A whip-round for Richard Branson?

Grandad - good idea

Everyone else (and Grandad) well said. Honestly, the nerve of this man.

Well, in this crisis for many the "pigeons have come home to roost".

Small businesses especially very often do not declare large amounts of their income in yearly returns so as to avoid tax. However, the government crisis support scheme for business is based on last years declared income to Companies House and the tax authorities

So that builder or gardener who said he/she would do the job cheaper for "cash in hand" is now very much "up the swanny" and I have absolutely no sympathy whatsoever.

Frankly I would rather give a pay rise to all the essential workers who have toiled for years on little income, whilst still paying every penny of tax due, if they earn sufficient.

Virgin Australia has gone into voluntary administration after the Australian Government did not give them the $1.4 billion bail out they asked for.

People like him are just TOO entitled! I’m not impressed with Victoria Beckham either worth hundreds of millions but asking the government to pay her staff. When will these super rich pay their dues and manage their money in the same way ordinary people have too. Let’s try and save all the little hardworking businesses who deserve it

If you choose to live in a tax haven to avoid uk taxes, you can't expect a bail put fromthe people who have paid their uk taxes all their working lives!
Sorry.

One solution could be for the British Government to wait for Virgin Atlantic to fall into administration and then for the state to take over the ownership as a going concern at its then valuation.

In the above the staff would retain employment, the creditors would be paid, avoiding heavy financial loss to them, but the owners and shareholders get nothing or at best very little.

The Government could then re-float the airline onto the stock market when this air transport crisis is over.

Perfect.

Richard Bransons Virgin Group only own 20% of Virgin Atlantic, the rest is owned by Delta Airlines and Air France KLM So why on earth should the British Government bail /lend Virgin anything? Look to the Governments of the majority shareholders, or is the U.K. a soft touch?

Sorry should have put £500million not £500K

"Now any payments will be based on that declared" as it should be Whitewavemark.

I find it difficult to have any sympathy for him at all Maw, he's lucky to have an island to mortgage!!

He has £4.7billion yet he wants to 'borrow' £500K. Why can't he fund it out of his money? After all he's made a lot of it at the expense of the British taxpayer. I thought the buck stopped with the company owner or is that only small businesses?

I'd put him at the end of a very long list of priorities.

If he really wants to save his airline he should 'cut his cloth' accordingly. Sell the island and live in more modest accommodation perhaps?

Absolutely maw

Those not paying the correct amount of tax to the U.K. government should not expect assistance from the tax payers who pay every penny due.

This of course also includes those people resident and self employed in the U.K. but suppress (don’t declare) their full earnings.

Now any payments will be based on that declared. Quite correct!