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to ask how you would stop companies and investors leaving the UK?

335 replies

LargeDeviation · 09/07/2025 14:39

AstraZeneca (the UK's most valuable company) has said they are thinking of delisting from the London Stock Exchange with a view to list in America. Other companies like Invidia, TUI, have also delisted. ARM is of course another one that got away.

At the same time, billionaires and centimillionaires are leaving the UK at the greatest rate ever.

Each delisting leads to redundancies or lower future growth. Each billionaire lost needs the equivalent of thousands of median income taxpayers to make up the tax lost.

What would you do to stop the rot? My solutions:

  1. Incentivise listings: Allow extremely large bonuses and executive remuneration as long as they are tied to long-term performance. Remove stamp duty on shares. Bring back reduced oversight for AIM etc so small companies can easily list. Actively invest government funds in high-tech incubator companies (as long as it's done by the likes of the Vaccine Taskforce, not by idiot civil servants whose idea of good governance was to try to obstruct the OneWeb investment).

  2. Incentivise share ownership in UK companies. Reduce dividend taxes. Revive the idea of the British ISA from Jeremy Hunt. Introduce low long-term capital gains tax rates (as many other countries have) to encourage long-term investing. Simply cutting Cash ISA allowances won't help.

  3. Encourage entrepreneurs and the rich to come to Britian rather than leave. Reverse the non-dom changes. Large increases in IHT allowances, cut the top rate of income tax. These tax cuts can be conditional on providing a large number of jobs to British workers to make them politically palatable.

  4. Cut corporation tax back to 20%. Sunak made a huge error in increasing corporation tax.

  5. Ditch the Rayner changes which makes Britain even more uncompetitive.

Of course Labour won't do any of the above (or even acknowledge that companies/investors leaving the UK is a problem)...

OP posts:
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Gagcaa · 14/07/2025 10:15

Alexandra2001 · 14/07/2025 10:10

Does he save lives? treats dying children, attends the scenes of horrendous accidents and disasters?
Has to tell patients they will die?

Gets attacked? both physically and verbally?

Doctors in the UK earn less in international comparisons and have horrendous debt.

We can never have a decent health service if we continue to treat them like shit.

If they really did have a decent bump each year, they wouldn't be 20% behind in their pay....

Edited

No. But that's in the doctor's job description.

The reason doctors earn less here is because we have the NHS system. There's absolutely no competition whatsoever.

Alexandra2001 · 14/07/2025 10:10

Gagcaa · 14/07/2025 10:02

Everyone pays tax on their earnings. And yes it takes years to get to consultant. DH also had to work many years to get to get to £100k.

And they get a decent pay bump each year.

Does he save lives? treats dying children, attends the scenes of horrendous accidents and disasters?
Has to tell patients they will die?

Gets attacked? both physically and verbally?

Doctors in the UK earn less in international comparisons and have horrendous debt.

We can never have a decent health service if we continue to treat them like shit.

If they really did have a decent bump each year, they wouldn't be 20% behind in their pay....

Gagcaa · 14/07/2025 10:02

Alexandra2001 · 14/07/2025 09:37

..and pay tax on that, takes many many years to reach consultant.

You can always re train as a Dr if its such a good number.....

Jealous?

Everyone pays tax on their earnings. And yes it takes years to get to consultant. DH also had to work many years to get to get to £100k.

And they get a decent pay bump each year.

Alexandra2001 · 14/07/2025 09:39

Gagcaa · 14/07/2025 09:37

Exodus: a mass departure of people

Quite, a tiny minority have left the UK, not an Exodus, tabloid language.

Numbers based on a report by an agency who are not "independent" either.

Gagcaa · 14/07/2025 09:37

Alexandra2001 · 14/07/2025 09:36

Exodus???

Exodus: a mass departure of people

Alexandra2001 · 14/07/2025 09:37

Gagcaa · 14/07/2025 09:35

They have a starting pay of £38k that's lovely. And once they hit consultant. They make oodles.

..and pay tax on that, takes many many years to reach consultant.

You can always re train as a Dr if its such a good number.....

Jealous?

Alexandra2001 · 14/07/2025 09:36

Gagcaa · 14/07/2025 09:18

Fair point. Depends if the exodus happened before or after July 2024

Exodus???

Gagcaa · 14/07/2025 09:35

Alexandra2001 · 14/07/2025 09:06

Oh yes, then see them leave.... as pay erosion continues.

