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Original poster

to think for this alone we should all vote labour?

195 replies

HyperThread · 07/02/2015 15:40

Ed Miliband promises not to back down on tax avoidance, and promises to put UK tax havens on blacklist unless they end their system of secrecy

www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/feb/06/ed-miliband-tax-avoidance-business-labour

This will make a huge difference to our economy, and unlike Cameron who has completely ignored the issue, and instead of making these multi billionares pay their fare share of taxes, he wants to bring cuts to benefits, when normal people are really struggling as it is.

We really need to get rid of the Tory government, whose policies have mainly been just to make the rich richer. Miliband might not have the charisma and charm that people want to see in a leader, but at least he'll get rid of Cameron and his super rich cronies.

OP posts:
DodgedAnAsbo · 07/02/2015 19:21

Next time you have to pay an enormous gas or electricity bill, thank Milliband. He was the idiot who brought in the climate change act which has put up bills, exported jobs and paid billions to the rich land owners who host the useless windmills.
He is a waste of space

drudgetrudy · 07/02/2015 20:08

Do people think tax avoidance is a good thing then?

amicissimma · 07/02/2015 20:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DodgedAnAsbo · 07/02/2015 20:24

If you go into a shop to buy a bag of chocolate sweets, one of them has 20% VAT , the other has 0% VAT
You buy the cheaper ones at 0%VAT.

That is tax avoidance. It is legal, it is within the rules, it makes sense
It helps your family, it helps you

What on earth is the problem ???

TheChandler · 07/02/2015 20:24

Wow, yes. Politicians always fulfil their election promises, don't they? Absolutely, we should totally discard any other reasons we have for voting preferences and follow what you say.

Justanotherlurker · 07/02/2015 20:27

Ask the guardian group drudge, they use it.

Tax avoidance isn't morally right, but they are playing by the rules, any political party can say anything and as pp mentioned this coalition statement is only going to report them, so pretty toothless and click bait populist stuff. To really tackle the issue, there would need to be wholesale regulatory changes which in the globalised economy would have to tread very carefully, and whoever tries to implement it will have big business breathing down their necks.

You can also garuntee that any regulation changes would mean your average joe would lose out the most, if you want to find any companies that minimises tax, you won't find a successful business.

CaptainUndercrackers · 07/02/2015 20:40

i work as a supplier to central government civil service departments and it has caused me to lose all faith in democracy. I'll vote, because i still believe that voting is important, but i don't think it will really make ablind bit of difference. The people who really run things don't stand for election.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 07/02/2015 20:44

Companies are obliged to avoid as much tax as possible. Cracking down on tax avoidance does not involve chasing companies like Amazon who are doing nothing illegal, it involves closing the tax loopholes that are used.

And that is not going to happen when half of the cabinet are millionaires.

TheChandler · 07/02/2015 20:46

And what about all those people who avoid inheritance tax by setting up trusts or gifting their assets to their children 7 years before they die? That's tax avoidance too. Will the great Miliband target them as well? What about people who don't pay capital gains tax when they sell their home? Or who pay £1 under a certain threshold to lower their stamp duty bill?

In fact, what about those people who set up tiny companies to work as contractors, because they pay less tax?

DodgedAnAsbo · 07/02/2015 20:52

listen folks. This is the last time I will explain, so pay attention

You cant crack down on tax avoidance, because tax avoidance is legal and it is the right thing to do. for companies and for YOU.

if Millipede closes a loophole - good on him.
A tax avoidance issue disappears, and a tax evasion issue pops up.

tax evasion is illegal, wrong and should be hammered

Justanotherlurker · 07/02/2015 20:58

Hope your not trying to imply that the half of cabinet that are millionaires are all blue team ItsAllGoingToBeFine because that would be naive.

Chattymummyhere · 07/02/2015 21:00

If I had to pick between labour and bnp... Labour still wouldn't get my vote.....

They messed up big time and ed is as about as much use as a chocolate tea pot. I would rather spoil my vote with a (none of the above) than vote for them, my local best bet is Tories where I live they actually get things done here.

fakenamefornow · 07/02/2015 21:01

I hope he does manage to close tax loopholes and make the wealthy pay their fair share.

Not sure this ' blacklist' will do anything though, not even sure what it is. Is it like a naught book he writes names in?

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 07/02/2015 21:08

Hope your not trying to imply that the half of cabinet that are millionaires are all blue team ItsAllGoingToBeFine because that would be naive.

Of course not! The percentage of very wealthy in the HofC is far higher than the %age of wealthy in the UK population. Plus if course you need to look at the vast sums paid in donations to the main parties...

Preciousbane · 07/02/2015 21:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BoulevardOfBrokenSleep · 07/02/2015 21:16

Oh. I thought this was going to be about the news that Osborne has now borrowed more in four years than Labour did in thirteen.

Justanotherlurker · 07/02/2015 21:17

Damnit, I meant if you wanted to find any companies that doesn't minimise tax, you won't find a successful business.

BoulevardOfBrokenSleep · 07/02/2015 21:18

Wow, even that was out of date, he has now borrowed more since all the Labour governments since 1900 added up. My apologies.

KarmaNoMore · 07/02/2015 21:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BetterTogether75 · 07/02/2015 21:21

Defeatist, much? Hmm

Justanotherlurker · 07/02/2015 21:22

Yeah Boulevard, that's tackling the issue discussed, no partisan bollocks in your post at all is there.

Viviennemary · 07/02/2015 21:34

Amazon isn't actually doing anything illegal. And if their prices were higher I wouldn't buy as much from them. Therefore jobs would be lost. Including printers, and delivery drivers and so on. So in a way it's helping the economy. Or doesn't that make sense.

Justanotherlurker · 07/02/2015 21:35

If your trying to reduce this boulevard you may wish to look into which government left office with the country in surplus and those that didn't.

Inb4 accused of being a Tory, Im a floater that everyone is trying to gain, I've voted for and been stitched up by all 3 over my lifetime.

TendonQueen · 07/02/2015 21:48

Wow, is this some sort of Twilight Zone MN, far from the usual liberal discussion forum?

Can't believe so many people have swallowed the Tory line that everything ever is the fault of the last Labour govt. How are this lot not worse? Yonis, who are you and your relatives going to vote for, then? Farage won't help you, he's clueless.

fakenamefornow · 07/02/2015 21:50

Oh yes, all those minimum wage zero hours jobs Amazon has created. I would be interested to know if Amazon really has benefited the economy. If you added up all the money they pay in wages and tax and NI then of course you'd have to balance than against the tax credits and housing benefits their employees have to claim because they can't live on the Amazon wage. Not taking into account smaller, less efficient (is employ more staff) businesses put out of business.

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