Taxpayers’ Alliance admits director doesn’t pay British tax.
The Guardian has learned that Alexander Heath, a director of the increasingly influential free market, rightwing lobby group, lives in a farmhouse in the Loire and has not paid British tax for years.
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You couldn’t make it up
As Bob and The Guardian point out:
The Guardian has learned that Alexander Heath, a director of the increasingly influential free market, rightwing lobby group, lives in a farmhouse in the Loire and has not paid British tax for years.
As The Guardian t…
I’m not sure why that’s one for the ‘you couldn’t make it up’ pile Bob – he’s fortunate enough to be able to avoid paying British tax but still spends his time campaigning and lobbying on behalf of those of us who can’t?
Even I’d stop short of using the word ‘honourable’ for anyone in the TPA but there’s certainly no hypocrisy or shame to be found there…
Can I join this new Non-Taxpayers Alliance?
Liam, the phrase “mind your own bloody business” springs readily to mind. I promise not to comment on how his tax is spent, if he promises to butt out of mine.
Isn’t the clue in the name though, Liam? One would have thought that to be a member of the taxpayers alliance it would be necessary to be an alliance of…. errrm, how should I put this…. taxpayers?
So you’re opposed to any non-national Amnesty International campaigns then? You’ll only support them on UK issues?
Liam-that is lame, the man is not contributing to the exchequer through choice, yet he wants to influence British govt policy. Sorry Liam, no representation without taxation.
I’m with Bob on this one it’s supposed to be an independent grassroots organisation of TAXPAYERS representing taxpayers interests. It has been caught in a lie, but then the taxpayers alliance is a lie it is a low-tax thatherite organisation whose aim is lower taxes and public spending, if the public wanted higher taxes and more public spending would they change tack, not likely. It is not an organisation merely campaigning against govt waste and calling for taxes to be used in a more effective manner. They are a hard-right thatcherite pressure group that has punched well above its weight and been caught misrepresenting itself from the word go-hypocrites the lot of them.
Liam, there’s a difference. Do you see the ‘international’ word in the AI title? That tells you that they are an, errrm, ‘international’ organisation. Is the Taxpayers Alliance the International Taxpayers Alliance? No, it is a British Taxpayers Alliance – although one of its founders, the delightful Florence Heath makes her money out of Gaddafi’s oil – with specific aims around Britain.
You are making yourself look foolish defending this man, Liam, and as you are not a fool, drop it.
Bono does not pay UK taxes but he is constantly telling us how we should spend them.
The argument shouldn’t hinge on the semantics of the name Bob. You said:
“the phrase “mind your own bloody business” springs readily to mind. I promise not to comment on how his tax is spent, if he promises to butt out of mine”
…but I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t subscribe to..
“the phrase “mind your own bloody business” springs readily to mind. I promise not to comment on their human rights if they promises to butt out of mine”
And quite right to because injustice is injustice – there needn’t be any connection between it and the person pointing it out. In the Guardian article Jon Cruddas is quoted saying:
“The least we can expect for an organisation that purports to represent the interests of British taxpayers is that it is run by people that pay British tax”
Eh! Swap the word criminals for taxpayers and the logic of that sentence becomes clear. Beyond that anyway we’re focussing on one individual in the whole organisation.
On my own blog I’ve pointed out some of the flaws of the TPA and why I think they should be challenged more vigouroulsy; I want to see their more ludicrous claims under scrutiny and I want their influence kept in check.
But you do that by engaging with the substance of what they say, by looking at the detail and pointing out the flaws. When it’s done by reference to their donors or tax affairs then you all but concede the validity of everything else.
As I understand it the Taxpayer’s Alliance is against teh high level of taxation so of course he would move abroad if he can. Wise fella’, I might join.
Oh dear, I find myself agreeing with Mr. O’Keefe, er, but perhaps not in the way he expects. He writes: “no representation without taxation”, so we can boot all those council estate scroungers living on benfits off the electoral roll – hoorah!
As for the author of this:
“Can I join this new Non-Taxpayers Alliance?”
May I remind him that he paid no tax for what, 20 years, was it? Instead, he lived on our taxes.
Fred… your point being what, exactly? Other than the fact that Bono is also a nob… but where does that take us?
Liam… you just don’t seem to get it. An “alliance” of “taxpayers”… try repeating it and see if you can work out where this bloke doesn’t quite fit in.
Duffy… are you saying people who live on council estates don’t pay VAT? I find that difficult to believe… but I suspect you haven’t visited one for such a long time… (sits back and waits for Duffy’s outraged rant about how you can’t teach him nothing about poverty because he was dragged up in one-parent family whilst living in a shoe box and eating the waste bits between his toes for sustenance)
And very nourishing they were, too!
Duff, I am currently unemployed but I do want to contribute to the exchequer…Oh wait I do. Its called VAT. I have been unemployed for two years and I have still paid more in tax than a director of the taxpayers alliance. Looks like us chavs are entitled to that vote after all.
I’m surprised that people are having trouble grasping this concept.
The Tax Payers Alliance is a group of British Taxpayers who campaign for value for money for their Tax payments.
Now, the very leader of that group has absolutely no interest in that cause as he doesn’t pay tax as he is not a British Taxpayer, he’s a French taxpayer.
Bob you have my sympathies. Thank god I don’t run a blog with all the eejets around.
David O’Keefe said:
October 10, 2009 1:42 PM | permalink
Sorry Liam, no representation without taxation.
David – I think we could all make common cause on this principle.
The TPA is just another front organisation for the Conservative Party – there is a huge cross-over in membership between them and the Midlands Industrial Council.
The Tories seem to be relying an awful lot on non-UK taxpayers – the TPA, Lord Ashcroft, Guido Fawkes, Rupert Murdoch….
Duff, you really are grasping here. It’s just as hypocritical as people who emigrate from the UK and spend all their time moaning about people who’ve emigrated to the UK.
Apparently taxes are higher in France than in the UK, so why is he spending all his energy on our taxes? Surely he’s got enough problems with the superior French healthcare system and transport infrastructure imposing on his ‘Englishman in Provence’ idyll.
I am a UK taxpayer. I’ve even paid tax at the higher rate. I’m disappointed enough at the TPA’s rubbish and don’t really want them purporting to represent me. Now that it turns out that Heath hasn’t paid UK tax for years, I suggest it’s time for everyone to ignore the duplicitous gits.
Why can’t they just be honest and call themselves ‘Tories for Unemployment’
David Duff: If I paid no tax for 25 years what was that extra charge for my tobacco called if it wasn’t purchase tax?
I think I understand the argument better than most.
Just because the Conservatives have a Leader in Europe who was a ‘former’ Neo Nazi, doesn’t mean that the Conservatives are closet Neo Nazis.
…and just because a leader of the Tax Payers Alliance doesn’t pay tax, doesn’t mean that all Conservatives don’t pay tax (even in Belize where our ‘heart is’).
I am, however, a bit worried that the Tories are led by ex-Neo Nazis and non- Taxpayers in the UK.
And they have the gall to critisise us in Labour who are LOYAL to our Queen and Country, despise Nazis of any ilk and pay our taxes on demand!