Treasury minister David Gauke said it was "morally wrong" to pay plumbers cash-in-hand. Photograph: Getty Images.
With his declaration that it is “morally wrong” to pay tradesmen “cash-in-hand”, Treasury minister David Gauke has managed to antagonise both the left and the right. For the left, Gauke’s comments are a cynical attempt to distract attention from wealthy tax avoiders, for the right they are an illegitimate attempt to enforce morality.
Here’s the offending statement in full:
‘Getting a discount with your plumber by paying cash in hand is something that is a big cost to the Revenue and means others have to pay more in tax. I think it is morally wrong. It is illegal for the plumber but it is pretty implicit in those circumstances that there is a reason why there is a discount for cash. That is a large part of the hidden economy.’
Ignore for the moment that Gauke is a minister in a government that immorally reduced taxes for the richest, and it is hard to take issue with his comments. Either tax avoidance is morally wrong or it isn’t. The difference between paying a plumber cash-in-hand and placing your earnings in a limited company (as Ken Livingstone did), is one of degree, not kind. One can argue, as some on the right do, that “tax efficiency” is neither illegal nor immoral, but that isn’t the left’s position.
What has already become clear this morning is that Gauke was the wrong person to deliver this message. As Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, he is a member of a government that, at a time of austerity, has raised taxes on the poorest, while reducing them for the richest, and that has done all too little to combat prolific avoiders. The discovery that Gauke’s wife is a tax avoidance lawyer, leaves him further exposed. Most voters will see his comments as further evidence that the “out-of-touch” Tories are determined to squeeze the little guy. First they came for you pasty, now they come for your plumber. The Treasury has already issued a clarification, stating that Gauke was answering a specific question, not outlining government policy. But with his comments now the subject of countless phone-in debates, the damage has already been done.
What a weasel! ~ Black Triangle
Occupy News Network writes:
SHAME ON GAUKE!
David Gauke MP claimed £10,248.32 expenses back from taxpayers to avoid paying the stamp duty and fees involved in the purchase of his home in London.
Not only is that in his own words “morally repugnant”, it is beyond hypocritical to lecture others against doing what he himself did.
It is shameless!
6 Responses
Little shite needs a good slapping IMHO!
To compound the insult the BBC tonight aired a story in National news, and published a serise of stories on this topic on its website, its facebook post of this story was removed when comments pointed out that the BBC itself has its own ‘Tax Avoidance sheme’ where it forces its employees to setup ‘service companies’ thus removing the need to pay 41% Income Tax and NI contributions for its ‘stars’ as reported by the Daily wail.The daily wail story has since been removed also by the gist is represented Here :
http://atosvictimsgroup.co.uk/2012/07/23/bbc-tells-stars-to-dodge-tax-workers-face-the-ultimatum-go-off-the-books-or-face-the-sack/
Some 3000 bbc employees are thought to be involved. I have today writen to the BBC suggesting that it is inappropriate for them to be seen to take the moral highground on this matter given their own complicity in Tax avoidance.
It goes without saying the I personally agree with the writer of this article on Gauke, it is totally hypocritical of him AND any other Tory MP to take this attitude, do they think we were all born yesterday? Clearly this government has shown itself to be hypocritical and morally corrupt when £16 Billion, as sum which would go a very long way to reducing the deficit, is sequentered in Tax shelters out of reach of the exchequer, while the sick and the disabled, the unemployed and the low waged are made to pay the brunt of cuts.
cant say much more as tim says it how they can screw us but if we do it iyts morally wrong cant fault them in their attitute to us the poor who daily miss meals so that they live life of the hog jeff3
I Believe a Resignation in Disgrace is in Order
The Arrogance of Politicians is Diabolical and In Sufferable
Redistribution of Wealth from Rich to Poor is Long Long Overdue
Scrap MPS Expenses and Scrap the Westminster Parliament of Politicians Privilege
Better to Increase on Welfare Spending to Help the Poor than Waste Billions of
Pounds Sterling upon Warmongering in Afghanistan and Nuclear Weapons
Wake UP UK Now !
Not only was this wheeled out to try and distract from the disgraceful news of £13 trillion being stuffed away in tax havens and to dampen down reactions to the Coulson et. al. arrest and charge but WHEN DID CASH BECOME ILLEGAL TENDER. Often it is cheaper and easier to pay cash to trade, it saves on bank charges and gives the trade cash ready access to equipment, tools and supplies. This is another bank story, they want us all to live in a cashless society, paying rediculous charges for their non-service, where they can more easily take to their advantage but not ours. I will continue using cash, I am more in control that way, whatever I pay my debt has been wiped, what the trade does on his tax returns is beyond my control and is NOT my RESPONSIBILITY. When these people that rule over us decide to close up all loop holes in tax law is the only time I will consider taking advice and not before. Whether I heed it, is another matter.
The arrogance of the Tories is their Achiles heel. I just love to see them trip up this way!
May they continue to dig their own graves with such poppycock.