No Gongs for Tax Avoidance

[#1]

The Times is reporting that HMRC are blocking anyone suspected of tax avoidance from receiving Honours.

This could explain why someone such as David Beckham has missed out on a knighthood.

Honours Blocked

[#2]

There are more "worthy" people, than the Beckhams, or the "Beckham Set"... deserving of recognition. so I won`t be shedding any tears for them not getting a knighthood.

[#3]

@artmo - The title surely should be '... Tax Avoidance' and not '... Tax Fraud', as the former is legal and the latter illegal. :wink:

Edit:- Corrected terminology. @DaveyH

[#4]

Rather misleading thread title.

Given "Avoidance schemes" are legal (albeit immoral/questionable imo), there is no "fraud"

[#5]

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@Anonymous wrote:

@artmo - The title surely should be '... Tax Evasion' and not '... Tax Fraud', as the former is legal and the latter illegal. :wink:

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Avoidance! Evasion is illegal, avoidance isn't...

[#6]

@Anonymous I accept your comment and altered the title accordingly.

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[#7]

And what have governments of both 'colours' done about these legal schemes?  That's right, absolutely nothing at all.  Would it be cynical to suggest that it might just be possible that some of their largest party donors use them?

There is a story about a famous actor's son approaching Mrs Thatcher at some gathering and asking her why his father hadn't been knighted.  Her answer was reported to be, "And when did he last pay tax in the UK?"

I notice Lewis Hamilton is only a lowly MBE (normally reserved for dinner ladies with several decades of service).  Perhaps if he hadn't gone to live in Switzerland 'because of the weather' he might have been awarded something more substantial.