They have a reasonable case, pay is around 21% below where it was 15 years ago... working conditions very poor...BUT i think they are foolish to strike.

They have a starting pay of £38k that's lovely. And once they hit consultant. They make oodles.

Gagcaa · 14/07/2025 09:18

Alexandra2001 · 14/07/2025 09:07

How can it be on a party that hasn't been in power for 14 years?

Fair point. Depends if the exodus happened before or after July 2024

Alexandra2001 · 14/07/2025 09:07

Savoury · 14/07/2025 09:02

The super wealthy are leaving but what is less reported is the high earner exodus, maybe those earning 100-500k - sometimes between a couple - but are normal tax payers, not those whose wealth is hidden behind trusts.

This is very bad for the economy as these people paid for the bulk of the welfare bills. They see that growing all the time - with politicians unable to get a grip as we saw two weeks ago - yet can’t get the police to come out when their car is stolen and can’t wear their Rolex out.

This is on all the parties, not just one.

How can it be on a party that hasn't been in power for 14 years?

Alexandra2001 · 14/07/2025 09:06

Gagcaa · 14/07/2025 08:59

I think you can in theory stop the doctors strikes. Just make them an essential service. It's how like the police and army cannot strike.

Oh yes, then see them leave.... as pay erosion continues.

They have a reasonable case, pay is around 21% below where it was 15 years ago... working conditions very poor...BUT i think they are foolish to strike.

Savoury · 14/07/2025 09:02

The super wealthy are leaving but what is less reported is the high earner exodus, maybe those earning 100-500k - sometimes between a couple - but are normal tax payers, not those whose wealth is hidden behind trusts.

This is very bad for the economy as these people paid for the bulk of the welfare bills. They see that growing all the time - with politicians unable to get a grip as we saw two weeks ago - yet can’t get the police to come out when their car is stolen and can’t wear their Rolex out.

This is on all the parties, not just one.

Gagcaa · 14/07/2025 08:59

Alexandra2001 · 14/07/2025 08:18

Err Hunt failed to provide the money for any of the known costs he knew was coming down the line.... so there isn't the money to pay compo.

Doctors on strike? cannot stop people taking part in industrial action, the other public sector pay rises were all agreed under independent review bodies.

Military? the Tories slashed it, despite Russia's increased aggression, thats unforgiveable.

Windsor Frame Work? Who supported Brexit? Sunak! he helped cause the issues and signed off on Bojo's "Oven ready deal"

He was useless and you know it..... as i believe it was Sunak who was in charge when Hunt cut NI, which you acknowledge was a huge mistake but you now want Reeves to take the political pain and reverse..... surprise surprise!

I think you can in theory stop the doctors strikes. Just make them an essential service. It's how like the police and army cannot strike.

Alexandra2001 · 14/07/2025 08:58

TheNuthatch · 14/07/2025 08:50

Any thoughts on the troops sent to Iraq and Afghanistan with inadequate equipment? The deaths due to lack of body armour? That's unforgivable too.

The point still stands, the Tories carried on cutting defence spend, they saw the problems when UK troops went to war... still reduced defence.

Blair/Brown belated did provide the funds but it was the Generals who did not raise the issues with the Govt of the day who should also share responsibility, did they even know what they were getting involved in??

BIossomtoes · 14/07/2025 08:54

TheNuthatch · 14/07/2025 08:50

Any thoughts on the troops sent to Iraq and Afghanistan with inadequate equipment? The deaths due to lack of body armour? That's unforgivable too.

Yes it is. Neither of the main political parties have covered themselves in glory where the armed services are concerned, have they?

TheNuthatch · 14/07/2025 08:50

BIossomtoes · 14/07/2025 08:23

Military? the Tories slashed it, despite Russia's increased aggression, thats unforgiveable.

The British Army, including Reserves, was 46,000 smaller in 2020 than in 2010.

Any thoughts on the troops sent to Iraq and Afghanistan with inadequate equipment? The deaths due to lack of body armour? That's unforgivable too.

Alexandra2001 · 14/07/2025 08:31

BIossomtoes · 14/07/2025 08:23

Military? the Tories slashed it, despite Russia's increased aggression, thats unforgiveable.

The British Army, including Reserves, was 46,000 smaller in 2020 than in 2010.

Same with planes and ships too! massive reductions under the Tories.

The Cons went into the last GE promising to cut the infantry by a further 10,000.... thats on Sunak.... of course war in Europe wont affect him, he can jet back to the US, doubtless to bet against the UK.. again...

