Comments on: Never in the field of human saving has so much been taken from so many by so few http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2007/08/28/never-in-the-field-of-human-saving-has-so-much-been-taken-from-so-many-by-so-few/ Richard Murphy on tax and corporate accountability Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:10:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Tax Research LLP http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2007/08/28/never-in-the-field-of-human-saving-has-so-much-been-taken-from-so-many-by-so-few/#comment-454027 Tax Research LLP Mon, 23 Jun 2008 09:23:32 +0000 http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2007/08/28/never-in-the-field-of-human-saving-has-so-much-been-taken-from-so-many-by-so-few/#comment-454027 Kevin I note what you say, but regrettably almost all of it is wrong. For example, only 10% of UK taxpayers are in the higher tax brackets. And although I have concern about the clarity of government accounting, and I suspect that there is not a person in the land who would not question the benefit of some aspect of government spending I do not really doubt the accuracy of the vast majority of the reporting In that case I am not sure that your analysis holds much water Regards Richard Kevin

I note what you say, but regrettably almost all of it is wrong. For example, only 10% of UK taxpayers are in the higher tax brackets.

And although I have concern about the clarity of government accounting, and I suspect that there is not a person in the land who would not question the benefit of some aspect of government spending I do not really doubt the accuracy of the vast majority of the reporting

In that case I am not sure that your analysis holds much water

Regards

Richard

]]> By: kevin http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2007/08/28/never-in-the-field-of-human-saving-has-so-much-been-taken-from-so-many-by-so-few/#comment-453717 kevin Sun, 22 Jun 2008 21:59:04 +0000 http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2007/08/28/never-in-the-field-of-human-saving-has-so-much-been-taken-from-so-many-by-so-few/#comment-453717 forgive any spelling mistakes. Ive got a bee in my bonnet about the amount of tax that is taken by "our" governments every year. Im am not as well informed as you,so you could shed some light on it! No matter what it comes back at "i mean the final figure" i bet that not even half is spent back in this country. 70 million people in britain so it would be fair to say that 65% are the work force all paying tax up to 40% for some high earners. Plus consumer tax,petrol,ciggerettes,alcohol,gas,electric the list goes on and on,its endless taxes! What do "our governments spend it on? Hospitals,roads,local counsils.."ahahahaaa"..my point is that they couldnt possibly spend all of our money in one year on what they say they do! War!!!...thats were the majority of our money is being spent!..and when were not fighting wars around the world were either spending money funding all sorts of governments in Africa or spend it causing them! Why isnt there any questions being asked,why wont the government "who we put in place for the people" give out this information to the people?..i want to see why the governments budget for the funding the troops in Iraq and all the missiles that have been fired. "oh by the way while all this is spent on guns,i want to ask why they wont give our soldiers "bullet proof vests"..yet every police officer in this country has a "stab" vest?...by the way how much do the police take to run for a year?because it seems to me as there are more police and cctv cameras in this country than people its self!...and when we need them to work because of terrorism in londons tubes we were told "they were not working" and nither was the cctv on the No30 bus..WHAT????????..as a tax payer and a British citizen i want these questions answerd in a court of law."this will never happen" Why is it that we allow Coca Cola stick a massive straw into Africas underground wells and drain it of its much needed water?....i mean this water is then distilled "2 liters" to make one can then sold around the globe at anything from 40p-£2 a can!.."consumers tax"Mmmmmmm i am sure there bigger than any oil company because thinking about it we dont get 4year olds buying petrol do we but they sure as hell drink the stuff and i know in this country its part of every day life....By the way the local people in africa were coca cola are draing there life away charge them $200 a year for accsess to what is rightly theres anyway! Come on people wake up and start asking questions,i know we are moving into a police state and being appressed at every corner but i am sure that i am not the only one out there wanting these answers. Anyway i hope you have enjoyed reading this little ramble of mine but i dont half feel better for getting it of my chest!! :lol: forgive any spelling mistakes. Ive got a bee in my bonnet about the amount of tax that is taken by “our” governments every year. Im am not as well informed as you,so you could shed some light on it!
No matter what it comes back at “i mean the final figure” i bet that not even half is spent back in this country. 70 million people in britain so it would be fair to say that 65% are the work force all paying tax up to 40% for some high earners. Plus consumer tax,petrol,ciggerettes,alcohol,gas,electric the list goes on and on,its endless taxes!
What do “our governments spend it on? Hospitals,roads,local counsils..”ahahahaaa”..my point is that they couldnt possibly spend all of our money in one year on what they say they do!
War!!!…thats were the majority of our money is being spent!..and when were not fighting wars around the world were either spending money funding all sorts of governments in Africa or spend it causing them!
Why isnt there any questions being asked,why wont the government “who we put in place for the people” give out this information to the people?..i want to see why the governments budget for the funding the troops in Iraq and all the missiles that have been fired. “oh by the way while all this is spent on guns,i want to ask why they wont give our soldiers “bullet proof vests”..yet every police officer in this country has a “stab” vest?…by the way how much do the police take to run for a year?because it seems to me as there are more police and cctv cameras in this country than people its self!…and when we need them to work because of terrorism in londons tubes we were told “they were not working” and nither was the cctv on the No30 bus..WHAT????????..as a tax payer and a British citizen i want these questions answerd in a court of law.”this will never happen”
Why is it that we allow Coca Cola stick a massive straw into Africas underground wells and drain it of its much needed water?….i mean this water is then distilled “2 liters” to make one can then sold around the globe at anything from 40p-£2 a can!..”consumers tax”Mmmmmmm i am sure there bigger than any oil company because thinking about it we dont get 4year olds buying petrol do we but they sure as hell drink the stuff and i know in this country its part of every day life….By the way the local people in africa were coca cola are draing there life away charge them $200 a year for accsess to what is rightly theres anyway! Come on people wake up and start asking questions,i know we are moving into a police state and being appressed at every corner but i am sure that i am not the only one out there wanting these answers. Anyway i hope you have enjoyed reading this little ramble of mine but i dont half feel better for getting it of my chest!! :lol:

