www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18964640 Don't you know that taking cash-in-hand is morally wrong and facilitating the hidden economy?!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18964640 Don't you know that taking cash-in-hand is morally wrong and facilitating the hidden economy?!

It's a lovely attempt to deflect the argument from [url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18944097large-scale tax evasion[/url.

).



It seems to be a requisite requirement nowadays to make a complete idiotic hypocrite out of yourself on the tv if you're a part of this government.

[url=http://order-order.com/2012/07/24/david-gauke-worked-for-tax-avoidance-firm/Before entering politics, Gauke worked at a firm who advised on tax reduction policies[/url



Two-faced 2@

Don't pay cash. Pay to respectable businesses of integrity like Vodafone, it's the only way to ensure that the country is not ripped off.

In fact, TBF, Mr. Gauke has the answer to paying lowly workers in cash - don't fscking pay them at all. This was his recent advert on W4MP:









He said "Lots of people want to do it. It’s good experience". So that's all right, then.

Can't see the problem. We all know what MPs consider "reasonable travel expenses" to be. The youngster will be made for life after 6 months. If he lives more than a walk away, he'll be able to claim for a house on expenses.

My first thought entirely.



The headlines yesterday were all about HMRC naming and shaming celebs and the stunningly-rich who were using offshore "avoidance" schemes (the likes of Jimmy Carr).



Headlines today are on the lines of "Its ALL of you who are to blame, not just the stunningly-rich, even if you don't know for certain that a cash payment = tax evasion.



They aren't even sneaky with their PR spin these days.



#wecanseerightthroughyou

These tradesmen who take cash in hand are awful. None of them ever spend any of the money they get "in hand" thereby paying tax on the goods and services they buy. Oh no.

Last I heard cash was still legal tender. If I, the consumer, decide I want to pay for something using legal tender then thats my right. Whether the tradesman/cleaner or whoever I pay the cash to pays the correct tax is not my problem so I don't see how his "morally wrong to pay in cash" can stand up.

You are exactly right and it just shows how stupid he was to try and imply it was implicit in paying cash tax evasion was the reason. Discounts for cash can arise for legitimate reasons and always have done.



The other thing is tradesmen not paying tax is tax [ievasion[/i not tax [iavoidance[/i which is what the headlines have been all about recently (Jimmy Carr etc). Tax evasion has always been illegal so why mention it when there is no debate about it being wrong to evade tax? It is taken as a given it is.



Obviously as others have said, to try and deflect the focus of going after large scale tax avoiders is the only reason I can think of.



Maybe it is less sinister and he is just thick and doesn't know the difference?

Thats quite correct and there are good reasons why a tradesman might prefer you to pay him in cash...



1. He is charged for every cheque he banks by the robbing buggahs who run his bank account despite the fact that they all try and depict themselves as his friend.



2. He is also charged for every BACS, direct debit or standing order payment that he accepts (we're talking business accounts here), so no getting away from the fact that if he transacts via his bank then it will cost him money.



3. In such straightened times he might have reached his credit limit with his suppliers and so probably prefers to pay in cash at the trade counter - just spend ten minutes in any electrical/plumbing wholesalers and observe how many traders pay on the nose - its quite a lot.



4. If he has paid up front for the materials and you pay for the work by cheque he has to wait at least four to five days (which often converts to a full calendar week) to have access to your money and this may affect his banking arrangement and incur additional charges (remember, these banks are really friendly with sole traders, they say they are so it must be so).



5. The public can be absolute bast'ards to deal with sometimes and while they wouldn't say boo to your face they'll stop the cheque they've just given you as soon as you get back in your van - they can't do that with cash.







Of course this is all REAL WORLD stuff and not the inside of a politicians head so it probably makes perfect sense but won't to a politician where everything is about mitigating bad news with an alternative target for the newspapers today - I'd be interested in seeing just how many of he and his gentlemen colleagues might appear on the HMRC listings ...