Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

Tories all run off now Fred that we have put the boot in.

From Bob Crow's brother:

"CockneyRebel
11 Mar'14 - 15:26 - 167611 of 167612 5 0


Thanks for all the kind comments today.

We disagreed on politics and footy but were brothers alike in many ways. We both hate injustice, two face politicians and seeing the underdog being trodden on but had different views on how that was best resolved. We shared a great sense of humour, irony and scepticism.

We both suffered in our way from supporting diverse London Clubs - I think at least with Millwall the expectations were less and so the disappointment were more sufferable.

Not a nasty streak in his body no matter how abrupt or tough he may have looked on the TV - if someone needed help he'd be the first to step up no mater what your belief, race or colour.

Puts life in perspective - remember it' only money - the wealthiest bloke is he with good health.

Thanks all.

CR"

sticky - i've been in london all day .... but here you are .....

you say "He as much right as anyone else."
absolutely so, but then everyone also has the right to take measures to avoid paying tax (probably the best analogy), to put their children through private education (frees up spaces in quality state schools) or to use private health care (frees up beds in nhs) ..... but you get very hot under the collar about all of those

you can wriggle and squirm, as i am sure you will, but there really is no difference at all

There are Lab politicians and supporters who avoid tax. There are LabMPs who use private education and private medical care. It is what people do if they can afford it.

Have you lot got nothing else to debate except blinkin' politics ?....really !....what a bunch of bores !...Bob Crow's death suspicious perhaps ?....possibly...

RF - i rarely join the soapbox mob, but thought i'ld toss a pebble into the pond

Cynic...keep up the good work...otherwise this thread will sink...

sometimes i wish it would
it certainly gets overloaded with a load of crap and blather

I see Cheryl Tweedy or is it Cole ?..(can't tell these days but I'm told I'm old fashioned...) is back for ze X Factor....I always think that she looks a bit like "The French Lieutenant's Woman"....in all the pictures...photographs I see of her all over the place...

Bob Crow's death suspicious perhaps ?....possibly...

R F

Nothing suspicious about it , why should it be ?

You don't like current affairs...fair enough.

But do you really think Cheryl is a suitable subject for serious discussion?



really?

Which particular part of Cheryl Cole?

Just that Bob Crow has been in the news a lot....and now is no longer with us......euhhh...not sure how to answer the rest...

I just love the first sentence.

http://news.sky.com/story/1224347/ed-miliband-to-make-eu-referendum-pledge

Ed Miliband has outlined a new Labour policy on the EU, which would guarantee an In/Out referendum, but only in circumstances the Labour leader describes as "unlikely".

Labour have been under pressure to address the referendum question from the moment David Cameron promised that a Conservative government would offer the British people a vote in 2017.

The opposition will hope their new position is robust enough to withstand an onslaught from the Tories this side of the election and beyond.

Mr Miliband, writing in the Financial Times ahead of a speech on Wednesday, lays out an "agenda for change" in Europe, pledging: "We strongly believe Britain's future is in the EU."

Among his proposals is to extend transitional arrangements for countries joining the EU "so that citizens have to wait longer before gaining rights to work here".

"There should be reforms to rules allowing people to claim child benefit of child tax credit when their children live abroad," he argues.

The key initiative from the Labour leader is what he calls a "new lock: there would be no transfer of powers from the UK to the EU without a referendum on our continued membership of the EU".

However, he points out there are no current proposals for such a transfer of powers. "It is unlikely there will be any such proposals in the next parliament."

The Labour leader views a referendum as an unattractive, as well as an unlikely option.

The Conservative position is in certain respects just as bedevilled as Labour's with caveats, ifs, buts and hypotheses.

But it is clear in its guarantee of a 2017 vote, no matter what.

On that basis, it is certain the Tories will accuse Mr Miliband of retreating to the fence on Europe. It is an attack he will have anticipated, and he will now spend months and indeed years trying to repel it.

I do like a Manuel.

The dwarf of tolerance.

You would do well in in the soviet union, or any fascist state, as a low grade commissary in charge of promoting state propaganda and suppressing any views different to the states or yours.

As said before, if you don't like the content of the thread, start your own.

Your constant bleating against the views of others which are disagreeable to you is a bit like yourself, repetitive and boring!

=========

Absolutely Fred.

they dont like it up em.

More breaking scandal in the Daily Mirror this evening about this rotten government.

The monthly ICM poll for the Guardian is out tonight with topline figures of CON 35%(+1), LAB 38%(nc), LDEM 12%(+2), UKIP 9%(-2). There is little change in Conservative and Labour support (though perhaps worth noting that the Tory score is the highest ICM have shown since last July) and the Lib Dems get back to a more typical ICM score after their unusual 10 point figure a month ago.

ICM also asked who people blamed for “Britain’s recent economic difficulties and the ongoing cutbacks in government spending”. 32% blamed debts racked up by the last Labour government, 16% blamed the coalition’s economic management, 20% the banks, 14% the troubles in the Eurozone.

