to find the witch hunt against Starbucks, Amazon, Google etc laughable

If you want to buy books more cheaply than from Amazon, read this article - interesting

Thanks

GranJura It was just an advert - there were half a dozen of them, reported by me during the night.

Missed that comment - could somebody tell me what it was, by pm please. I hope it wasn't another of those 'what's wrong with being a prostitute at 16- as a parent I'd be very proud of her' ...

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Sel - it is indeed shocking- and as a Swiss, I am fighting to put a stop to this.

What is also very shocking, is that many English ex-pats on the Swiss expat Forum seem to condone this.

If you marry for money, you earn every penny!

That story, when, would suggest that the law is an ass in their case.

Prostitution isn't illegal in the UK, but loitering for prostitution is. When I did court duty, the prostitutes who had been arrested overnight would be ushered in to the reverential tones of their usual solicitor, saying 'ditto' to the magistrates as each one entered the dock to answer charges. They would receive a fine, then file out of court, saying 'cheers!' to their brief, and remarking 'now I'll have to do overtime!'

Is there a fine line between prostitution and 'marrying for money'?

granjura no, sorry, I completely missed the '16'. That's quite shocking - and in Switzerland, even more so. What I meant was that I don't think prostitution per se should be illegal with the caveat now, for adults.

This site is very informative. I've just learned that prostitution is not illegal in the UK and that Patrick Moore has died . It was on GN that I first discovered the outcome of the US Presidential Elections and about Jimmy Saville.

Who needs the media?

Sel, at 16, really?

It isn't illegal to sell sexual services in Britain - only to solicit and work with another woman, which constitutes a brothel. Bloody ridiculous, when the women would be so much safer if they worked from home in pairs (separate rooms.) Men kerb crawling are sometimes warned off by the police, but in general the customers of prostitutes never face prosecution, even when they are using girls who are clearly under age. Nothing new there, then.
Prostitution is taxable, as it is offering services and there is an implied contract between provider and customer. Burglary is not taxable, as there is no contract or mutuality. Isn't tax fun?

it's a strange analogy for sure. Personally I've never thought prostitution should be illegal.

Now for a (sad) ridiculous analogy - in Switzerland prostitution is totally LEGAL from aged 16 - but it does NOT make it right, does it?

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And many, many more. Not to mention all the individuals who incorporate themselves. All legal.

Amazon
Amazon.co.uk is actually based in Luxembourg, they paid
just £1 .8m to the Treasury last year, despite taking £3.35 billion in sales in the UK.
Apple
Apple paid less than 2% tax on profit made outside the United States last year
They paid just £10m in British tax last year, despite pocketing an estimated in sales.
Vodafone
Vodafone is facing fresh controversy over tax after it emerged that
the mobile phone giant did not pay any corporation tax in the UK last year.
Starbucks
Has paid no corporation tax in three years. They paid only
£8.6m in total UK corporation tax over 13 years despite recording sales of £3.1bn.
Ikea
Ikea is said to have legally halved its corporation tax bill in the UK by
channelling off profits abroad in the form of royalty payments to a sister company.
Boots
Boots was bought by a private equity firm and its HQ was moved to Switzerland.
The former head of corporate finance said the UK has lost £100m a year in tax as a result.
Cadbury
The US owners of Cadbury switched control of the company to Switzerland
in a move that could deprive Britain of more than £60m in tax every year.
Zavvi
The Hut (owners of Zavvi) avoid VAT by shipping goods via the USA
Goods travel a 7000 mile round trip to land at your door.
Johnnie Walker
Diageo PLC has transferred owenership of Johnnie Walker whisky to a subsidiary
in the Netherlands. It pays an average of little more than 2% tax on its profits.

eBay
eBay UK avoided a £50m corporation tax bill in Britain by
channelling payments through Luxembourg and Switzerland.

Hope this helps

check out 38degrees.org

If you feel strongly about tax dodgers (or even if you don't), sing along with this

I've received many special offers from Amazon on e-mail - every time, i've clicked on 'contact us' at the bottom and e-mailed them back, explaining why I will not be ordering from them, special offers or not. Everytime they've replied that my comments have been taken into account and will be sent to the relevant parties. If enough people did that - the penny (pennies even) will drop - and they will react.

And of course the Government has to close those loopholes - but there is no reason why we can't add our voice too, is there?

Perhaps they know someone who benefits from the loopholes? Or might want to? I've always been in PAYE jobs and never been able to claim anything extra.

It should not be up to companies to 'offer a deal'. This tax loophole needs to be closed by statute and not left to the 'goodwill' or 'conscience' of the companies or even to pressure from consumer boycotts. What is it about successive governments that prevents them from taking action?

And Starbucks has offered a deal.

That kind of intransigence (Amazon, Google, et al) is like a red flag to a bull, as far as I'm concerned. I really believe these companies will change their tunes as soon as boycotts bite, so I encourage everyone reading this thread to take part, spread the word, encourage others to do the same and show Amazon that they will have no tax liability if only because they will have a greatly reduced business. As the old saying goes, "Money doesn't talk, it screams"!
Meanwhile let's support local shops and cafes, esp those independents!