Poorest will pay the price

8:57am Thursday 21st February 2013 in Letters By Reader letter

NOW proof of what I’ve been saying for a long time, that the government is incapable of collecting taxes due to the Exchequer... and this runs into billions, not millions, of pounds as high flying accountancy firms dictate what if anything their clients pay the Inland Revenue.

This is done by a myriad of legal tax avoidance schemes often using offshore accounts set up for no other reason than to avoid tax, quite often being no more than a unmanned office with a postbox would suffice for this very lucrative business,that would cost us all so dear.

The multi-nationals and large companies soon became adept at using these accountancy firms which would limit or totally eradicate any taxes due.

Now Great Britain PLC is teetering on the brink of bankruptcy our government is busy on a slash and burn policy as it tries to recoup the money lost by bankers and tax revenues falling far short of expectations because of these tax avoidance schemes.

But now we find the poorest and most vulnerable in our society are paying the price as services we took for granted are being decimated.

Councils have no option but to implement the cuts as billions of pounds were removed from their budgets, with the effects on elderly and disabled services being hit particularly hard, but also youth, leisure and environment also feeling the effects.

Bankers who through their greed have created most of the mess we are in now show no contrition, indeed they have just carried on where they left off.

Harry Bradbury, Loughrigg Avenue, St Helens

Comments(38)

Sankey says...
9:49am Thu 21 Feb 13

That's too simplistic an argument Harry. The vast majority of lost tax to the government is via tax evasion the cash in hand economy. For some reason that never gets mentioned. Also we never talk about how the money is spent or quite often wasted. It's a two way street we have to tax the right amount and spend it wisely. As for councils they are spending more money than ever particularly on their executives. Over 30000 council officers in England and Wales are paid more tan £50k per annum. They deliberately cut front line services to make political points and fool the public. They are also sitting on vast cash reserves over £13 billion. Our own lovely council here in St. Helens over £120m and some of its executives paid more than the prime minister. So I don't agree with your letter I am afraid it's missing the point.

Report this post »

Sankey says...
9:59am Thu 21 Feb 13

Councils are also hitting the working poor hard by increasing council tax at a time when other utility bills are soaring. They are also raising tax by the back door in parking fines and such like which they are becoming increasingly aggressive at along with other services such as planning applications which they are ramping up the charges for. It's a con and those in the elite club are doing very nicely tax avoidance and the nasty bankers are an aunt Sally for the gullible. Excessive tax avoidance does exist but the answer to that is simple simplify the tax system. No government will do that though because it increases transparency and a complex tax system makes it easy for the government to hide what it's up to. Measures also need to be made to tackle the cash in hand economy but that's politically difficult

Report this post »

pitbullboxing says...
11:06am Thu 21 Feb 13

Funny that Harry did not write this when Labour were in power. I don't remember them closing any tax loopholes. People in glass houses.....

Report this post »

jumper says...
7:20pm Thu 21 Feb 13

Tax avoidance should if possible that all work big or small give out a invoice compulsory,then there is a paper trail with a random check on firms of any type.

Report this post »

Sankey says...
4:11pm Fri 22 Feb 13

jumper wrote:
Tax avoidance should if possible that all work big or small give out a invoice compulsory,then there is a paper trail with a random check on firms of any type.
I agree. I have no sympathy with the very rich who bend the law to avoid tax. But you can't be against that and condone the tradesman you give a wad of cash to or the cash based business with two sets of books.

A persons income makes no difference to the principle and the tax evaders are far greater in number and dare I say it an accepted fact of life in our society.

Report this post »

jumper says...
4:22pm Fri 22 Feb 13

Times have change Sankey,they do quite well out of it,and some don't mind flaunting it.Has we are being told change for the better(council website)

Report this post »

zerosaint says...
8:06pm Fri 22 Feb 13

I wholeheartedly agree with harrys viewpoint.He is nearly there but it goes much deeper than that.Most posters have yet to grasp the divide and rule political system in which we exist

Report this post »

jumper says...
8:55pm Fri 22 Feb 13

I think we've grasp it a long time ago the difficulty is trying to convince the other non voters that it is what rules their lives.We are let down by the noshow of our elected who by the very job profile they are supposed to be visible but never been seen.

Report this post »

Harrybradbury says...
10:27pm Fri 22 Feb 13

It,s now seem,s Osbourne as realised that multinational tax evasion is effecting all country,s,and they must act in unison,if they ever hope to stop this multi-billion pound raid on all our finance,s, as these avoidance scheme,s are now wrecking and playing havoc with our economies.I think we could see international action very soon.
Harry.

Report this post »

zerosaint says...
10:29pm Fri 22 Feb 13

no,the words 'voters' and 'elected' in your response show how you are missing both the point and the situation.Would love to debate with you further....

