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Blairs saved £312k in stamp duty deal.

(81 Posts)
Witzend Mon 04-Oct-21 11:01:01

According to today’s Times and the recently released ‘Pandora Papers’, a £9m house in London was bought via an offshore company, to avoid stamp duty. Though on the World Service last night I heard that the saving was over £400k.

However it’s also being said that it was Cherie’s own deal, so no blame attached to the sainted Tony.

Also that far more in CGT will have to be paid when it’s eventually sold, so that makes it all right, of course.

Whitewavemark2 Mon 04-Oct-21 11:05:49

I know! - just wait until you read about the Tories who actually broke the actual law by committing bribery and corruption, to the tune of millions and millions.

One of them bankrolled Johnson.

Alegrias1 Mon 04-Oct-21 11:07:48

Pandora Papers: Tory donor Mohamed Amersi involved in telecoms corruption scandal

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-58783460

Just this.

Ilovecheese Mon 04-Oct-21 11:10:57

The awful thing is that this is not a shock

25Avalon Mon 04-Oct-21 11:17:13

It was not against the law and Cherie would have been well aware. Tony has to be equally responsible. But then Cameron et al did similar. Come back Kier Hardie.

Josianne Mon 04-Oct-21 11:20:47

They all always find loopholes.

Germanshepherdsmum Mon 04-Oct-21 11:22:25

This isn’t as unusual as you might think with valuable London properties, many of which are owned by companies. If a property is already owned by a company you can just buy the company and stamp duty is paid only on the transfer of shares in the company, a much smaller sum than stamp duty on the value of the property. It isn’t something the buyers (in this case the Blairs) arrange. There is no tax avoidance or evasion. No wrongdoing on the part of buyer or seller. No blame attached to either party.

ayse Mon 04-Oct-21 11:22:54

Josianne

They all always find loopholes.

They make the loopholes!

Callistemon Mon 04-Oct-21 11:27:34

Nothing surprises me about any of them any more.

Didn't Cherie set up a private medical company too, in anticipation of the privatisation of the NHS? Allegedly.

Welshwife Mon 04-Oct-21 11:29:09

It was a lot of money but as has been said it was the set up already there.
Did you read the list of the leaders and amounts involved? The Stamp Duty involved was peanuts compared to the other monies.

Namsnanny Mon 04-Oct-21 11:29:14

Is there anyway Brexit can be blamed for this????

paddyann54 Mon 04-Oct-21 11:35:03

Well brexit WAS pushed through to protect offshore laundering of money .....the EU brought in new laws to stop it in January !THAT was the main reason FOR Brexit and the gullible public bought the lies about the NHS etc etc .

ayse Mon 04-Oct-21 11:38:46

paddyann54

Well brexit WAS pushed through to protect offshore laundering of money .....the EU brought in new laws to stop it in January !THAT was the main reason FOR Brexit and the gullible public bought the lies about the NHS etc etc .

??

Callistemon Mon 04-Oct-21 11:40:18

Taxes are only for the little people.

MaizieD Mon 04-Oct-21 11:51:33

Considering the outcry from some there was recently on a thread about Social Care at the thought of people having to use their 'hard earned money' on social care rather than pass it on to their children it seems to me that the wealthy are protecting 'their' money too, but on a much a much larger scale.

I'm not saying that I approve in any way of what the wealthy do but getting indignant about the Blairs doing something that is currently perfectly legal, seems a bit odd.

There is a good case to be made about the wealthy hoarding resources while much of the world population lives in absolute poverty, but how many posters would do the same if given the opportunity?

Namsnanny Mon 04-Oct-21 11:53:52

Callistemon

Taxes are only for the little people.

Was ever thus.

Witzend Mon 04-Oct-21 12:08:01

Whitewavemark2

I know! - just wait until you read about the Tories who actually broke the actual law by committing bribery and corruption, to the tune of millions and millions.

One of them bankrolled Johnson.

I just knew someone would come up straight away with ‘What about the Tories?’ ??

Namsnanny Mon 04-Oct-21 12:37:51

Agree witzend?.

It is true that our 'betters' think taxes are there for the plebs to pay.
No matter which colour they ascribe to.

Urmstongran Mon 04-Oct-21 12:38:23

All wealthy people use accountants to mitigate their taxes. It’s a legal loophole. Morally, awful. But they do it. I think it’s known as tax avoidance rather than tax evasion (which IS a crime).

Namsnanny Mon 04-Oct-21 12:39:44

Maybe I should have said most of our betters.......
I have heard of one or two of either persuasion playing by the rules.

Whitewavemark2 Mon 04-Oct-21 12:40:30

Urmstongran

All wealthy people use accountants to mitigate their taxes. It’s a legal loophole. Morally, awful. But they do it. I think it’s known as tax avoidance rather than tax evasion (which IS a crime).

Yes and the papers are covering tax evasion, corruption and bribery as well.

nadateturbe Mon 04-Oct-21 12:47:55

paddyann54

Well brexit WAS pushed through to protect offshore laundering of money .....the EU brought in new laws to stop it in January !THAT was the main reason FOR Brexit and the gullible public bought the lies about the NHS etc etc .

Agreed.

nadateturbe Mon 04-Oct-21 12:57:01

There is a good case to be made about the wealthy hoarding resources while much of the world population lives in absolute poverty, but how many posters would do the same if given the opportunity?
What is the point in hoarding millions/billions?

MaizieD Mon 04-Oct-21 13:12:45

nadateturbe

^There is a good case to be made about the wealthy hoarding resources while much of the world population lives in absolute poverty, but how many posters would do the same if given the opportunity?^
What is the point in hoarding millions/billions?

There isn't a point, is there? Unless it's being used productively it's just dead stuff. Numbers on a screen.

Of course, some of it is being used. For making more money to add to the hoard and for bribery to acquire power.

What is shameful is that the UK is one of the prime enablers of this hoarding...

Kim19 Mon 04-Oct-21 13:19:31

If it's legal, it's allowed. Who are we to judge other people's morals until we are in the same position? However..... I do wish the powers that be would make it illegal and close all other similar loopholes.