Gary Barlow and tax avoidance

What I don't get is when they are so rich already they then pay clever accountants to ensure they get even more rich. We now have over 100 billionaires in the UK. I don't see why they should not pay more than 50p in the pound. Many of them are Russians etc who are pushing up property prices by investing in property, particularly in London. This is not clever, it is not creating jobs so why not contribute to the UK exchequer. Goodness knows we need it with the national debt so huge and the NHS under threat of extensive further cuts.

According to BBC news last night, Barlow and two others in his group took this advice from their accountant on the understanding it was a way to avoid paying taxes.

I would like to have his accountants working for me then maybe we would have the opportunity of paying less tax or finding the legal loopholes.Any charity work he does does not in my opinion affect his tax bill,it's a pity some MPs don't donate to Charities it may bring them in line with the real world.

A lot of pop stars have no idea where there money goes or how much they have. Look at cases such as Blondie, whose management screwed them for most of their earnings when they were one of the biggest bands in the world; same thing happened to David Bowie.There are numerous other cases in the world of entertainment. I'm assuming that Gary Barlow still lives and pays taxes in this country, which is more than a lot of high earning celebrities do. I'm not saying that what he did was right but also don't think he should be demonised for it either. Perhaps the whole tax system, whereby high earners can find loopholes in the system needs to be reviewed. Barlow is a good guy. How many of us [if we found ourselves with money [sigh]] would just do what our accountants told us; I'm sure I would.

Is it really fair that high earners (the hard workers perhaps?) have to pay half of every pound they earn in tax. And then have to pay (like all of us) 20% vat on anything they buy with the money they have left?

That's a lot of tax. Can you blame them for avoiding? Perhaps the tax laws should be fairer.

I do not believe anyone who avoids paying their tax does so without knowledge of the fact

Quite right. I think today's rich and famous have learnt from those who did put utter trust in their advisors only to find that their money had disappeared in one way or another; it is highly unlikely that anyone involved in how to 'handle their tax affairs' is completely ignorant of the facts.

As to his OBE - who, other than the recipients, places any value on them? It is meaningless rubbish now. If awards are to be bestowed on those who have done great works, fair enough but make them tailored to the achievements (and only given if the charity representation didn't involve the charity paying a fee).

I know people who have done charity work week in and week out for decades but no-one so much as pats them on the back and says thank you let alone set them apart from most others as a special case. I think they would also be given short shrift if they didn't pay their taxes as well.

Accountants have always looked for loopholes, that's what they do. It's up to the Government/Inland Revenue to close them!
Why don't they I wonder?

But Cammeron only lashes out if the tax avoider isn't a donator to the Tory party .

I do not believe anyone who avoids paying their tax does so without knowledge of the fact

Surely Barlow et all were enrolled in the scheme by a tax advisor? Although he is obviously quite intelligent, he is no tax expert, so if he did this on the advice of a tax expert, why isn't the expert on trial? Also, irrespective of the moral aspect of it, the scheme was not (I think) illegal, so maybe Cameron should be looking at getting Osborne and the treasury to close these loopholes and schemes rather than lashing out at those who use them?

This is tax avoidance - perfectly legal.

It's tax evasion which is naughty.

What does this Barlow 'do for the country'? I don't know who or what he is.

On second thoughts I don't care, either...

Self righteous hypocrisy is alive and well!
There must be loads of others doing the same thing, and as for the politicians, well, stones and glasshouses comes to mind!

Meanwhile, we 'ordinary folk' get penalised if we underpay by pennies.

Excellent point GrannyTwice.
Maybe the difference between Carr and Barlow is that Carr is not a high profile Tory supporter?
Or that he has better parties?
Wasn't Barlow on a TV prig recently being interviewed by James Cordon. Seem to remember seeing a trailer. Did James ask him about tax does anyone know?

Of course he should.

Knowingly avoiding paying his taxes morally cancels out his good deeds.

Absolutely Grannytwice, just what I was about to comment until I saw yours

I seem to remember Jimmy Carr facing the public at the time whereas Gary Barlow hasn't shown his face, or am I wrong?

Of course, if all those paid their taxes who should, there would be less need for charity fund raising ...........

So, according to Cameron, Jimmy Carr's involvement in a tax avoidance scheme was "morally wrong" and "it is not fair to hardworking people who do the right thing and pay their taxes to see these sorts of scams taking place."

On the other hand, when asked whether Gary Barlow should hand back his OBE, Cameron said "I don't think that is necessary ....... Gary Barlow has done a huge amount for this country". He added that GB's charity work was a mitigating factor.

Is the amount of charity work a highly paid celebrity does a justification for him trying to dodge taxes? At the time Carr was being attacked by Cameron and the press, Carr's friends also said that he did a lot for charity (though not as well publicised as GB's).

Or perhaps the fact that Gary Barlow has been a staunch supporter of the Tory party somehow makes his behaviour less "morally wrong".