Taxing Issues

Can't really argue with this, the greed and avarice of the British taxman is costing this country the opportunity to host major events because our courts have quite bizarrely allowed a system to evolve where the inland revenue charge people on their global endorsement income, to the point where they can end paying more than 100% of their UK earnings in tax.

I don't see how it can possibly be enforceable though, what obligation would a foreign athlete have to provide the Inland Revenue with their financial details?

Would they start asking for international sports stars to be extradited to face trial if they don't disclose their total earnings?

Geralda Markauf.

I haven't been blogging on every single expenses scandal because other people are doing it and a few of the scandals don't look partilularly bad*, but I've got to say Gerald Kaufman's extravagance is breathtaking even by the standards of people like Douglas Hogg who get their moats cleaned at taxpayers expense:

Labour grandee** Sir Gerald Kaufman made an extraordinary claim on his expenses for an £8,865 television.

The former Environment Minister was also hauled before officials to discuss a separate claim of £28,834 for work on the kitchen and bathroom of his London flat.

What makes it all the more galling is that Kaufman is sanctimonious about denouncing greed, he even appeared on for the prosecution on a Channel 4 programme a few years ago called "The Trial Of Margaret Thatcher" in which he accused her of fostering a culture of greed. Perhaps she made him do it.

It wouldn't be so bad if he were a brilliant MP, but he is a man who has managed to be an MP for almost 40 years without once voting against the party whip, which means that either his conscience has always been 100% in line with party policy or he just doesn't care.

* The cases against Phil Woolas, David Willetts & Ming Campbell look pretty weak to me.
** Do Labour have Grandees? I suppose if you a £9000 TV then you're a grandee.

If You Ask Nicely, You Still Aren't Getting Any.

I must say I do like this new relaxed approach to raising money that the EU is taking:

Taxpayers could be asked to plug a £106 million black hole in a fund providing a second pension for MEPs, to make up for cash lost to fraudulent investment schemes and during the financial crisis.

It's nice of them to ask rather than just stick their snouts straight in, but I'll have to decline, they really should be able to afford a private pension on their salary.

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