influential businesses - businesses which create significant amounts of wealth - and they are giving Labour a vote of no confidence; it isn't necessary, considering how transparently stupid many of Miliband's schemes are, so much so that there are even rifts in his own party regarding these. How much worse would it be for Labour if SMEs got in on the game, considering how the CT reduction has done them even greater favours?

This is just typical anti-rich, anti-business prejudice shining through. How they plan their tax affairs could not interest me less.

[SueEllen]

Ohhh there is a heckler.

[scooterscot]

lol

She did do well mind, or the rest just did really really crap.

[Batcher]

SNP have added 1,500 new members in the 4 hours since the debate started.

[zemoxyl]

SNP have added 1,500 new members in the 4 hours since the debate started.

Just under 105.000 members !

[pjclarke]

This is just typical anti-rich, anti-business prejudice shining through. How they plan their tax affairs could not interest me less.

To be clear, it was the business he ran not the individual, that operated an artificial tax avoidance scheme depriving the taxpayer of millions on his watch. Another signatory uses his economic prowess to pay zero corporation tax in one of the countries where his company operates. Two more of the signatories run companies that appear on the Government's own 'name and shame' list of organisations failing to meet their minimum wage obligations.

Not exactly shocking that people with those values would not support Labour policies. You may find it of no interest, I see an interesting insight into Tory ethics.

[Zero Liability]

Fail to see how as both parties have shaped the legal system and both have MPs and donors/supporters who make use of tax planning. Any 'loopholes' are therefore of their own artifice and they can stop whinging over it non stop. The same applies to any other government. There is very little 'moral' element to the functioning of the tax system.
I very much doubt either party wants to open up that can of worms as it won't work in their favour. This is a side effect of the ridiculously complex tax system none of them want to reform.