I used to like Jimmy Carr

[Brio]

But after this mornings comments from him I think I really like him.

[bochetagrave]

I think he knew what he was doing..

[bertie]

I find it all a bit taxing

[fretmeister]

He's being made a scape goat.

He did nothing illegal.

The entire twisty turny badly drawn tax system is at fault. Usually by civil servants who have done their best to make sure their best mate can wiggle out.

Time for a single flat rate. Then everyone pays the same percentage of their income. I suspect a properly enforced single flat rate would actually increase tax revenue.

After all under Jimmy's K2 scheme Earnings of £280,000 would only cause £3500 tax payment rather than £127,000. (Figures from The Times).

[Emperor Fabulous]

It's a bit rich the leader of the government that has poured bazillions into various illegal wars, had half of it's MPs on the fiddle and the leader of the party that receives huge contributions from one of the biggest tax dodgers in the world, lecturing Jimmy Carr for trying to legally minimise the amount of tax he pays.

I can't believe Cameron's got the balls to say it even !

Actually, I can't believe he's got any balls at all.

He really is a slimy knobber isn't he. (Cameron, not Carr !)

[Sporky_McGuffin]

I did enjoy Cameron's bumbling mock-outrage.

"People save up what little money they have left from their wages after we've ravaged them with tax, and spend it on going to see his shows (paying more tax on the ticket), and then he doesn't pay yet more tax on it - that's just not fair or right! We deserve to have that money to fritter away on duck ponds and shit IT systems and daft wars!"

[Pendragon]

I don't see what the fuss is about. Jimmy Carr has only done what anyone else would do - who is going to pay the top rate of tax if there's a legal means of avoiding doing so? [The Rolling Stones, and others, left the UK in the early 70's because of the extortionate taxation rate levied on their earnings].

The UK's taxation system needs to be overhauled and the attitude of,'those who earn more should pay more', needs rethinking. I find it demotivating and demoralising for those who study and work hard to develop their career who then find a significant portion (40%) of their income is taken in tax to help support some ne'er-do-well who has never done an honest day's work in his/her life.

Also, UK politics has historically revealed a plethora of corruption, sleaze and illegal, immoral financial dealings within the ranks and governments of the day,so who are they to criticise and judge others. This is the pinnacle of hypocrisy.

I don't think Jimmy Carr has anything to apologise, or show remorse, for.

[ICBM]

The cause of all this is the nonsensically overcomplicated tax system, which was set up for the benefit of the rich - the only people who can afford personal accountants to advise them about avoidance like this - and the civil service that has to administer it.

While I don't agree with a completely flat rate, it's time to get rid of all the unnecessary loopholes and tax breaks, and make those who can afford it simply pay up. There is just no reason for any of it other than to allow the rich to pay less tax than they should.


That said, I never liked Jimmy Carr. But he seems to have done something useful now...

[Pendragon]

Time for a single flat rate. Then everyone pays the same percentage of their income. I suspect a properly enforced single flat rate would actually increase tax revenue.

This gets my vote

[GAZTOPIA]

I wonder how many rich, millionaire Tory donors** the PM is going to condem along with Jimmy Carr.

And if i could avoid paying less tax on my modest income then i certainly would. Good on him - its totally legal and he's doing nothing wrong. Why don't politicians see the irony in lecturing other people about morals?

**Edit - i mean the ones employing similar tax-avoidence methods as Carr, obviously.