Labour from 1997 to 2010 did not have to deal with such a resurgent Russia, they still had the benefits of a reduction in Cold War defence spend.

BIossomtoes · 14/07/2025 08:23

Military? the Tories slashed it, despite Russia's increased aggression, thats unforgiveable.

The British Army, including Reserves, was 46,000 smaller in 2020 than in 2010.

Alexandra2001 · 14/07/2025 08:18

TheNuthatch · 13/07/2025 21:32

Public sector payrises? Paying ransoms that we can't afford you mean? I'm surprised you want to go there. Are the resident doctors at the utopia of your dd's trust going on strike again?

Have Labour paid out compensation yet for all the scandals? The victims don't seem to think so.

Hunt's NI cuts, really? Again? Write to the Chancellor and tell her that she could and should have reversed it. I'll co sign if you like? Please ask her to reverse her NI rise on business too.

As for defence, yes the tories were shit, as were Labour before them. Both parties should hang their heads on that one. I was an army wife under the last Labour government. More anecdotes. If you believe that our military has only been going without since the tories took office, I've got a bridge to sell.

You could just admit that Sunak was pretty decent, despite his mistakes?

Err Hunt failed to provide the money for any of the known costs he knew was coming down the line.... so there isn't the money to pay compo.

Doctors on strike? cannot stop people taking part in industrial action, the other public sector pay rises were all agreed under independent review bodies.

Military? the Tories slashed it, despite Russia's increased aggression, thats unforgiveable.

Windsor Frame Work? Who supported Brexit? Sunak! he helped cause the issues and signed off on Bojo's "Oven ready deal"

He was useless and you know it..... as i believe it was Sunak who was in charge when Hunt cut NI, which you acknowledge was a huge mistake but you now want Reeves to take the political pain and reverse..... surprise surprise!

Gagcaa · 13/07/2025 22:30

Sunak also delivered the Windsor framework

Gagcaa · 13/07/2025 22:28

Namitynamename · 13/07/2025 20:45

So that's the only reason it's bad? Cash in hand and not declaring earnings is fine if you are here legally? Then why bring up them not paying tax at all?

I didn't. Someone else did.

TheNuthatch · 13/07/2025 21:32

Alexandra2001 · 13/07/2025 20:16

Starmer and Reeves' handling of the economy is a total car crash compared to Sunak and Hunt

Nope, not funding public sector pay rises, not funding compensation scandals and finally, unfunded tax cuts.... was it £20 billion of NI cuts? all unfunded....

...done to screw up Labour or rather the UK ie you and me....

Plus, they decimated UK defence forces, at a time when spending should have been increasing.... they went into the last GE promising to slash UK defence spending... that really should blow your mind!!

Edited

Public sector payrises? Paying ransoms that we can't afford you mean? I'm surprised you want to go there. Are the resident doctors at the utopia of your dd's trust going on strike again?

Have Labour paid out compensation yet for all the scandals? The victims don't seem to think so.

Hunt's NI cuts, really? Again? Write to the Chancellor and tell her that she could and should have reversed it. I'll co sign if you like? Please ask her to reverse her NI rise on business too.

As for defence, yes the tories were shit, as were Labour before them. Both parties should hang their heads on that one. I was an army wife under the last Labour government. More anecdotes. If you believe that our military has only been going without since the tories took office, I've got a bridge to sell.

You could just admit that Sunak was pretty decent, despite his mistakes?

Alexandra2001 · 13/07/2025 21:00

Thelostjewels · 13/07/2025 20:44

@Alexandra2001 you do know that your experience of one person is what's called anecdotal evidence, definitely still valid but

Because you and she are happy you may not realise that actually many of us having been waiting years for help and are still waiting

100% agree..... i mentioned my DD 's anecdotal experience in reply to the pp who claimed the Tories had introduced more appointments....

We all know thats simply not true.

Btw i think Labour are also lying over their 4 million extra as well....

EasternStandard · 13/07/2025 20:58

TheNuthatch · 13/07/2025 19:46

@Alexandra2001
Sunak introduced policies which halved migration. Fact. Twist and squirm as much as you like, its still a fact. I am happy to credit Labour for continuing with those policies. It's the only sensible thing they've done.

Starmer and Reeves' handling of the economy is a total car crash compared to Sunak and Hunt.

Sunak also created more NHS appointments than Starmer has in the same period. Have a look at the figures, it will blow your mind.

It is yes. Too much downward pressure on the private sector. It’s not helping growth and borrowing is at the limit.