According to Treasury Secretary, Danny Alexander, those who use tax avoidance measures to reduce their tax liabilities are the “moral equivalent of benefit cheats” He was speaking publicly after it was reported that comedian Jimmy Carr is saving himself masses of cash by using a tax avoidance scheme called K2. It works by transferring income […]
government
Another Massacre In Syria; Another ‘Discussion’ At The UN
Far from being subdued by the world’s condemnation of last week’s atrocity in Syria, the forces and militiamen loyal to President Assad have carried out another massacre in his name. Reports have been surfacing of an overnight attack on a village close to the town of Hama in which another 70 to 100 Syrian women […]
Queen’s Jubilee Is It A Celebration Of Being ‘Owned’?
While walking to work the other morning, I overheard a snippet of conversation between a mother and her two young children. The children, aged about 7, were expressing their concern over being late for school and the mother replied by saying: “the teacher doesn’t own you; I own you”. At first, I smiled to myself […]
Time For The UN To Remember Its Purpose In Syria
The appalling deaths of innocent children, and other civilians, in Syria last weekend has highlighted just how dis-united the United Nations has become. In a conflict that has been permitted to rumble along for the past year, whilst governments across the globe have been critical in public but apathetic in private, it should have been […]
‘What You Call Austerity’ – I Call A Poisoned Patient!
The Prime Minister said last week: “What you call austerity, I might call efficiency” He was appearing in a carefully stage managed re-launch of his badly bruised coalition with his trusty Lib Dem deputy, Nick Clegg, at his side. For some reason, this ‘show’ was staged at a tractor factory in Essex. I wonder if […]
A Bloody Nose For The Bully At The Polls!
There are few things in life that generate as much pleasure as watching a bully being given a bloody nose. That’s how it felt last Friday as the final results came in from across the UK, following the local elections on Thursday. The ‘Tory knows best party’ which listens only to the views of their […]
Just ‘Cause It’s Legal It Doesn’t Make It Right!
Chancellor George Osborne has today announced he is “shocked” by a fact most of us have been aware of for years – the richest people hang onto their wealth by organising their financial affairs to minimise the amount of tax they have to pay. Apparently, according to a study by HM Revenue and Customs, the […]
Forget April – Are We Just Fools?
Yesterday was April Fool’s Day when traditionally the papers publish a fake story to tease the reader over something that isn’t real. Having scoured the online editions, I thought I had found the BBC’s attempt when I read that our coalition government, who spend so much time spouting on about ‘The Big Society’ are planning […]
Fuelling A Panic?
If ever there was an example of our coalition government’s lack of understanding of ‘real’ people, it’s the latest debacle over a possible strike by tanker drivers who deliver the much needed fuel to our forecourts. Following on from its attempts to promote negative public opinion on benefit claimants, students, pensioners, pasty eaters […]
Another Sorry Excuse For A Minister!
On the same day Dr Fox finally resigned his post in the cabinet, after realising the ‘sorry’ excuse didn’t work, another minister is forced to try the same tactic. Oliver Letwin, a minister in the Cabinet Office was observed by the Daily Mirror, on at least five separate occasions, disposing of paperwork in the wastebins […]