Report this post »

zerosaint says...
10:34pm Fri 22 Feb 13

Harry stop the political divide and rule memo.Its red or blue,dont you understand?cant you see that,what changes over the years?

Report this post »

pitbullboxing says...
10:46pm Fri 22 Feb 13

I am not David Icke.

Report this post »

zerosaint says...
11:01pm Fri 22 Feb 13

oh please..

Report this post »

zerosaint says...
11:08pm Fri 22 Feb 13

counteract the argument pitbull?

Report this post »

WolfieSmith says...
4:36am Sat 23 Feb 13

zerosaint why does it have to be red or blue?

Report this post »

Sankey says...
9:09am Sat 23 Feb 13

There is not a scrap of difference between labour and the Tories these days the red vs blue argument is just silly,

Report this post »

pitbullboxing says...
10:03am Sat 23 Feb 13

In the video " I am not David Icke" he makes the exact same point as you. Divide and rule , no difference between political parties.

Report this post »

jumper says...
10:32am Sat 23 Feb 13

You've not grasp it,I'll try to explain when we meet in the new cafe'

Report this post »

Sankey says...
11:12am Sat 23 Feb 13

The poorest won't pay the price with the raising substancally of the personal allowances the poor will be lifted out of tax altogether.

Report this post »

jumper says...
1:47pm Sat 23 Feb 13

The poorest always suffer by the very nature of being poor. Which as we know is a never ending struggle whatever ""(we try to sort out)"!

Report this post »

Harrybradbury says...
9:13pm Sat 23 Feb 13

Well Osbourne as lost his treasured A.A.A. rating,and as he say,s he,s getting the deficit down,trouble is he,s building a even bigger one,faster than Brown built it,and he spent billion,s creating a few hundred job,s,making J.4.S extremely rich in the process.
The bank,s we own are in a serious mess,our manufacturing is nearly all gone,and our politician,s don,t have a clue,but play silly game,s with our future,s, and I don,t think Europe is any better,as they also sink into a deep recessesion,anybody got any idea,s,if so contact our solve everything coalition.

Report this post »

Harrybradbury says...
10:19pm Sat 23 Feb 13

Let,s have a look at what stand,s between our country and a continuing downward spiral,well as it stand,s it,s ,in the blue corner Cameron + Osbourne,and in the red corner we have Milliband + Ball,s, all are career politician,s who test their theory,s on the general public,and when they fail costing us all untold misery and billion,s of pound,s they just shrug their shoulder,s and move on,no apologie,s or remorse,s, as they carry on playing their intellectual game,s.
I may be wrong but this is what I see,as we seem devoid of anyone with any honest conviction to lead us out of the complete mess this failing state is in.We don,t need people who cut their teeth in their public school debating chamber,s and never lived in the real world,and live in a political bubble,surrounded by clones of themselves,s, but I doubt you will find them in parliament.
Were we go from here is anyone,s guess,right now the future is very uncertain,and frightening.

Report this post »

jumper says...
10:32pm Sat 23 Feb 13

Harry that's it put a thread on one of the daily s, we've not got the people to do the business without vested interests,that's the way I see it and it seems as nearer to home in a similar way!?.

Report this post »

jumper says...
9:43am Sun 24 Feb 13

Harry I put one on, wasn't meant for you to do it.cheers Harry

Report this post »

Sankey says...
11:06am Sun 24 Feb 13

We are in a downward spiral and anyone who thinks it would improve under balls and milliband is deluded.

My suggestion appoint private Frazier as the nations morale officer.

Because it ain't gunner get better this has been coming since the 1950s we produce nothing we borrow or print money which we use to fund welfare and the public sector.

One day the money will run out

Report this post »

jumper says...
3:07pm Sun 24 Feb 13

Come on Sankey keep your head up,we will have to get a Mayor and start from there.

Report this post »

Sankey says...
7:45pm Sun 24 Feb 13

jumper wrote:
Come on Sankey keep your head up,we will have to get a Mayor and start from there.
Don't think the supreme leader of St. Helens will like that suggestion.

Report this post »

jumper says...
8:19pm Sun 24 Feb 13

Sankey you're slacking think positive,and that one about the 50s come on!!

Report this post »

Harrybradbury says...
8:45pm Sun 24 Feb 13

Have you noticed that any politician under interview always,s come out with phrase,s like,"Now this is the fact of the matter" "The truth is this" and "Now look",these utterance,s are alway,s followed by a porkie pie.
When in a corner a politician will go for the nuclear option,which will be to order a inquiry,knowing they won,t have to deal with the result,s as the player,s have been shuffled around the deck.
All party,s are well rehearsed in these dark art,s,and even practice against each other,and If possible avoid the Humphrey,s and Paxman,s as they know their trick,s,and sometime,s lure them into trap,s.I,ve watched this for year,s and it,s true,and if it,s really tricky the party,s alway,s use a safe pair of hand,s,and these tend to be the one,s that climb the greasy pole.

