Guardian newspaper, loudest critic of tax avoidance - shown to be avoiding tax

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://conservativehome.blogs.com/le...ffice-not.html
http://order-order.com/page/3/

Polly Toynbee leads Topshop protesters on to picket Guardian office. (Not.)

Polly Toynbee, prominent Guardian journalist leading protest against TopShops tax avoidance

According to Guido Fawkes/Paul Staines, who has today issued a blast of the trumpet against the monstrous regiment of looters, the Guardian isn't averse itself to tax avoidance (which of course, unlike tax evasion, is perfectly legal) - see here, here and here.

The man in the basement with a match, a matchbox, a fuse, and limitless supply of gunpowder writes -

"The Telegraph quoted Grant Thornton’s senior tax partner Mike Warburton saying: “Guardian Media Group has enjoyed a tax holiday courtesy of some very helpful rules introduced by their friend Gordon Brown. They are taking full advantage of the relief legally available to them, which all businesses should do. That’s fine, but don’t knock people who do exactly the same.”

Thornton was right - doubly. Right to say that there can be no reasonable objection to a newspaper planning its tax affairs rationally (whether or not it is owned, as the Guardian is, by a trust originally set up for the same purpose). And right again to suggest that those in glass houses, etc.

Which is why Polly Toynbee doubtless marched today's Topshop protestors on towards King's Place...

Polly and the Guardian newspaper group often bang on about the Tories allowing the likes of TopShop and other corporations such as Vodafone to be let off from paying tax like the rest of us. Now fair play you may say, I agree - the difference is that the Guardian group itself is at the same game - double standards yet again not to mention the fact we never heard a peep when Labour were in office concerning this issue.

Suprisingly enough (and I know Labour supporters on here have read this stuff from the Guardian) I remember when discussing the cuts and tuition fee rises, we got the usual 'well why don't the government collect these missing tax payments and it'll lessen the impact of the cuts' - again, a fair point but nobody (including the Guardian itself) dared say that when Labour was in office and also allowed these corporations to dodge tax.

So yes, take what they say/claim to believe in with a pinch of salt.

Thoughts?

[GommeInc]

How frustrating. It would of been perfect if someone noticed the lack of discussions about tax when the student tuition fees were being discussed, because someone would probably of noticed a lack of response by the papers, becuase when you look back at the arguments, there were no mentions of tax. The Government, and so many companies involved, are so corrupt lately. Is there any news on how long they have been avoiding paying tax?

[-:Undertaker:-]

How frustrating. It would of been perfect if someone noticed the lack of discussions about tax when the student tuition fees were being discussed, because someone would probably of noticed a lack of response by the papers, becuase when you look back at the arguments, there were no mentions of tax. The Government, and so many companies involved, are so corrupt lately. Is there any news on how long they have been avoiding paying tax?

The Guardian was very vocal on the subject in order to paint a picture of 'rich Tories & their mates', quilst ignoring the fact that the paper itself is just as bad as the corporations which it rabidly attacked. I remember it on this forum and the debate raged for quite a while, although I doubt they will have much to say in this thread (ignoring it as usual).

I'd also add i'm no fan of the Tory Party, I regard it being just as bad as the other two.

[Niall!]

Pirate party all the way

[Inseriousity.]

I suppose the bigger question is why did Labour bring in new rules that allow businesses to avoid paying tax like everyone else!

[Ajthedragon]

I suppose the bigger question is why did Labour bring in new rules that allow businesses to avoid paying tax like everyone else!

This. And now students are paying the price.

[Conservative,]

I suppose the bigger question is why did Labour bring in new rules that allow businesses to avoid paying tax like everyone else!

This.

And that is just stupidly hypocritical.