Re: State Sponsored Slavery : Sun Nov 27, 2011 9:28 pm  

McLaren_Field wrote: Its not just big business that uses intricate accounting methods to disguise their income either... http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/nov/26/one-hyde-park-council-tax Can't even get the buggers to pay their council tax... Don't forget, we're all in it together.

McLaren_Field wrote: Its not just big business that uses intricate accounting methods to disguise their income either... http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/nov/26/one-hyde-park-council-tax Can't even get the buggers to pay their council tax... Don't forget, we're all in it together.

Re: State Sponsored Slavery : Sun Nov 27, 2011 9:49 pm  

World of Redboy wrote:

so, you're telling me, if you were running a business, you wouldn't try and get out of paying as little tax as possible then, or are you too pure and moralistic to behave like that?

So we are not 'all in it together then'.
So if their store gets broken into and the police politely refuse to get involved they would be happy and wouldn't be up in arms seeing as they happily bent rules to reduce what they pay?
Or is it a case that they want their cake and eat it perhaps?

Re: State Sponsored Slavery : Sun Nov 27, 2011 11:17 pm  

Him wrote: Some of the offshoring could be stopped immediately if the government grew a pair. The likes of Tesco, Amazon, HMV etc that route their online sales through Guernsey to avoid UK tax could be stopped tomorrow. It was announced last month. http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/news/removal-lvcr.htm

Him wrote: Some of the offshoring could be stopped immediately if the government grew a pair. The likes of Tesco, Amazon, HMV etc that route their online sales through Guernsey to avoid UK tax could be stopped tomorrow. It was announced last month. http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/news/removal-lvcr.htm

Re: State Sponsored Slavery : Sun Nov 27, 2011 11:35 pm  

Mintball wrote: I could be missing something – but I haven't heard businesses complaining about taxation based on attempts to change behaviour, but on taxation in general, which pays for all the things that I mentioned (and many, many more), from which the businesses themselves directly benefit and would suffer without. I don't see the relevance of this. Mintball wrote: So again – why don't they complain about this Because, unless you disagree with the particular policy, there is nothing to complain about. You seem to have gone off on some weird tangent about how using taxation to change behaviour is bad, or I think it's bad, or businesses should think its bad? Mintball wrote: when they complain constantly about 'the tax burden', and spend a great deal of time, energy and expertise avoiding it? Do they employ accountants to look into how they can get their electricity bills reduced, a la Vodaphone with its tax bill? If not, why not? Yes, they do employ people (possibly accountants) to get their electricity bills reduced. Again, businesses do actually negotiate with energy suppliers to get the best deal they can. Mintball wrote: Why is tax the only 'burden' we hear business whinging about? Maybe because you're not listening? Also I suspect businesses mainly "whinge" about energy prices to their energy suppliers as they are the people who can change them.

Mintball wrote: I could be missing something – but I haven't heard businesses complaining about taxation based on attempts to change behaviour, but on taxation in general, which pays for all the things that I mentioned (and many, many more), from which the businesses themselves directly benefit and would suffer without. I don't see the relevance of this. Mintball wrote: So again – why don't they complain about this Because, unless you disagree with the particular policy, there is nothing to complain about. You seem to have gone off on some weird tangent about how using taxation to change behaviour is bad, or I think it's bad, or businesses should think its bad? Mintball wrote: when they complain constantly about 'the tax burden', and spend a great deal of time, energy and expertise avoiding it? Do they employ accountants to look into how they can get their electricity bills reduced, a la Vodaphone with its tax bill? If not, why not? Yes, they do employ people (possibly accountants) to get their electricity bills reduced. Again, businesses do actually negotiate with energy suppliers to get the best deal they can. Mintball wrote: Why is tax the only 'burden' we hear business whinging about? Maybe because you're not listening? Also I suspect businesses mainly "whinge" about energy prices to their energy suppliers as they are the people who can change them.

Re: State Sponsored Slavery : Sun Nov 27, 2011 11:46 pm  

Big Graeme wrote: It was announced last month. http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/news/removal-lvcr.htm So tax relief with a certain intent caused undesirable behaviour and the solution was the change the tax relief. I suppose we could have instead just sat around saying how evil the companies were who took advantage of this tax relief.

Big Graeme wrote: It was announced last month. http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/news/removal-lvcr.htm So tax relief with a certain intent caused undesirable behaviour and the solution was the change the tax relief. I suppose we could have instead just sat around saying how evil the companies were who took advantage of this tax relief.

Re: State Sponsored Slavery : Mon Nov 28, 2011 12:25 am  

SBR wrote:

So tax relief with a certain intent caused undesirable behaviour and the solution was the change the tax relief. I suppose we could have instead just sat around saying how evil the companies were who took advantage of this tax relief.

Many have been complaining for quite a while mate. It is part of the reason we lost high street media stores both independent and national.

It's a loophole that should have been plugged years ago, it was never designed for the use Amazon et al put it to but to help the channel islands flower exports.

Re: State Sponsored Slavery : Mon Nov 28, 2011 7:21 am  

SBR wrote:

So tax relief with a certain intent caused undesirable behaviour and the solution was the change the tax relief. I suppose we could have instead just sat around saying how evil the companies were who took advantage of this tax relief.

Tesco's on-line media business was kicked out of Jersey by the Jersey authorities, because they added little more than another postbox to the Jersey economy. So they upped sticks and set up in Guernsey and continued business as usual.

These companies make much in their annual reports of their progress in the areas of corporate and social responsibility, maybe it's time they appointed someone in charge of moral responsibility?

Mind you, as the advert says: "Every fiddle helps".

Re: State Sponsored Slavery : Mon Nov 28, 2011 7:41 am  

Big Graeme wrote: It was announced last month. http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/news/removal-lvcr.htm So price to customers will go up.

Big Graeme wrote: It was announced last month. http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/news/removal-lvcr.htm So price to customers will go up.

Re: State Sponsored Slavery : Mon Nov 28, 2011 8:47 am  

Dally wrote:

So price to customers will go up.

Isn't that usually what happens when taxes are applied or increased?

Re: State Sponsored Slavery : Mon Nov 28, 2011 9:00 am  

Dally wrote:

So price to customers will go up.

More like online prices will go back to what they should have been, high street prices should remain the same.