The news item that Sir Philip Green, billionaire Topshop howdy-doody, is to examine government spending from the past 3 years to find possible savings, is a doozy. Not just any old doozy. This is a 24 carat, copper bottomed doozy.
As the Guardian tells us, "Green spends part of his time in Monaco, a tax haven, and in 2005 his company paid a £1.2billion dividend to his wife, Tina. She did not have to pay tax on it because she is a Monaco resident. Green today denied his wife was a "tax exile" but acknowledged that his family does not live in Britain. He is also said to have directed abuse at a newspaper journalist questioning him over his tax affairs."
How many wives get home from a hard week at the office to find they've been given £1.2billion? Tax free!
Buddhists tell us that anger is bad for us. They do say though that we should express outrage where and when appropriate.
Well here goes. The idea that the government should turn to a tax avoider for help in cutting expenditure is not just ridiculous and offensive - it is also deeply outrageous. That this will inevitably lead to people losing their jobs and livelihoods makes it all the more sickening.
Lets call 'Call me Dave' and let him know where to stick his latest wheeze.
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