The Derek Mackay texts and the Scottish Budget

[BawWatchin]

On 11/02/2020 at 19:15, MixuFixit said:

It's wrong because if Ross Thomson had done it you would have the opposite opinion.

 

Things can be wrong but not illegal.

 

 

If it's wrong, then why isn't it illegal?

Also, why is it that if it was a non-politician dabbling in this sort of thing, society as a whole just wouldn't really care?

As for Ross Thomson. What he did WAS illegal.

Edited February 12, 2020 by BawWatchin

[welshbairn]

3 minutes ago, BawWatchin said:

Also, why is it that if it was a non-politician dabbling in this sort of thing, society as a whole just wouldn't really care?

You don't see a man in his 40s trying to pull a 16 year old as plain wrong?

[BawWatchin]

Just now, welshbairn said:

You don't see a man in his 40s trying to pull a 16 year old as plain wrong?

I think it's morally wrong. But morals come down to personal opinion and perspective. The law on the other hand is laid out in black and white and this doesn't break the law, regardless of the personal moral perspectives me and you hold on the matter.

It's ok to have the opinion that it's wrong. It's not however ok to use that to bypass the legal system.

[NotThePars]

If your defence of perving on wee guys is “well it’s technically legal” then I’m gonna assume the only thing stopping you being a nonce is the threat of the jail tbh (to be honest).

[Mark Connolly]

Meanwhile, in Aberdeen...

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-51458215

[ICTChris]

The last Scottish political figure who was linked with banging or attempting ot bang a barely legal teenager was Eric Joyce.  Will Derek Mackay match Joyce's meltdown?

[Hard Graft]

When is Mackay going to make an appearance at his place of work?

He has constituents to represent - has he submitted a sick line to explain his absence?

Presumably someone from the SNP has checked on his wellbeing.

[BawWatchin]

3 hours ago, oaksoft said:

Does that goes for your views on tax avoidance as well?

Yes. Although I certainly believe that should be illegal. Something the EU have been trying to address, while the UK wriggles its way out.

[Jacksgranda]

15 minutes ago, BawWatchin said:

Yes. Although I certainly believe that should be illegal. Something the EU have been trying to address, while the UK wriggles its way out.

How do you propose to do that?

[BawWatchin]

10 minutes ago, Jacksgranda said:

How do you propose to do that?

Multinationals should pay the tax rate based on the revenue that they generate in each individual country. Not where their head office happens to be conveniently placed.

[welshbairn]

6 minutes ago, Jacksgranda said:

How do you propose to do that?

Simplifying the tax code and placing the onus on avoiders to prove what they're doing is legal, and in the meantime charging the liability as if it is not, rather than the other way around.

[Jacksgranda]

So, for example. nurses would no longer be able to claim for the cost of washing their uniforms?

[welshbairn]

6 minutes ago, Jacksgranda said:

So, for example. nurses would no longer be able to claim for the cost of washing their uniforms?

Thought they were on PAYE?

[Jacksgranda]

2 minutes ago, welshbairn said:

Thought they were on PAYE?

"You can claim tax relief if you wash the uniform given to you by your employer, unless your employer provides a laundering service and you choose not to use it and wash your uniform yourself."

[welshbairn]

3 minutes ago, Jacksgranda said:

"You can claim tax relief if you wash the uniform given to you by your employer, unless your employer provides a laundering service and you choose not to use it and wash your uniform yourself."

Pretty straightforward if quoted from HMRC. The tax avoidance/evasion schemes I mean aren't about ordinary claimable expenses.

[Wee Bully]

Pretty straightforward if quoted from HMRC. The tax avoidance/evasion schemes I mean aren't about ordinary claimable expenses.

What about putting money into an ISA rather than just a normal bank account?

[welshbairn]

1 minute ago, Wee Bully said:

What about putting money into an ISA rather than just a normal bank account?

They were designed by the Government.

[Jacksgranda]

1 minute ago, welshbairn said:

Pretty straightforward if quoted from HMRC. The tax avoidance/evasion schemes I mean aren't about ordinary claimable expenses.

Now you're moving the goalposts to include "evasion". Totally illegal and should be stamped on every time.

Tax avoidance is perfectly legal. Legislating to make tax avoidance illegal would be damn near impossible, and most certainly would not affect the big players.

[welshbairn]

Just now, Jacksgranda said:

Now you're moving the goalposts to include "evasion". Totally illegal and should be stamped on every time.

Tax avoidance is perfectly legal. Legislating to make tax avoidance illegal would be damn near impossible, and most certainly would not affect the big players.

I'm just suggesting that companies and accountants who come up with complex tax avoidance schemes should have to prove they are legal rather than the HMRC having to continually play catch up.  Just claiming legitimate business expenses or opening an ISA account isn't a problem, if you get too creative with expenses it should be clear where you're breaking the law.

[Jacksgranda]

4 minutes ago, welshbairn said:

I'm just suggesting that companies and accountants who come up with complex tax avoidance schemes should have to prove they are legal rather than the HMRC having to continually play catch up.  Just claiming legitimate business expenses or opening an ISA account isn't a problem, if you get too creative with expenses it should be clear where you're breaking the law.

Those probably are evasion to be quite honest, but hard to prove. The best accountants and tax lawyers are going to gravitate towards the money rather than work for HMRC, I would imagine.

You'd think it would be relatively simple to define what "legitimate business expenses" are, but obviously not.

Edited February 15, 2020 by Jacksgranda
sllepnig