...to think David Cameron's tax affairs are no- one else's business?

[Nessalina]

I think all of this furore over the PM's finances is a bit bizarre. If the law allows people to reduce the amount of tax they may need to pay through lawful methods, why shouldn't he be able to do the same? Yes, he's a red-faced pillock with far too much money, but he's not actually broken any laws... Prepares to be flamed

[timeforabrewnow]

Oh no - I know why - it's because rich people can afford clever accountants to fiddle their tax for them, so they are not breaking any laws. Just avoiding their tax.

[FanDabbyFloozy]

YANBU

His tax affairs should be private. I would die if my own were published in the national papers.. Not because i had anything to hide, but because I don't want everyone knowing my salary.

The DM comments are spitting teeth but only because his income points to him being "rich" and that's "unfair". But none of it is unreasonable - rental income on a house he'd live in if not PM, PM salary, bit of interrst. Frankly quite uninteresting.

This is all about an effort to smear Cameron ahead of the EU vote. Quite irrelevant beyond that.

[SeaMagic]

Agree with PP that David Cameron has been exposed [again] as the hypocritical slimeball that he is.

I don't know if he will resign or not but people are sick to the back teeth of his obfuscation, u-turns on policy and breaking election promises.

[Noneedforasitter]

Agree with OP that this is being over-played in the media. I don't understand the accusations of hypocrisy, because the issue relates to his father's tax affairs, not David Cameron's. None of us are responsible for our parent's politics or morals. And so what if his mother gave him money on which there was no inheritance tax payable? That is the tax law: any gifts to anyone are not taxable under inheritance tax unless the giver dies within 7 years. The implication is that wealthy parents should not give money to their adult children, but hoard it until they die so everything gets swept in inheritance, which is nonsense.

No one has a obligation to maximise their tax bill, they just have an obligation to pay what is due under the law.

[OliviaStabler]

YANBU. People are simply using this as a weapon to harp on about their political beliefs.

If someone told you that you could legally never pay tax again, I doubt there are many people who would not say yes immediately or at least seriously consider it.

[jellyfrizz]

I don't understand the accusations of hypocrisy, because the issue relates to his father's tax affairs, not David Cameron's. None of us are responsible for our parent's politics or morals.

Or Jimmy Carr's?

[SimpleSimonThePieMan]

Anyone who doesn't take steps to reduce their tax bill within the constraints of the law is a complete muppet. Why you would want to pay more tax than absolutely necessary, I have no idea. Man invested money offshore, sold his investments, paid UK tax on the profit - I think there are far more important things for the lefties to bitch and whine about!

[jellyfrizz]

I think there are far more important things for the lefties to bitch and whine about!

Glad you think so Simple, the mess that is being made of healthcare, education etc. is simply shocking isn't it?

[Mistigri]

The tax returns don't appear to show any wrongdoing. But he's on the ropes and the press scents blood - they are just doing what the press does. Cameron has never faced unfair press scrutiny before - in fact he's got away with things that would have ended many political careers - so he can't really complain too much.

Tax affairs should generally be private, but there is a good argument that the people who are responsible for setting taxes on other people should be prepared to demonstrate that they are paying their own dues.

[peggyundercrackers]

Glad you think so Simple, the mess that is being made of healthcare, education etc. is simply shocking isn't it?

What does that have to do with what he done between 1997 and 2010?

[Noneedforasitter]

Jellfrizz - I don't understand your post. Jimmy Carr's tax scheme was highly artificial, aggressive and outside the spirit of the tax law. I can't remember if it was successfully challenged in the end by HMRC, but some similar film schemes (involving numerous high profile individuals) were deemed invalid in the courts.

Carr was rightly called out on his tax affairs on moral grounds, because even if the scheme was within the law, it was a clear breach of the spirit: exploiting a loophole. But that is a very different position from expecting people to maximise their tax. (As an example, gains attract a lower tax rate than income, but there is nothing wrong with declaring gains as gains rather than income).

