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Haves and have nots - Lorraine Kelly

(174 Posts)
grannyactivist Thu 21-Mar-19 23:39:29

Every day I work on behalf of people who have the bare minimum, and sometimes not even that, to live on. As would others I know, my husband and I would pay more tax if it meant a more even distribution of wealth in society, but instead we are informed that people who can afford to pay the tax they owe are not subject to the same rules as poorer people.

Lorraine Kelly has won her case and will now pay less tax, but I suggest she has lost her integrity. Her avoidance of paying tax has been ruled legal, but that doesn't make it right.

Once again the rules for the 'haves' are applied unequally to those who are the 'have nots'.

Jalima1108 Wed 27-Mar-19 16:51:54

he was incredibly bossy.

It's the nature of the job Gabriella! grin

GabriellaG54 Wed 27-Mar-19 16:50:26

I remember a very macho ex b/f Colour Sgt in the Grenadier Guards loudly telling me that 'Workers work and bosses boss and never the twain shall meet'.
I've no idea where he thought he stood in that hierarchy but he was incredibly bossy.
Mind you, he possibly had his attitude handed down from his forebears who were noted Scottish ancestry.
Loud and proud, he used to say. shockblush

Anniebach Wed 27-Mar-19 16:34:44

It’s a fantasy

Jalima1108 Wed 27-Mar-19 16:17:31

good accommodation - have you been to a communist country?
food - bread to keep them happy
fuel - bicycles, pedal power.

Jalima1108 Wed 27-Mar-19 16:16:06

And Jalima, I wouldn't want the Commissars around either
Inevitable, I'm afraid.
Unless you can name a system where this has not happened.

Oh dear! Actually there would be a lot of people only too glad to wear uniforms if they had a share of the country's wealth - ie good accommodation, food, fuel, etc.
Ah yes, under Communism the peasants definitely had a great share of the country's wealth.
Anyone privileged, educated, disagreed, was put to death or sent to the gulags.

Rene72 Wed 27-Mar-19 14:30:38

I never liked Lorraine Kelly anyway, you can see she is a very false or, if you like a 2 faced, person. Maybe she is actually ‘acting’, pretending to be someone she most certainly isn’t.

grannypauline Wed 27-Mar-19 08:44:45

Dead end jobs: stacking supermarket shelves, assembly line work (I have done this so can vouch for it's deadendidness!), till checkout, bar staff, cooking and selling fast (or any mass produced) food, etc.

All good and necessary but currently undervalued, underpaid, overmanaged and not leading to good salaries. So, what would we do under socialism. NOT the same again! These jobs would command higher salaries and shorter hours and their staff would have control over the production and distribution into the economy of their products. Maybe even get them done on a rota system with everyone (Lorraine?) taking their turn where possible.

grannypauline Wed 27-Mar-19 08:34:16

And Jalima, I wouldn't want the Commissars around either but I note that in London we currently have Royals and the very wealthy swanning round in posh cars showing off the wealth acquired from the plebs! Is that OK with you?

Anniebach Wed 27-Mar-19 08:32:22

Do list dead end jobs please

grannypauline Wed 27-Mar-19 08:29:06

Oh dear! Actually there would be a lot of people only too glad to wear uniforms if they had a share of the country's wealth - ie good accommodation, food, fuel, etc.

But that's not what socialism is about. It's about OPENING up possibilities for people when they're not tied to dead end jobs creating wealth for someone else who clearly belittles them as well as robs them of part of the fruits of their labour.

I totally agree we don't want the dead hand of Stalinism back which is why I keep banging on about democracy under socialism - an absolute must.

GabriellaG54 Wed 27-Mar-19 08:28:48

If legal isn't right it must be wrong.
Where then does illegal sit?
Is it wrong too?
Two wrongs don't make a right in my book.
If people want to pay more than their due tax but HMRC decline the overpayment because it isn't considered as 'due', what's stopping the OP and others of the same mind from donating the extra to a charity?
They could cite the reason for the donation if they felt so inclined.

