Cornwall_Saint

Because who exactly is profiting? Are we as individuals profiting, or is it those such as the tabloids you mention who are profiting? If the money we spunk on the royal family was instead used to help those in dire need, we could help pull so many out of poverty. Whether that be through funding for education to give themselves better future prospects, to things like more funding for winter fuel allowance, the millions spent on this one family could directly do so much more for those in need.

Nobody is downplaying benefit fraud here. Everyone is in agreement it is wrong and should be stopped. The reason tax avoidance is being brought into discussion is because many of us are in agreement that the poor get targeted for financial fraud while the rich have a legal route to commit their own fraud. We are merely pointing out that both should be targeted, not just the poor. You ask me what my problem with it is. That’s a fair enough question and I will do my best to answer it. Ill go back to the Lewis Hamilton one that I remember best. The man in question registered a private jet in the Isle of Man. By doing this instead of registering it in the UK, he has saved £3.4m because the jet is not taxed if registered on the IoM. I’d say that’s fine, presuming he regularly visits the IoM. But that jet has been on the IoM just once - the day it was registered. This is a clear, obvious sign that the only reason he registered the jet on the IoM was down to avoiding the tax payment on the jet. The simple fact is, the man is a multi-millionaire. If you can afford to buy your own private jet, you can afford to pay £3.4m into our treasury. In his case, he is perfectly happy and fine to represent Britain in his sport, but unwilling to pay his fair share for our services and all the government funds. He is just one example. Many others have done similar. Many funnel their money into offshore tax havens. There is millions, probably billions of pounds worth that we have missed out on due to these legal schemes. The problem I personally have with this is that these people can easily afford to pay that amount of tax - they are minted and loaded. Many of us have our earnings taxed before we see the money - these guys see the money, hide it and then get taxed. This is not equality. It is literally one rule for the rich, and a different rule for the rest of us peasants. The problem with this actually being legal is that it just gives the rich a bigger incentive to avoid paying their way. There is so much money we are missing out on that could be used to fund schools, hospitals. It could fund so many tuition fees, giving the rest of the UK what Scotland has - a total right to education, not one that is based on your bank account. I think I read recently that nurses end up £35,000 in debt. It was £50,000 but the Tories have kindly offered to reduce that, ignoring the fact they ended bursaries in the first place that lead to nurses ending up with debt. I don’t mean to stray off, but for me it is appalling that we continue to allow this legal habit just to keep the rich happy, especially when we had to endure 9 years of austerity and cuts. If the financial situation was that bad, then why the hell weren’t we clamping down on getting the masses of money we haven’t been receiving? Cuts, cuts, cuts, but yet they were allowed to continue this tax avoiding lifestyle. That’s why others and I have a problem with it.

Exact reason I never attended away games to either of the bigots. Away days were always a decent day out, something different from your average home game. However, as you say, the bigot grounds was “enduring” rather than “enjoying” due to the hostility received there. I opted to go and watch Partick Thistle on those days instead.

Saints 1-0 Scummy Green Vile Bigots Goal comes off Danny Mullen’s knee Referee never sees an SPL match again after failing to give a penalty when a Celtic player slips in the box because the grass fouled him. Hladky plays a blinder in one of his final Saints games as his performance secures a move to Levski Sofia for 350K.

What are your thoughts on the idea of closing the loopholes that allow the very rich to get away with paying on tax? The quote on the bottom of this post by Slarti is what we are getting at here. We don’t support benefit fraud, we despise it just like you do. I think it is fair to think that the rich using these loopholes, while legal, is no different to those cheating the benefits system. We are currently allowing one group away with something while punishing another group for an equivalent offence. I would like to know whether you think these legal loopholes should be closed off, or if you think they should remain open. I’m sure the racist right wing press also spouted pish about having to use less powerful kettles and hoovers.

At least we didny lose

Even if it was “profitable” to have them, it is really justifiable to pay one family millions upon millions of pounds for no real reason apart from birth line while many normal families are choosing between heating and eating?

Precisely. There are indeed many who currently vote SNP purely for the independence push, and will abandon them afterwards. I’ve seen a fair number say they’ll immediately switch to the Scottish Greens once independence is secured. I do think the SNP have a decent record and can’t see any major improvement being made under a different party, but I do understand the need to vote SNP purely for independence reasons and I get that a chunk of their vote share will drop when that day comes and Scotland is finally free.

I would have replied to this but Slarti and TPAF have covered what I would have said.

I’ve seen that abomination of a video before. Fantastic advert against both being a Sevco fan and a unionist. Couldn't help but find it hilarious about the guy with the Div 2 champions t-Shirt, I’d be too embarrassed to wear one if our club ever fell to such a level.

I find the addition of Zac Goldsmith both to the House of Lords and Cabinet highly concerning. Rejected as Mayor of London, and rejected twice in three attempts by the people of Richmond Park, this man should be nowhere near the government cabinet. By making this happen it makes Johnson’s so called “respecting democracy” a pisstake, and is if anything the signs of Johnson dictating his own policies - something no Prime Minister should be allowed to do freely. I’ve said for a long time the House of Lords needs abolished. It allows the Tories, Labour and Lib Dem to have extra influence in politics, while also allowing party donors and other rich people their own say ahead of everyone else’s. Hereditary peers is worse still, and allowing religious influence with bishops also sitting is not a positive - religion should stay out of politics. Add to that the ridiculous £300 clock in payment, while many have suffered from austerity the Lords, who are pretty much minted already, rake in more for clocking in for ten minutes than many low paid workers do in a week. Goldsmith becoming Environment Minister after failing most of his major elections - that’s Boris saying a big f**k you to our democracy.