]]> By: Tax Research LLP http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2007/08/28/never-in-the-field-of-human-saving-has-so-much-been-taken-from-so-many-by-so-few/#comment-158019 Tax Research LLP Tue, 28 Aug 2007 19:55:40 +0000 http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2007/08/28/never-in-the-field-of-human-saving-has-so-much-been-taken-from-so-many-by-so-few/#comment-158019 Wat (or whoever you might be) Yes I do believe these pensions can pay a return. Because I believe returns based on speculation cannot last, but that returns based on real investment in real assets made by real people from which they benefit will provide the returns needed to pass income from one generation to the next. I am wholly unconvinced investment in equities can do that. The reason is obvious: with some exceptions what these companies do is froth, and its open to manipulation because people do not appreciate that. This is not capitalism (with which i do not argue), it is financial speculation. Your error is in assuming they are the same thing. They are not. Richard Wat (or whoever you might be)

Yes I do believe these pensions can pay a return. Because I believe returns based on speculation cannot last, but that returns based on real investment in real assets made by real people from which they benefit will provide the returns needed to pass income from one generation to the next.

I am wholly unconvinced investment in equities can do that. The reason is obvious: with some exceptions what these companies do is froth, and its open to manipulation because people do not appreciate that.

This is not capitalism (with which i do not argue), it is financial speculation. Your error is in assuming they are the same thing. They are not.

Richard

]]> By: Wat Tyler http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2007/08/28/never-in-the-field-of-human-saving-has-so-much-been-taken-from-so-many-by-so-few/#comment-158010 Wat Tyler Tue, 28 Aug 2007 19:43:19 +0000 http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2007/08/28/never-in-the-field-of-human-saving-has-so-much-been-taken-from-so-many-by-so-few/#comment-158010 Richard You are incredibly well informed and I always find your posts interesting and informative. But I never cease to be amazed at some of your conclusions. Do you really think your People's Pensions investments would generate enough return to fund a good retirement? IMHO Britain is incredibly fortunate to have the City (30% of GDP etc). And surely the reason it's so successful is that successive governments have maintained light touch regulation etc. And nobody ever said "ethical" (whatever that is exactly). Of course they're in it for themselves. It's that capitalism thing- the one that's given us today's sky high living standards. The real question here is why pension fund trustees let them get away with any "abuses" (cf Unilever and Merrill). Sue the trustees I say. :mrgreen: PS Your paper on the Corporation Tax gap looks very useful- I'll read it asap. PPS I presume you were behind the FT Corp Tax story- even though the NAO report itself was published 6 weeks ago. Just goes to show hardly anyone reads those reports. I salute your enterprise. Richard

You are incredibly well informed and I always find your posts interesting and informative. But I never cease to be amazed at some of your conclusions.

Do you really think your People’s Pensions investments would generate enough return to fund a good retirement?

IMHO Britain is incredibly fortunate to have the City (30% of GDP etc). And surely the reason it’s so successful is that successive governments have maintained light touch regulation etc.

And nobody ever said “ethical” (whatever that is exactly). Of course they’re in it for themselves. It’s that capitalism thing- the one that’s given us today’s sky high living standards.

The real question here is why pension fund trustees let them get away with any “abuses” (cf Unilever and Merrill).

Sue the trustees I say. :mrgreen:

PS Your paper on the Corporation Tax gap looks very useful- I’ll read it asap.

PPS I presume you were behind the FT Corp Tax story- even though the NAO report itself was published 6 weeks ago. Just goes to show hardly anyone reads those reports. I salute your enterprise.

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