UK Government Logic: An estimated £13 trillion is hidden in offshore accounts...

[RecQuery]

...lets blame the builders, plumbers and electricians. Sounds legit right?

I expect some tabloid moralising and rationalising to be imminent. Good to see the government going after the little fish once again. Going after the sharks just wouldn't be seemly. Most are probably colleagues, friends and family. That said if the government are serious about the 'morality' of tax avoidance and evasion they could at least start at the top and work down.

Clearly cash-in-hand workers are to blame for the financial crisis, third world famine, and us losing in any sporting event.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/jul/23/taxandspending-hmrc

[ducati]

It wasn't an issue before the salt of the earth, working classes, started complaining about everyone else.

[_Ju_]

If you take the total outstanding amount of money and guarantees used to bail out the bank and "stabilize" the economy here is the UK ( 228 billion- 228 million millions, or if you prefer numbers: £228 000 000 000 000.00) and divide it by the UK population ( 62 598 810- 2010 census), it comes to 3.6 million pounds per head ( 3 642 241). It is an obscene amount of money, most especially when politicians and financiers then cast a stern judgement on the bloke with his head down a drain as if their tax evasion is of any significance. But then we all know that tax evasion is the black sheep cousin of tax avoidance, the legitimate way of not paying the tax owed.

[RecQuery]

If you take the total outstanding amount of money and guarantees used to bail out the bank and "stabilize" the economy here is the UK ( 228 billion- 228 million millions, or if you prefer numbers: £228 000 000 000 000.00) and divide it by the UK population ( 62 598 810- 2010 census), it comes to 3.6 million pounds per head ( 3 642 241). It is an obscene amount of money, most especially when politicians and financiers then cast a stern judgement on the bloke with his head down a drain as if their tax evasion is of any significance. But then we all know that tax evasion is the black sheep cousin of tax avoidance, the legitimate way of not paying the tax owed.

Keep in mind the people who decide what is legal and where their personal fortunes and political contributions from. Regardless of party they're all the same - the front benches could swap their political party or be randomised and no one could tell the difference. David Cameron, Nick Clegg, Ed Miliband et al have pretty much the same background

David Gauke's wife is a tax lawyer specialising in "corporate tax law… and has advised on corporate restructurings, M&A, investment funds and finance" http://lexisweb.co.uk/users/rachel-gauke Methinks Mr Gauke is being somewhat hypocritical. David Gauke also took £10k from the taxpayer to cover the stamp duty on buying his second home. I guess technically that isn't tax avoidance, since the rest of us still had to pay for it.

[Kodiak]

If you take the total outstanding amount of money and guarantees used to bail out the bank and "stabilize" the economy here is the UK ( 228 billion- 228 million millions, or if you prefer numbers: £228 000 000 000 000.00) and divide it by the UK population ( 62 598 810- 2010 census), it comes to 3.6 million pounds per head ( 3 642 241). It is an obscene amount of money, most especially when politicians and financiers then cast a stern judgement on the bloke with his head down a drain as if their tax evasion is of any significance. But then we all know that tax evasion is the black sheep cousin of tax avoidance, the legitimate way of not paying the tax owed.

I think your calculations are slightly askew. £228Billion is £228 Thousand million which is £228,000,000,000. if you divde this by 62,000,000. Populution rounded down. It comes to only £3677.42 not £3.6Million.

[_Ju_]

I think your calculations are slightly askew. £228Billion is £228 Thousand million which is £228,000,000,000. if you divde this by 62,000,000. Populution rounded down. It comes to only £3677.42 not £3.6Million.
I think you are right, Kodiak. Though I was always taught a billion was a million millions ( 10 to the power of 12). I am not sure if now we follow the american convention of 10 to the power of 9. When I got 3.6 million I couldn't believe it. I still think that £3600.00 pounds per person is too much. It is a debt that I would not personally incur. An average family of 4 would be responsible for £14 400.00 And this is not part of the usual inland revenue's quota, but in excess of it.
I would say though, that there is no way that this economic crisis has cost each person in the UK £3600.00 only, nor that the cost is not going up everyday. Our great grandchildren will still be paying for all this.

[Corrie 3]

I have a confession to make, I put my hand up and say I am sorry.....................:eek:

I went down the back of my sofa and found £2.17p which the Taxman doesn't know about, I wasn't hiding it from him intentionally, honest!!!...;)

First thing in the morning I will ring up David Gauke and admit my misdemeanor. I hope I dont get a stretch inside for this!!!

C3.....................:roll:

[RecQuery]

I have a confession to make, I put my hand up and say I am sorry.....................:eek:

I went down the back of my sofa and found £2.17p which the Taxman doesn't know about, I wasn't hiding it from him intentionally, honest!!!...;)

First thing in the morning I will ring up David Gauke and admit my misdemeanor. I hope I dont get a stretch inside for this!!!

C3.....................:roll:

If you donate the money to a political party you should be fine. Either that or say your were going to use it to create wealth, jobs or stimulate the economy.