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Something rotten?

(130 Posts)
Eloethan Thu 08-Feb-18 09:48:55

A recent headline in the Independent:

"Secret Freemasons' lodges for politicians and journalists operating at Westminster:

"Lodges for MPs, peers, parliamentary staff and journalists said to be so covert most lobby reporters were unaware of their existence" www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/freemasons-lodges-operating-secretly-westminster-parliament-mps-lobby-journalists-david-staples-a8194411.html

I don't think this should be allowed. What do others think?

jura2 Fri 16-Feb-18 09:36:12

So, totally irrespective of what happen at local Lodges and the Charity work they do.

Would anyone argue in favour of:

Secret Lodges in our own Parliament?

Major contracts for Councils and GVT given to FM without declaration?

Senior members of Police and Judiciary having huge influence on our security and justice system being undeclared.

durhamjen Fri 16-Feb-18 08:51:41

I agree with Eloethan; there should not be lodges that are secret in the houses of parliament.

durhamjen Fri 16-Feb-18 08:49:43

You did ask, though. Just responding to your question.
I don't denigrate the country. I denigrate people who take us for fools and defraud the country, not paying taxes where they are due.

Do you really like to think of this country as being at the top of the financial secrecy list? I don't.

kittylester Fri 16-Feb-18 08:06:33

Not denying any of that dj - just saying it's the same, and much worse, all over the world.

And, why keep denigrating the country? Arent there any good points you (and everyone else who puts it down) could come up with?

durhamjen Thu 15-Feb-18 19:41:34

www.financialsecrecyindex.com/PDF/UnitedKingdom.pdf

durhamjen Thu 15-Feb-18 19:36:25

If Britain's network of tax havens were assessed together it would be at the top of the list.

durhamjen Thu 15-Feb-18 19:34:15

www.financialsecrecyindex.com/introduction/introducing-the-fsi

Eloethan Thu 15-Feb-18 19:33:34

I do think that durhamjen has a point.

Whilst I believe that the majority of people in business and in public life in the UK are not mired in corruption, it seems to be the opinion of many experts that the UK financial sector facilitates corruption across the globe.

This is a headline and extract from the Financial Times which I assume is a fairly reputable source:

"Dark money: London’s dirty secret
An insider at a Swiss bank warned Britain’s financial watchdogs that bankers in its UK office were offering services that could facilitate tax evasion and money laundering. Did the regulators turn a blind eye? The FT investigates the City’s role as a global hub for illicit finance"

Jalima1108 Thu 15-Feb-18 19:28:39

Parody Project:
Who?

durhamjen Thu 15-Feb-18 19:27:56

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2018/01/22/our-government-is-still-going-out-of-its-way-to-support-tax-haven-abuse/

If you do a search on taxresearch for corruption you will have 725 articles.

Jalima1108 Thu 15-Feb-18 19:27:03

There is a a far lesser degree of corruption in the UK than in many other places.

There are many networks, whether it be Old Boys, FM, other clubs, school, university or even Small Town and this is the way it has always been and probably will always continue.

What is the point of always denigrating the country?
I'm not sure kittylester - I see no point in naysayering. If that is indeed a word.

MawBroon Thu 15-Feb-18 19:23:03

I didn’t say the UK was purer than pure, just that the overt corruption of many many other countries is an accepted fact of life.
“Baksheesh” is not an English word.
Get real.

durhamjen Thu 15-Feb-18 19:19:30

You've never heard of all the tax fraud that happens, then?
Obviously not.

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2018/02/15/where-have-all-the-statesmen-gone/

Never heard of the revolving door?
Obviously not.

MawBroon Thu 15-Feb-18 19:16:19

Sorry that should have been to kittylester but I hope lemongrove is in agreement.

MawBroon Thu 15-Feb-18 19:15:34

A very valid point lemongrove it is very easy for those perhaps living outside this country to lament its manifold shortcomings. Instead of shock horror outrage should we not be proud of what IS good in the UK and, IMO that includes a far lesser degree of corruption than many other places.

kittylester Thu 15-Feb-18 18:43:39

It's corrupt fennel obviously!! grin

dj, I might regret asking this but can you substantiate your post?

I get sick of people putting Gb down. What is the point of always denigrating the country?

Fennel Thu 15-Feb-18 18:37:11

lemongrove - thanks for that.
My husband had a successful business during the '70s to 90s.
He employed mostly family members, which is nepotism.
What was wrong with that?

durhamjen Thu 15-Feb-18 18:08:54

The UK one of the least corrupt countries in the world?
What bubble do you live in, lemon?

lemongrove Thu 15-Feb-18 17:36:18

But realistic.

Eloethan Thu 15-Feb-18 17:35:16

That may be so but those advances were only made because people, and initially only a few people, opposed what was happening.

Using the "human nature" argument is so defeatist.

lemongrove Thu 15-Feb-18 17:24:25

So, only the UK to change human nature then Eloethan?
Because no other country will be changing anything, and actually the UK is possibly one of the least corrupt countries in the world.

Eloethan Thu 15-Feb-18 17:17:29

lemongrove If you take that view to its logical conclusion, we would still, for example, be allowed to kidnap and enslave black people, legally permit husbands to "chastise" their wives and lay exclusive claim to the children of the marriage, and put up "No Blacks, No Irish, No Dogs" in our windows.

lemongrove Thu 15-Feb-18 17:05:37

But it is and always will be I suspect.
It’s no good expecting human nature to change.

Eloethan Thu 15-Feb-18 16:56:24

I didn't say it just applies to the Freemasons Fennel . Nepotism or any other covert or overt favouritism of one group over another should not, in my opinion, be a feature of public life.

Fennel Thu 15-Feb-18 12:47:47

If that does apply to the Masons, Eloethan, and I can't be sure it does, it applies to many other groups.
It's called nepotism.