It isn't right to castigate others who pay their dues, simply because you think that person is wrongly categorised for tax purposes, even though the present tax system deems the payer's argument valid.

Anniebach Tue 26-Mar-19 21:02:50

Chewbacca problem for me, I am definitely an Epsilon but I hate black , haven’t worn it since 1975

Chewbacca Tue 26-Mar-19 20:18:27

In the Socialist Eutopia, would we all wear colour coded boiler suits to reflect the status of how "useful" we are, like in Aldous Huxley's Brave New World?

Alphas wearing grey (there aren't many of them)
Betas wearing maroon
Gamma wearjng green
Deltas wearing khaki
Epsilons wearing black

Sounds idyllic. hmm

Jalima1108 Tue 26-Mar-19 19:53:31

grannypauline it sounds as if Lorraine would be on Jobseeker's in your Socialist Utopia, then.
sad
I must say it sounds extremely dull.

a lot more emphasis on everyone in society being worthwhile in themselves and not just a reflection of their wealth or possessions.
Only the Commissars sweeping around in their cars and spending weekends in their dachas, showing off the wealth acquired from the plebs.

GabriellaG54 Tue 26-Mar-19 19:26:35

Lilyflower
I agree...totally.

grannypauline Tue 26-Mar-19 19:11:38

I really don't know what Lorraine does - should I stay in more?

Or what Korean news readers have to do with anything

If we had a socialist society there would be a big emphasis on socially useful production and though no-one should be forced to be "useful", that would be the prevailing ethos and fashion, if you like. There would be a lot less emphasis on material things for show, and a lot more emphasis on everyone in society being worthwhile in themselves and not just a reflection of their wealth or possessions.

Ilovecheese Tue 26-Mar-19 14:30:25

POGS Well, the way I think that self employment as a sole trader, such as Lorraine Kelly, would be viewed under socialism is that because she as a sole trader had done the work, then she would be entitled to the rewards of that work.

Anniebach Tue 26-Mar-19 13:19:25

In this socialism Etopia will we have news readers as in Korea?

POGS Tue 26-Mar-19 12:36:19

grannyoauline

How does employment such as Lorraine Kelly is involved in work under your Socialist Eutopia?

grannypauline Tue 26-Mar-19 09:22:02

granny activist you have made a good case for socialism - a political and economic social organization whereby the means of production, distribution, and exchange are owned, and regulated democratically, by the community as a whole. Ie NOT by shareholders or private owners.

PamelaJ1 Tue 26-Mar-19 09:08:50

Well I’m self employed and I am sure that I pay more than I need.
Because I’m lazy and I can’t be bothered to go through all my receipts and check whether I’ve bought loo rolls or Tissues for me or for work. Same with coffee, tea etc.
So I’m trying to redress the balance!
Trouble is that I don’t earn anything like Lorraine does.

grannyactivist Tue 26-Mar-19 08:47:38

grannypauline this only happens because the government of the day, of whatever persuasion, allows it. Your second paragraph points out the iniquities in the system very well. I am at a loss to understand why shareholders don't take more responsibility for the ethics of these companies and why governments don't hold their feet to the fire. Our financial systems are simply unjust. angry sad

grannypauline Mon 25-Mar-19 23:16:37

Forget Lorraine Kelly (whoever she is). The Financial Times (well known hard left journal) states that: Large companies potentially underpaid £24.8bn in tax in the year to March 2017, according to an assessment by HM Revenue & Customs, a rise of 14 per cent from the year before.

Many of these companies rely on OUR tax payments to: make additional payments to make up for low or inconsistent pay, treat their workers even when they have work related illnesses, subsidise accommodation for poorly paid workers, educate and train their employees, etc. AND bail out failing enterprises when the going gets too tough!!

GabriellaG54 Mon 25-Mar-19 14:56:36

maryeliza54
Quite right...no-one and that's how it should be. grin
Enjoy what you have whilst you have it.

maryeliza54 Mon 25-Mar-19 10:37:56

How jolly nice for you but who actually cares ( apart from you of course) n