Report this post »

jumper says...
9:31pm Sun 24 Feb 13

Harry party for the people, would be good,never gonna happen.Locally they really should look at theirselves and tell us what on earth they have done with any meaning for the borough.

Report this post »

Mike_a80 says...
6:55pm Mon 25 Feb 13

Councils need to make cuts because the level of service provision is unsustainable in the present economic environment and probably for the foreseable future.

The simple scenario is that there are less taxpayers then reciepients of benefits a clearly untenable situation, therefore service rationalisation needs to occur and these should be targeted to those in genuine need and to maintain basic services such as rubbish collection and gritting.

The real problem with councils as previous poster's have noted is the explosion in salary levels and real lack of accountability, It is unacceptable for the St Helens Chief Exec and other council leaders for that matter to be earning more than the PM while not really facing any level of accountability for their actions!

Report this post »

jumper says...
7:17pm Mon 25 Feb 13

Accountability,I don't think they understand what is happening in the area of their responsibility or if they do nothing is being done which In itself is a question to leave them untenable.

Report this post »

Sankey says...
10:25am Tue 26 Feb 13

Mike_a80 wrote:
Councils need to make cuts because the level of service provision is unsustainable in the present economic environment and probably for the foreseable future.

The simple scenario is that there are less taxpayers then reciepients of benefits a clearly untenable situation, therefore service rationalisation needs to occur and these should be targeted to those in genuine need and to maintain basic services such as rubbish collection and gritting.

The real problem with councils as previous poster's have noted is the explosion in salary levels and real lack of accountability, It is unacceptable for the St Helens Chief Exec and other council leaders for that matter to be earning more than the PM while not really facing any level of accountability for their actions!
Absolutely bang on mike agree with every word.

These people are stealing from the poor either diverting council cash from services being cut back or with continual council tax rises hitting the working poor. The money is being used to fund a small cabal of people who are enriching themselves.

What I find irksome is those socialists who condone this reverse Robin Hood just because its a labour controlled council doing it.

And Marie Rimmer self proclaimed far left socialist (see utube) is the biggest hypocrite on the planet for presiding over this scam.

Report this post »

pitbullboxing says...
4:41pm Tue 26 Feb 13

The poorest will pay the price - really? From where I'm standing it looks like the people of Rainhill and Eccleston Park are paying to keep them in white Lightening and cigs.

Report this post »

jumper says...
7:48pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Come on if that is all they have got to do Harry is completely right.How is it that they swear on the ,book to,(truth,whole truth, and so on) and then it never happens?

Report this post »

Harrybradbury says...
8:44pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Noticed Patricia Hodge committee report on the west coast line tender debacle,they say this will cost the tax payer,s at least 50 million pound,s,but I suspect it will be a lot more than that,in fact the whole process was amateur and a comedy of error,s.
But yet in all the new,s report,s the minister in charge at that time was never mentioned,and as since been moved on to "Oversea,s development,which is par for the course and avoid,s any apologie,s,even though we are undergoing austerity measure,s it seem,s 50 million here or there is a piffling amount to lose,saving face is much more important.
All government,s would do the same,as they are not held accountable,it,s no good us criticising Italy,when we are just as bad in our British way of dealing with problem,s.

Report this post »

jumper says...
10:01pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Harry has you may have heard that America wants to do buisness with the EU,so if that is the case why are representative not going hell for leather to get our docks on the west coast and (roads motorways rail etc)building to the east coast.

Report this post »

Sumner says...
4:37am Sat 2 Mar 13

Sankey wrote:
Mike_a80 wrote:
Councils need to make cuts because the level of service provision is unsustainable in the present economic environment and probably for the foreseable future.

The simple scenario is that there are less taxpayers then reciepients of benefits a clearly untenable situation, therefore service rationalisation needs to occur and these should be targeted to those in genuine need and to maintain basic services such as rubbish collection and gritting.

The real problem with councils as previous poster's have noted is the explosion in salary levels and real lack of accountability, It is unacceptable for the St Helens Chief Exec and other council leaders for that matter to be earning more than the PM while not really facing any level of accountability for their actions!
Absolutely bang on mike agree with every word.

These people are stealing from the poor either diverting council cash from services being cut back or with continual council tax rises hitting the working poor. The money is being used to fund a small cabal of people who are enriching themselves.

What I find irksome is those socialists who condone this reverse Robin Hood just because its a labour controlled council doing it.

And Marie Rimmer self proclaimed far left socialist (see utube) is the biggest hypocrite on the planet for presiding over this scam.
You've stated the obvious problems but are reluctant to put forward any solutions.

Report this post »

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree