[Politics] Should Lewis Hamilton be knighted?

[Bold Seagull]

as much as he is a good bloke, NO. ultimately, its probably 80% car and 20% driver. Look at Button. world champ one year, joins maclaren and then hes at the back of the grid. And his team ate Alonso. another world class driver in the right car so no, sorry Lewis. Come back when you have donated some of your millions to helping deprived children

Other than all the children's charities he endorses and donates to as well as his own Lewis Hamilton Foundation charity?

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

as much as he is a good bloke, NO. ultimately, its probably 80% car and 20% driver.

Paddy Lowe disagrees with you.

Look at Button. world champ one year, joins maclaren and then hes at the back of the grid.

Button won 8 races(more than he did in the rest of his career), had 25 podiums(the same number as in the rest of his career) and finished 5th, 2nd and 5th in the championship in the three years he was Hamilton's team mate. I'm not entirely convinced that's the back of the grid.

And his team ate Alonso. another world class driver in the right car

Alsonso won four races, 12 podiums and finished third in the championship in his one season at McClaren. He led the championship for a large duration of it. Again, I'm not wholly convinced that that equates to being 'eaten' by the team.

so no, sorry Lewis. Come back when you have donated some of your millions to helping deprived children

https://www.imdb.com/news/ni61585999

He also donated $500,000 to help fight the Australian bush fires in January.

Can he have a knighthood now?

 

[Icy Gull]

Double post

 

[Icy Gull]

Can he have a knighthood now?

He would already have one if he was Jenson Button or David Coulthard with 7 World Titles

 

[Bold Seagull]

He would already have one if he was Jenson Button or David Coulthard with 7 World Titles

It goes some way to proving the argument some are in denial about.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

as much as he is a good bloke, NO. ultimately, its probably 80% car and 20% driver. Look at Button. world champ one year, joins maclaren and then hes at the back of the grid. And his team ate Alonso. another world class driver in the right car so no, sorry Lewis. Come back when you have donated some of your millions to helping deprived children

More or less everything you have written is incorrect so congratulations on that. I'll pick you up on Button as the charity stuff has been done. He finished 5th in the drivers Championship in 2010 (his first year at Mclaren) and 2nd in 2011 in his second. He was hardly trundling round at the back of the grid

 

[T.G]

Hamilton lives overseas for most of the year, so is legitimately not UK resident for tax.

Despite that, he does pay full UK income tax on his UK earnings, making him one of the UK’s highest tax papers.

On top of that he donates generously to charity.

No crimes committed, no evasion. He’s an overseas resident, why should an overseas resident pay UK taxes on their non-UK income?

Roger Moore, Connery, Button, Caine, Emin, Coulthard, Mansell, Faldo, Poulter were/are all honoured Brits living in tax havens, but I cannot remember one NSC thread or post finding them morally repugnant.

What sets Hamilton apart when it comes to his choice of residence and tax arrangements, when it comes to the Daily Mail and NSC courts of opinion? What is the unique part to him warranting this unprecedented and irrational ire?

Absolutely nothing to do with race. Hamilton was the subject of this discussion. Anyone who avoids taxes is morally repugnant whatever their colour or race. Just to be clear as I said in the last misunderstanding the repugnant comment was for the political reasons behind leaving the EU. However, that aside any wealthy person that declines to pay reasonable taxes (whether it is legal or otherwise) I would find morally repugnant, whilst they enjoy this privilege of wealth our keyworkers are denied pay rises and the NHS goes underfunded.

 

[Weststander]

Absolutely nothing to do with race. Hamilton was the subject of this discussion. Anyone who avoids taxes is morally repugnant whatever their colour or race. Just to be clear as I said in the last misunderstanding the repugnant comment was for the political reasons behind leaving the EU. However, that aside any wealthy person that declines to pay reasonable taxes (whether it is legal or otherwise) I would find morally repugnant, whilst they enjoy this privilege of wealth our keyworkers are denied pay rises and the NHS goes underfunded.

In your original post you said exploiting tax loopholes was morally repugnant.

Now by saying avoiding taxes, you’ve widened the discussion to perfectly legal tax avoidance or mitigation. This includes a wide range of legal tax planning measures such as pension contribution planning, moving assets between spouses, taking a larger bonus in one year rather than two because of our tax bands, and countless others.

None of which affects Hamilton, who like a couple of million other Brits chooses to live overseas for most of the year. Yet this hasn’t stopped him being one of the UK’s highest taxpayers on his UK income. In chose to live in a tax haven, as have many famous and honoured Brits, yet never a NSC thread or post criticising their tax affairs, where they choose to live.

If someone can direct me to an old thread of tax morality ire against Poulter or Faldo or J.Stewart or Roger Moore or Coutlhard or Button, I’d be very interested.

So, why is Hamilton (and Hamilton alone) choosing to reside overseas, such an issue to half a dozen NSC’ers? What sets him apart?

 

[LlcoolJ]

And won the F2 championship - or GP2 as it was then - in 2006 and 15 out of 21 races in F3 in 2005 where the machinery is more equal to aid the "yeah but I could drive that Mercedes round" crowd. Still, I think he's shit because he flew 1st class and wouldn't mingle at Donnington or wherever.

History will judge him more fairly. Steve interesting Davis and Nick Faldo were 2 examples of being largely unloved by the media and public during the height of thier success but are seen in better context now. The English prefer a plucky loser to someone who actually wins stuff.

Yes but apart from all that....

The casual/ignored racism is unreal and quite disturbing isn't it?

 

[Hampster Gull]

as much as he is a good bloke, NO. ultimately, its probably 80% car and 20% driver. Look at Button. world champ one year, joins maclaren and then hes at the back of the grid. And his team ate Alonso. another world class driver in the right car so no, sorry Lewis. Come back when you have donated some of your millions to helping deprived children

Thats bang out of order*




*A bit like your post

 

[LlcoolJ]

In your original post you said exploiting tax loopholes was morally repugnant.

Now by saying avoiding taxes, you’ve widened the discussion to perfectly legal tax avoidance or mitigation. This includes a wide range of legal tax planning measures such as pension contribution planning, moving assets between spouses, taking a larger bonus in one year rather than two because of our tax bands, and countless others.

None of which affects Hamilton, who like a couple of million other Brits chooses to live overseas for most of the year. Yet this hasn’t stopped him being one of the UK’s highest taxpayers on his UK income. In chose to live in a tax haven, as have many famous and honoured Brits, yet never a NSC thread or post criticising their tax affairs, where they choose to live.

If someone can direct me to an old thread of tax morality ire against Poulter or Faldo or J.Stewart or Roger Moore or Coutlhard or Button, I’d be very interested.

So, why is Hamilton (and Hamilton alone) choosing to reside overseas, such an issue to half a dozen NSC’ers? What sets him apart?

Nail on head mate.

 

[Bold Seagull]

In your original post you said exploiting tax loopholes was morally repugnant.

Now by saying avoiding taxes, you’ve widened the discussion to perfectly legal tax avoidance or mitigation. This includes a wide range of legal tax planning measures such as pension contribution planning, moving assets between spouses, taking a larger bonus in one year rather than two because of our tax bands, and countless others.

None of which affects Hamilton, who like a couple of million other Brits chooses to live overseas for most of the year. Yet this hasn’t stopped him being one of the UK’s highest taxpayers on his UK income. In chose to live in a tax haven, as have many famous and honoured Brits, yet never a NSC thread or post criticising their tax affairs, where they choose to live.

If someone can direct me to an old thread of tax morality ire against Poulter or Faldo or J.Stewart or Roger Moore or Coutlhard or Button, I’d be very interested.

So, why is Hamilton (and Hamilton alone) choosing to reside overseas, such an issue to half a dozen NSC’ers? What sets him apart?

So he's decided to live abroad, I must admit the Cote d'azur strikes me as an attractive place to live with or without the tax breaks, but still pays tax in the UK when actually you could assume all his earnings could be paid to him abroad if he so wished?

 

[GT49er]

The longer this thread goes on, the less I give a sh*t either way, tbh.

 

[Icy Gull]

In your original post you said exploiting tax loopholes was morally repugnant.

Now by saying avoiding taxes, you’ve widened the discussion to perfectly legal tax avoidance or mitigation. This includes a wide range of legal tax planning measures such as pension contribution planning, moving assets between spouses, taking a larger bonus in one year rather than two because of our tax bands, and countless others.

None of which affects Hamilton, who like a couple of million other Brits chooses to live overseas for most of the year. Yet this hasn’t stopped him being one of the UK’s highest taxpayers on his UK income. In chose to live in a tax haven, as have many famous and honoured Brits, yet never a NSC thread or post criticising their tax affairs, where they choose to live.

If someone can direct me to an old thread of tax morality ire against Poulter or Faldo or J.Stewart or Roger Moore or Coutlhard or Button, I’d be very interested.

So, why is Hamilton (and Hamilton alone) choosing to reside overseas, such an issue to half a dozen NSC’ers? What sets him apart?

Hamilton uses his experiences and profile to highlight and try and change the prejudices so clear on this thread, most of those you mention just took the money and lived the life of Riley, whilst being easy to interview (for the most part) and avoiding controversy.

How dare Hamilton take advantage of not even being a real sportsman whilst having the best car and driving around in circles to express his often unpopular opinions.

 

[Hampster Gull]

"But no matter how often you go abroad or elsewhere in the world, you come back to the UK, see the countryside, this great history of Formula One, and I see my family. This is where my heart is. I am fully British.

"I guess over time I will do more positive things for the country. I go to these races and I lift the British flag proudly. There is no one else in this sport that has raised it so high.“ H, 2019

 

[Bold Seagull]

The longer this thread goes on, the less I give a sh*t either way, tbh.

Right now through this lockdown and the year just dragging on, Lewis Hamilton and Apple Airpods seem like very important issues to resolve!!

 

[GT49er]

Right now through this lockdown and the year just dragging on, Lewis Hamilton and Apple Airpods seem like very important issues to resolve!!

So bottle tops don't matter any more, eh? Huh!

 

[Weststander]

Hamilton uses his experiences and profile to highlight and try and change the prejudices so clear on this thread, most of those you mention just took the money and lived the life of Riley, whilst being easy to interview (for the most part) and avoiding controversy.

How dare Hamilton take advantage of not even being a real sportsman whilst having the best car and driving around in circles to express his often unpopular opinions.

As another F1 fan like me, you’ll be very aware of the racism he and his Dad faced in Spain for example in 2007 and 2008. Blatant, Spaniards dressed as apes, no doubt bitter than this young brilliant driver had emerged as the match to their hero.

No wonder in a climate of racism across Europe, he largely kept his counsel, the lone black guy.

One of the bizarre NSC arguments against LH is that he only recently stood up to racism, a JCL to BLM. Lots of acronyms! Who are we to criticise a victim of racism deciding when he has the courage to finally take a stand? Simply emboldened by the mood music, who can blame him?

 

[T.G]

Nothing to do with the colour of his skin, why are you making such an issue about it? Its everything to do with him using an off shore (BVI) company to buy a £16 million pound jet and avoid paying tax on it. Probably perfectly legal but morally wrong. I would same the same about JRM and many of the other people in power who use loophole to avoid paying their fair share (and I frequently do on other forums). This was specifically about Hamilton receiving a knighthood. I don't think tax evaders should be rewarded/honoured. Just to be absolutely clear if this thread was about Phillip Green and his dodgy wife I would still be venting my spleen. I abhor racism on every level, but I'm not going to say tax evasion is ok because someones black!

 

[Bold Seagull]

Nothing to do with the colour of his skin, why are you making such an issue about it? Its everything to do with him using an off shore (BVI) company to buy a £16 million pound jet and avoid paying tax on it. Probably perfectly legal but morally wrong. I would same the same about JRM and many of the other people in power who use loophole to avoid paying their fair share (and I frequently do on other forums). This was specifically about Hamilton receiving a knighthood. I don't think tax evaders should be rewarded/honoured. Just to be absolutely clear if this thread was about Phillip Green and his dodgy wife I would still be venting my spleen. I abhor racism on every level, but I'm not going to say tax evasion is ok because someones black!

If you are so passionate about the subject, you should at least understand the difference between avoidance and evasion. You seem to be conflating the two which kind of renders your whole viewpoint a bit empty.