And Jimmy Carr's issue was his own tax return, not his father's.

[neonrainbow]

I don't understand why dc is being accused of being a hypocrite. It was his dad that was avoiding tax. Where is the evidence that David Cameron has dodged tax? What I've just read on bbc suggests he has paid more tax than he needed to on elements of his income.

[jellyfrizz]

What does that have to do with what he done between 1997 and 2010?

Nothing peggy, I don't think. I'm not sure I understand the question. I was just agreeing with Simple that lefties have more important things to whine and bitch about e.g. the mess that has been made the NHS and state education.

[LittleMisslovesspiders]

Let's see the tax returns of all MPs.

There are a lot of very wealthy Labour MPs including shadow cabinet ministers that have been very very quiet over this.

Let's see all tax returns.

[cdtaylornats]

Why not just make everyones tax returns public?

But lets start with polititians, media reporters/editors/owners and leaders of charities.

[hettie]

Jelly, taxes ARE a moral issue. Especially because legally they have become optional for those wealthy enough to pay to avoid them.
Whether it's a big corporation or an individual family we all use the services the state provides. Companies use a workforce educated and kept healthy by the state, roads, telecommunications etc. Individuals are protected by the state, use the same roads and services.
Opting out is both a moral and legal issue. We need international laws and cooperation AND we need to debate the morality of avoiding taxation. Personally I find out reprehensible that these achemes abd off shore ruses have been allowed to develop. The way we've structured our society over the last 30 years, the "I'm alright jack" self serving anti society is not one I'm morally at peace with....

[dementedma]

So he's wealthy and has managed his affairs legally to reduce Inheritance Tax. Big deal!

[AppleSetsSail]

The gifts from his mother of £100k plus appear to inheritance tax avoidance.

This is hardly a tax-miminisation vehicle reserved for the wealthy: anyone can give what they want to their children, providing they live another 7 years. The same thing that Mrs. Balls did with her house to the Balls brothers.

[0phelia]

He's our fucking Prime Minister therefore it is our fucking business.

He's suddenly so interested in Privacy after pushing through his Snoopers charter?

Hypocrisy of the highest order. People should be more furious. OP is massively U.

[jellyfrizz]

Noneed, you said that None of us are responsible for our parent's politics or morals. I agree.

We are also not responsible for Jimmy Carr's politics or morals. Is Cameron in a position to moralise about Jimmy Carr? If so, then he would also have to say that his father's action were immoral too.

I don't think anyone is surprised that Cameron practises tax 'efficiency' and if he hadn't called other people immoral for doing similar then the reaction would be very different.

[hettie]

Simple... I'm not sure you are a Muppet if you don't automatically look to reduce your tax. If you earn the sum's of money or have the kind of assets that those that offshore do then you are very very rich. You can well afford to pay the tax even if you don't legally have to. By paying the tax you contribute to the welfare state, NHS, roads etc and still be very very rich. So you could make a moral choice to contribute to this country (and not just become even more wealthy). I don't think you should be given the option tbh, but we would need international cooperation to change that..

[Figmentofmyimagination]

It is starting to feel like the 'family values' saga that plagued john major's conservatives in the early 90s.

I expect there are more revelations to come over the next couple of months.

[LittleMisslovesspiders]

I expect there are more revelations to come over the next couple of months.

And not just about him either.

I imagine there are quite a few MPs on both sides that could maybe come under fire.

[Cornishclio]

YANBU and I don't care what his tax arrangements are.

Personally as a family we try to avoid tax by every legal way we can, ISA,s and additional pension payments and PETs to avoid inheritance tax. We are not rich but just don't see why we should pay any more than we need to given government wastes it in so many ways and it never seems to go to the places I would like it to - NHS, education and local government.

[AppleSetsSail]

He's suddenly so interested in Privacy after pushing through his Snoopers charter?

Excellent point.