Jimmy Carr - I do not pay a penny more tax than I have to.

[Seagull58]

The fact that Cameron said its morally wrong is the funny bit. Oh the irony.

Not ironic at all. Very genuine and he pays his fair share. Clearly, you think that twat Brown had the answers but all he did was spend money he didn't have and try to bankrupt the country.These tax avoidance schemes didn't suddenly appear in 2009 you know.

 

[Seagull58]

Agree.

and how many of Blair's mates?

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

What surprises me most is the fact Carr manages to earn 3.3 m a year. It can't be by being a comedian, he's useless and his laugh is more irritating than his poor delivery of jokes. Whats worse is when he attempts to read an auto-cue its painful. Added to this he's managed to ruin some decent shows such as Qi when on as a guest.

 

[Normal Rob]

leaving the political argy bargy to one side the interesting thing will be if the government tries to backdate the new legislation that they will be bringing in to close the loophole (as has been mentioned on the radio this morning). And if they do, how far do they backdate it? There could be some people with very large bills to pay.

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

Tax Research UK

Look up Tax Gap in this blog and see how much the owner of the blog thinks the country is owed in taxes!

 

[El Presidente]

Whilst I think Dave Cameron was right to highlight Jimmy Carr's tax avoidance scheme, why is he so quiet in relation to Sir Philip Green, whose net worth is £3,300,000,000, and who avoided a £285 MILLION tax liability the other year when he paid a £1,200,000,000 dividend to himself via a tax avoidance scheme?

Could it be anything to do with Green being a vocal supporter of Cameron at the last election? Surely not, that would be tantamount to Cameron giving News International an easy ride on the takeover of BSkyB in return for support from NI papers, would never happen.

Double standards? Meh.

 

[Seagull58]

I'm not sure he's doing anything illegal and from what I hear this is the favoured scheme (the offshore company 'loaning' you your own money) of a lot of Premiership footballers as well as other wealthy people.

Personally what makes me sick is Cameron declaring this 'morally wrong'. You're in charge in Dave, if you don't like it do something about it. Or would that upset your mates from school and all your big business chums? Tax avoidance is an absolute central part of how business operates now, calling it 'morally wrong' when an individual is involved is weak, cowardly and a breathtaking piece of hypocrisy. Especially when your family and the families of all your friends have been doing it for generations.

I'm not saying what Carr and co do is right, but if everyone else is doing it and you're not that makes you a fool. Who wants to pay more tax than they have to?

I really don't know why it makes you sick. He has come out and said it is morally wrong and HMRC will be taking action to close the loophole. As mentioned in the OP they have already closed Icebreaker1 and they are working on closing Icebreaker2. Take your obvious political bias out of the equation and consider what actions are actually taken. Loopholes are being investigated and closed all the time regardless of which political party is in power. Perhaps the main difference between the two main parties is that, historically, Labour always spent the money that WASN'T collected whereas the Tories try to only spend the money that IS collected.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

What surprises me most is the fact Carr manages to earn 3.3 m a year. It can't be by being a comedian, he's useless and his laugh is more irritating than his poor delivery of jokes. Whats worse is when he attempts to read an auto-cue its painful. Added to this he's managed to ruin some decent shows such as Qi when on as a guest.

His rape gags are funny though

 

[Seagull58]

Can't help feeling there's a few high horses being ridden here.

If you could- entirely legally- pay less tax than you currently do, wouldn't you take that opportunity? Sorry, but I'm pretty sure I would. If someone said to me tomorrow that they could save me a couple of hundred quid a month simply by taking advantage of the tax laws, then of course I'm going to do it. I'm not stupid. If, further down the line, the loopholes allowing such activity were closed and I had to start paying the normal amount, I'd just have to shrug and get on with it.

Sorry, but nobody looks at their bank statement and wishes they could pay more tax for the good of the nation. That's crap. Might be morally unpalatable, but it's the truth, and the "outrage" at Jimmy Carr should really be directed at the policy-makers who allow such off-shoring to happen.

I bet plenty of the top footballers are up to exactly the same, not to mention the bankers, actors, mates-of-Cameron, and CEOs raking it in. Blame the Government (past and present) for making it possible, not those who are merely taking advantage of it.

Sorry but No. I could have saved several 10's of thousands in the past (in any single year) by adopting tax avoidance techniques and I have steadfastly refused to do so, paying 40% on up to 70% of my total annual income.

 

[Seagull58]

My point is not whether that is a decent view to take, more that you're aiming your anger at the wrong people. It is a poor state of affairs that they can get away with it, but that's down to the Government who, probably because a lot of their mates benefit, permit it to happen and refuse to legislate against it.

