Panorama & Pandora - what's the point?

[Neveratruerfriend]

Watching Panorama last night, regarding political party donors. Also the Pandora papers is in the news today (after research dug up by the BBC).

But despite all this stuff being "exposed" and in the news, what is the point? No-one is ever accountable for anything. No-one is ever shamed into undoing their actions. In fact it seems to confirm that people of power, wealth and privilege can get away with anything to the detriment of all the "little people".

I am not sure, apparently everyone in the papers did things that were legal, albeit maybe morally a bit corrupt. Policy makers aren't going to be shamed into changing the law, and it would be tricky as it is largely international arrangements that aren't governed by one single government. I doubt anyone is really surprised that rich people do this either, are they?

I agree. Every time any type of insidious high up corruption, or even lower level which affects the general population, is exposed, we mutter and get cross and demand answers but absolutely nothing is ever done. It's simply on to the next thing and meanwhile normal people are too busy choosing food or fuel.
Things will never ever change

Only read a bit about this in the Metro, but what a hypocrite Blair is, buying a UK property with an offshore company to save hundreds of thousands (millions? Can't remember) of pounds tax. Then blaming it on 'being advised' to do it. Prick.

Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
The older I get, the more I realise how true this is.

Same here.
So what? No one cares.
Our society has fully bought into the capitalism that Cons are peddling so not many actually agree that anyone is doing the wrong thing.

@Grumpyoldpersonwithcats

Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. The older I get, the more I realise how true this is.

Yes, me too. I now think that all people who are insanely rich or even quite rich have got there in part due to dodgy dealing and exploitation of other people. Even the recent Blair thing is so disappointing. And giving cash to (already very rich people eg Tory ministers / the Royal family) to have 1-1 time with them just says it all.

But nothing will change. The media may expose such practices and identify the perpetrators from time to time, but no one ever is accountable (or shamed).

If we think about it, didn't we always know offshore companies were set up to buy properties by the very rich? I mean its not exactly news is it?

Unless it’s illegal, I don’t know what can be done about it.

@Andante57

Unless it’s illegal, I don’t know what can be done about it.

Quite so. Then that makes me wonder - why would the BBC put considerable resources (I heard it was 600 journalists to investigate the Pandora issue) into this? What a waste of effort and tax payers' money if no "crime" has been committed. Even worse it just gives confirmation to those that do these things that they are indeed untouchable.

Its actually so very depressing.

It's little surprise that successful people want to stay that way.

@Neveratruerfriend I don't get the thrust of your argument ? The insinuation about the waste of tax payers money and effort from the BBC is very odd ..I got the impression that large amounts of money were siphoned into the tory party to gain access and influence. Literally thousands if not millions of pounds have been donated by people with questionable morals and business dealings. Vast amounts of money are hidden away from scrutiny and to avoid taxation. Why wouldn't this be worthy of attention ?

The 600 journalists were from 150 different media outlets, so I imagine the cost to the BBC will have been negligible.

The BBC isn’t putting 600 journalists into investigating it, it’s an organisation of investigative journalists, of which some are from the BBC and Guardian. Investigative journalism is an important part of democracy.
I don’t see it as news, more a confirmation of what we already know and that might not grab headlines but it’s very important information.

I think the fact that this is the first MN thread I've seen about it is very telling - I think people just shrug and assume it's what rich people do.

For what it's worth, I think some of the salacious headlines are not necessarily helpful. From a UK perspective, one of the main issues is the extent to which UK property is being bought by anonymous companies which are often linked to very dodgy people. The government have said they will do something about this 'when time allows'. There is evidence of real corruption in the documents - people paying bribes for example - but the focus of the reporting ends up being on some totally legal tax dodge by the Blairs or by Shakira which are more of a distraction than anything else.

@mynameiscalypso I actually posted a wtf thread last night but no takers

[quote Thekolschisonme]@Neveratruerfriend I don't get the thrust of your argument ? The insinuation about the waste of tax payers money and effort from the BBC is very odd ..I got the impression that large amounts of money were siphoned into the tory party to gain access and influence. Literally thousands if not millions of pounds have been donated by people with questionable morals and business dealings. Vast amounts of money are hidden away from scrutiny and to avoid taxation. Why wouldn't this be worthy of attention ?[/quote]
In theory yes of course it's worthy of attention. But bugger all ever happens as a consequence and it is so frustrating. No one ever is accountable. And it will just keep happening, regardless of how much attention there is. It just feels like our noses are being rubbed right in it.

[quote Thekolschisonme]@mynameiscalypso I actually posted a wtf thread last night but no takers [/quote]
I know, it has happened to me too. Where is your thread out of interest?

[quote Thekolschisonme]@mynameiscalypso I actually posted a wtf thread last night but no takers [/quote]
Oh I'd have been there in a heartbeat if I'd seen it!

If enough people are up in arms about it, then a political party could make it part of their manifesto to make it illegal!

but the focus of the reporting ends up being on some totally legal tax dodge by the Blairs or by Shakira which are more of a distraction than anything else.

Agree with this. Last time it was something like Bono buying a swimming pool in Lithuania or using a company in Lithuania and Lewis Hamilton buying a helicopter using some scheme? I can’t even remember the distracting bits.

There will be an article in the daily mail about benefit fraud tomorrow and all the faults of the world will be blamed on single mothers.

@EducatingArti

If enough people are up in arms about it, then a political party could make it part of their manifesto to make it illegal!

They never, never will. No political party can hope to hold power just by the will of the people any more. We're bought and sold. The super-wealthy and multinational corporations are more valuable and, sadly, will just bugger off somewhere else if this country becomes inhospitable. Which will have massive repercussions for our economy. This is way beyond anything a single nation state can solve.

I keep thinking back to Magna Carta, the Chartists and all the rest. There was a time where, as a person having a shitty life, you could see exactly who was making it shitty and go and demand a reform either through the ballot box or at the point of a sword. Now, we don't even know who creates the power structures, let alone how to change them. It's thoroughly depressing.

Now, we don't even know who creates the power structures, let alone how to change them. It's thoroughly depressing

Very true.

It's the fact that a lot goes on out in the open too. Eg Tory donors and PPE contracts for starters. Surely no one is naive enough to believe that anyone would donate hundreds of thousands to the Tories and not expect anything in return? And that's what the government is telling us, according to Panorama last night.