What Bono should be saying

[DodgyAgent]

Re the subject title of What Bono should be saying

"I am retiring from life. Effective immediately."

FTFY

[shaunbhoy]

Well FWIW, Bono and the rest of the band come from Dublin. Dublin is the capital of a country whereby they have a Tax Regime that is very friendly towards the super-rich. The Irish pragmatically figure that it is better to get a small percentage of tax from the colossally wealthy, than a large percentage of fook-all if they take their wealth elsewhere.
Bono, for one, has a residence in Dublin, and if he chooses to take advantage of the tax regime in his native land, then who the fook else has a right to complain about that, particularly on a forum like this?
If people really want to get arsey with someone over the non-payment of taxes then why are they not jumping all over dried-up old has-beens like "Sir" Mick Fecking Jagger who has spent a lifetime dodging his taxation responsibilities?

[Sysman]

Well FWIW, Bono and the rest of the band come from Dublin. Dublin is the capital of a country whereby they have a Tax Regime that is very friendly towards the super-rich. The Irish pragmatically figure that it is better to get a small percentage of tax from the colossally wealthy, than a large percentage of fook-all if they take their wealth elsewhere.
Bono, for one, has a residence in Dublin, and if he chooses to take advantage of the tax regime in his native land, then who the fook else has a right to complain about that, particularly on a forum like this?

Except in spite of Ireland's tax policies for artists, U2's tax base is in Amsterdam.

The band moved their company U2 Limited to Netherlands a half a year before the new rules came to pass. U2 Limited handles the royalties received from the group recordings – unlike many other acts the band owns all of the copyrights to their songs. It is based in Amsterdam. And one of its directors is Jan Favie - the man who handled similar vehicle for The Rolling Stones back in the days.

WIf people really want to get arsey with someone over the non-payment of taxes then why are they not jumping all over dried-up old has-beens like "Sir" Mick Fecking Jagger who has spent a lifetime dodging his taxation responsibilities?

Nope. The Rolling Stones had no choice but to move to France when they did, for if they'd stayed in the UK they had no chance of keeping enough post tax income to clear the previous year's tax demands. So they did their time in France and paid those taxes owed.

It's a bit different when you look at it that way. Besides, the establishment at the time were using the tax system to drive what they saw as the bad influence of the Stones out of business. Tough luck that they lost out on the worldwide income from the band. Sweden presumably took a different approach with Abba, who earned lots for their home country.

If you want to pick on someone, try those who essentially work in England and make their money out of UK based businesses but don't pay taxes there. Phillip Green and Monaco's UK commuters.

[DodgyAgent]

Well FWIW, Bono and the rest of the band come from Dublin. Dublin is the capital of a country whereby they have a Tax Regime that is very friendly towards the super-rich. The Irish pragmatically figure that it is better to get a small percentage of tax from the colossally wealthy, than a large percentage of fook-all if they take their wealth elsewhere.
Bono, for one, has a residence in Dublin, and if he chooses to take advantage of the tax regime in his native land, then who the fook else has a right to complain about that, particularly on a forum like this?
If people really want to get arsey with someone over the non-payment of taxes then why are they not jumping all over dried-up old has-beens like "Sir" Mick Fecking Jagger who has spent a lifetime dodging his taxation responsibilities?

What do the government do with tax that Jagger could'nt spend better himself?

[shaunbhoy]

What do the government do with tax that Jagger could'nt spend better himself?

We could all apply that logic.
I expect most contractors could spend your percentage far more wisely than you do too.