Are you seriously telling me that if you were advised tomorrow that you could pay £200 a month less tax, entirely within the bounds of the law, you'd refuse?

Which government are you referring to? Tax avoidance schemes did not magically appear in 2009.

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

Not ironic at all. Very genuine and he pays his fair share. Clearly, you think that twat Brown had the answers but all he did was spend money he didn't have and try to bankrupt the country.These tax avoidance schemes didn't suddenly appear in 2009 you know.

Very genuine? I wonder if David Cameron thought his father's tax avoidance schemes were "morally wrong" too?

m.guardian.co.uk

 

[Deleted member 22389]

Sorry but No. I could have saved several 10's of thousands in the past (in any single year) by adopting tax avoidance techniques and I have steadfastly refused to do so, paying 40% on up to 70% of my total annual income.

And good on you sir. Why should someone get away with paying 1% tax when someone like yourself is paying the top rate. Its all about doing the right things in life.

 

[Seagull58]

I wonder how many MP's, political types and Cameron cronies are going to be outed shortly as tax evaders ? Could be another expenses expose coming up

and Blair cronies? Maybe Blair himself. I wonder how all his millions are being managed.
Disappointing how some people on this board are trying to portray tax avoidance as a Tory scheme.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Whilst I think Dave Cameron was right to highlight Jimmy Carr's tax avoidance scheme, why is so quiet in relation to Sir Philip Green, whose net worth is £3,300,000,000, and who avoided a £285 MILLION tax liability the other year when he paid a £1,200,000,000 dividend to himself via a tax avoidance scheme?

Could it be anything to do with Green being a vocal supporter of Cameron at the last election? Surely not, that would be tantamount to Cameron giving News International an easy ride on the takeover of BSkyB in return for support from NI papers, would never happen.

Double standards? Meh.

You do wonder, having pulled up on individual on this, where it's going to stop. The press should be all over this.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

You do wonder, having pulled up on individual on this, where it's going to stop. The press should be all over this.

You would have thought that about phone-hacking as well. But they weren't.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Can't help feeling there's a few high horses being ridden here.

If you could- entirely legally- pay less tax than you currently do, wouldn't you take that opportunity? Sorry, but I'm pretty sure I would. If someone said to me tomorrow that they could save me a couple of hundred quid a month simply by taking advantage of the tax laws, then of course I'm going to do it. I'm not stupid. If, further down the line, the loopholes allowing such activity were closed and I had to start paying the normal amount, I'd just have to shrug and get on with it.

Sorry, but nobody looks at their bank statement and wishes they could pay more tax for the good of the nation. That's crap. Might be morally unpalatable, but it's the truth, and the "outrage" at Jimmy Carr should really be directed at the policy-makers who allow such off-shoring to happen.

I bet plenty of the top footballers are up to exactly the same, not to mention the bankers, actors, mates-of-Cameron, and CEOs raking it in. Blame the Government (past and present) for making it possible, not those who are merely taking advantage of it.

I think it is the aggressive nature of this particular scheme which is upsetting most people. I agree, most people would prefer to pay less tax and I presume a significant number of people have been a bit economical with the truth and pushed the boundaries a bit but there is a huge different between a plumber shoving a few extra slightly dubious receipts through his business and this highly aggressive and brazen scheme. There are thresholds to most things, but Carr is taking the piss here.

I also hate Jimmy Carr's laugh, his shit gags and his bum-chin.

 

[Seagull58]

So the conservatives do understand morals then? That's news to me i thought they were completely ignorant of them. Turns out they just turn a blind eye. Except to Jimmy Carr!

I think its you that's completely ignorant or very blinkered. Tax avoidance is not a party political issue.

 

[n1 gull]

I don't think its party political and Cameron might just have got this right in gauging the nations feelings. Yes many Tories will get caught out, but
also other politicians from other parties. If he or any other politician genuinely tries to flush out these tax dodgers (companies and individuals) they
will get my vote

 

[Simster]

and Blair cronies? Maybe Blair himself. I wonder how all his millions are being managed.
Disappointing how some people on this board are trying to portray tax avoidance as a Tory scheme.

I quite agree that the Labour party and Lib Dems will also have tax avoiding rich benefactors, but you are deluded if you think the Tories are not more tainted by this than any other party.

I wonder whether there is the appetite for a flat rate of tax mentioned by [MENTION=17103]Mo Gosfield[/MENTION] and myself this morning? I like the idea of these tax avoiding scum being made to pay their due, especially if that due turns out to be only 15 or 20% that everyone else pays...

 

[Westdene Seagull]

You do wonder, having pulled up on individual on this, where it's going to stop. The press should be all over this.

The problem being that the highly paid executives in the press probably use the very same schemes !