Meanwhile yesterday’s twice weekly Populus poll had topline figures of CON 34%, LAB 38%, LDEM 9%, UKIP 12% (tabs here) and this morning’s YouGov/Sun poll had figures of CON 32%, LAB 39%, LDEM 8%, UKIP 13% (tabs here.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/mar/11/lib-dems-recover-third-place-ukip-guardian-icm-poll

In the run-up to next week's budget, the Conservatives retain a commanding lead on the economic "blame game" and appear to be containing the Ukip insurgency, according to a Guardian/ICM poll.

Westminster voting intentions have changed little over the last month, with Labour still ahead on 38% and the Conservatives creeping up one point to 35%, narrowing Ed Miliband's lead to just three points. But Ukip, which has had exceptional exposure in the run-up to May's European elections, not all of it flattering, has dropped back two points to 9%.

As Nick Clegg prepares to engage in a TV debate with Nigel Farage, the Lib Dems have clawed back two points from their 16-year low in February's Guardian/ICM poll. Clegg's party's rise to 12% has pushed Farage's party back into fourth place

Millionaire Tory Philip Hammond's £200 a month 'tax dodge' - See video as our man confronts him
Mar 11, 2014 22:00

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond is worth around £8m but avoids tax after transferring property as a "gift" to his wife

He is already one of the wealthiest members of the Cabinet with an estimated £8million fortune on top of the £134,565 a year salary he gets as a minister and MP.

But the Mirror can reveal that Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has also managed to save himself a few bob – by making an expensive “gift” to his wife Susan.

He has avoided thousand of pounds in tax after transferring his share of a £600,000 buy-to-let property to Mrs Hammond almost two years ago.

But when the Mirror questioned him about the large detached cottage in leafy Surrey the top Tory snapped: “What has it got to do with you?”

Asked if he signed it over to his wife to avoid paying tax, he replied, “Of course not”, before being whisked off in his ministerial limousine.

Switching ownership of the cottage is not illegal. But it may raise eyebrows at a time when tens of thousands of servicemen and women are losing their jobs due to Government cuts.

Mr Hammond’s spokesman later confirmed that Mrs Hammond was now responsible for paying all tax on the rent from the property.

But he refused to confirm how much she earned last year or how much the arrangement had saved the couple in tax, saying she was a “private individual”. Unless Mrs Hammond is a higher rate taxpayer, the move could save the couple £200 a month in tax.

Later yesterday Mr Hammond issued a statement denying that he gave the property to his wife to stay out of the top tax rate, which hits anyone earning more than £150,000 a year.

He said: “The distribution of property assets within a marriage is a private matter. However, the suggestion that the gift of my share in this property to my wife was designed to avoid the 50% tax rate on rental income is incorrect.”

Paul Kenny, general secretary of the GMB union said last night: “This is an underhand trick. He should do the decent thing and put the property back into his own name and pay his taxes.”

MP John Mann stormed: “It’s plain hypocrisy. Ministers are expecting other people to pay to full taxes.

“People will be horrified. They do not play these kind of tricks and they do not expect to see Government ministers doing it.”

Legal tax avoidance and illegal tax evasion is costing the Treasury around £35billiion a year.

Expert Paul Brammall of Gabelle Tax said: “If a husband gives his half of a buy-to-let property to his wife then the wife becomes responsible for all the tax on the rent. But it has to be a gift of the entire beneficial ownership and the husband has to give up all future rights over the property otherwise HM Revenue and Customs could challenge the arrangement.”

Mr Hammond, 58, tipped as a possible successor to David Cameron as PM , has built up the most valuable property portfolio in the Cabinet. The buy-to-let cottage, next door to his main constituency home, was bought mortgage-free in 2005 for £315,000 and registered with the Land Registry four years later.

According to property valuation website Mouseprice, it is now worth £584,500 and similar houses in the area cost up to £2,000 a month to rent. At first the property was owned jointly between Mr Hammond and his wife and the MP’s latest register of interests states that the pair still co-own it.

But Land registry records reveal that Susan took over sole ownership in April 2012. This could save the couple £2,400 a year in tax, unless Mrs Hammond’s other earnings push her into the higher 40% tax rate.

The transfer took place seven months after the taxpayer stopped picking up the tab for mortgage costs at the couple’s £3.3m London townhouse.

Mr Hammond had been claiming up to £24,000 a year in expenses from the taxpayer to cover the mortgage interest payments on the London property.

He continued to claim until September 2011 before new rules banned MPs from claiming mortgage costs in the wake of the expenses scandal.

Last week, the Mirror revealed that Mr Hammond is one of several ministers who have made more money since the election from watching their properties rise in value than they have from their generous ministerial salaries.



http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/millionaire-tory-philip-hammonds-200-3231876#ixzz2vi0hIrQy
Follow us: @DailyMirror on Twitter | DailyMirror on Facebook

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/millionaire-tory-philip-hammonds-200-3231876

Paul Kenny, general secretary of the GMB union said last night: “This is an underhand trick. He should do the decent thing and put the property back into his own name and pay his taxes.”

MP John Mann stormed: “It’s plain hypocrisy. Ministers are expecting other people to pay to full taxes.

“People will be horrified. They do not play these kind of tricks and they do not expect to see Government ministers doing it.”