Presuming they haven’t lost their legs due to a life debilitating illness, they are sound of mind and otherwise fully able, then yes I’d expect them to be able to get a job. I would also support them getting extra benefits too though, for help to cover things they may need like hoists and whatever else they may require that is specific to their needs. I would also suggest that if they need help for housing, the council would do their utmost to find them a bungalow. I do not mind seeing my tax money help those who are unfortunate enough to not be fully able bodied, that’s why I’d support them having extra help. But to answer your question, yes many of them certainly can and are capable of getting jobs. Yes, if able to, I’d like to see them in the workplace. And indeed, some already are. Aye sorry, I meant the DWP. Either way the government have a say over both, but aye you are correct.

I do agree there is a problem. I just have a major dislike of how the problem has been “solved”. In fairness you did use the phrase “rotting at home” 😛 Benefit fraud does need to be stopped where possible. I’ll say this though - HMRC spend more time clamping down on unemployed Joe wrongfully claiming an extra £57 on his benefits each month, than clamping down on the tax evading millionaires, celebs and other rich folk. The government should be closing all of these loopholes. For instance, the loophole that allowed Lewis Hamilton to register his private jet on the Isle of Man denied the UK treasury £3.4m. How many dodgy benefit claiming unemployed Joes would you have to catch and find to equal that amount of money? Please don’t assume I’m saying that we shouldn’t clamp down on the benefit cheats - of course we should. 100% without question. Also don’t assume I’m singling out Lewis Hamilton - his is the example I remember best, but there are many, many others who have acted in similar ways. The point I’m making is that our society is a joke when it’s always mentioned we need to clamp down on the dodgy benefit claimants because the welfare bill is too high, while at the same time watching us miss out on billions of pounds because the government refuse to deal with high level tax dodging. These loopholes could be so simple to close, and would bring in huge sums of money, more than we can ever get from billing unemployed Joe and his mates £5,000 each for their benefit overpayments.

I don’t see anything wrong with what Mr Bonnar is doing. Why in the 21st century, do we still have a royal family taking huge sums of our tax revenue whilst we endure a period of austerity which has shafted those with the least money? Well done Stephen Bonnar.

I still have a problem with the “number is too high so extreme action needs taken” line. The Work Capability Assessments are ridiculous, inhumane and not even carried out by medical specialists. There is more than either working or “rotting at home”. There are many disability centres set up to occupy them with their day (while also acting as a sort of respect for those who may have to look after them).

I know that’s his aim but it is a bit rich either way from anyone who follows SYL or Hatie. I agree with much of what you say here.

This is the issue many of us have against the Tories - the suffering of the innocent is not worth any price. Coming from the guy who fawns over Stephen Yaxley-Lennon and Katie Hopkins 😂 Do you disagree with me, and believe that the disabled are not being shafted by the Tories?

Tories continue to shaft the disabled

Fair play to Broxburn, that is absolutely fantastic.

Let’s try and get ourselves more than two fullbacks before talking about getting rid of the current ones. Our defence is bare enough...

Some rumours are saying he’s joining Everton’s backroom staff, which would probably mean he wasn’t actually sacked.

The problem with the overcompensated claims is that many genuine people have suffered heavily, and in extreme cases this has even led to suicides. I do agree that none should have been out of jail. Indeed a customer of mine today told me that someone who lived near her was a convicted murderer - I’ll spare the details but it was pretty gruesome and he was only given 14 years. I will say though that it’s comical of the Tories to claim right before the election the early release laws need to be clamped down on when they’ve had 9 years to force a clampdown.

I know that not everyone on PIP is unable to work - I work alongside some people who are indeed PIP claimants. Cuts to PIP Cuts to PIP2 Cuts to PIP - The MS 20 metre rule I admire the rant on ex-cons (and as I said the majority are indeed blameful for their own troubles) but mentioning London Bridge - wasn't one of the guys who stopped the assailant an ex-murderer himself? I won’t disagree on the long term disability - if they want to work then I agree, help them do it. Each case is individual. I understand it’s a small minority of people, but I believe the numbers are higher than you think. I was guilty of this myself until recently. The job I’m in now had opened my eyes massively to the scale of it, and it’s not even really the main part of the job itself.

In many cases, the disabled. When I say disabled, I mean the ones who physically cannot work due to their condition. PIP cuts - these people have no other means of increasing their income. Bedroom Tax - In many cases some of these people require an extra bedroom. So as a result they suffer financially. (Except for Scotland thanks to the Scottish government). Indeed this is applicable to many others too who cannot move house or may need the spare room for whatever reason. Ex-criminals - Granted in some cases it’s their own fault. For others they were just young and stupid at the time. In some cases, it may have been an accident, knocking someone over while driving, a punch up that ended up in manslaughter. The thing is, many employers take one look at your record and if there’s history you’re buggered. As I say in some cases it’s their own fault, I most certainly won’t defend most of them, but occasionally in others it was unfortunate. Lifelong illnesses - perhaps same category as disabled, but those receiving treatment for cancer, dialysis and so on can’t exactly commit to working full time. Some may be able to use a special talent to garner some extra income (my own friend who died last year loved his photography and used it to his advantage), but often they are stuck with what they are given, and if it isn’t enough then tough, they have to accept that. Numbers wise? Yeah it’s a minority, of course. I don’t see that as fine though, minority or not, they deserve to be treated better.

This article doesn’t give either of us a definite answer but it’s an interesting read nonetheless. According to this source, there were around 168,000 people on a zero hours contract in 2010. The 2019 figure is 896,000. That is an astronomical increase, and I don’t see it as a positive. I don’t disagree with your last point - some (but not all) of us do have the opportunity to better things for ourselves.