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Lewis Hamilton- Hero or Villain
Do massive earners that dont contribute, by avoiding paying taxes to the country that gave them the opportunity to shine, let that country down? Or are they entitled to feel no obligation?
If all our big earners moved offshore those that are left would be forced to contribute more.
If all our big earners moved offshore those that are left would be forced to contribute more.
Comments
By using all kinds of legal loopholes to avoid paying the tax that would otherwise be due. Private jets registered in the Isle of Man as an example (allegedly).
And then "proudly" draping themselves in the Union Flag when they win something.
Just one of the reasons I think LH is a ****.
I don't think so.
He pays a photographer to follow him round, alone, taking moody shots in exotic locations.
Except when he is at fashion shows, etc with some celeb "friends".
I'm not bothered about the £££ stuff. He's earned the money to move abroad and live in Monaco where taxes are more beneficial to him, so fair play to him. If he wants to buy a jet from not-the-UK because it'll save him a couple of million, again fair enough. He's probably paid more than most of us would pay in a lifetime anyway, and chances are that a lot of his excess money will get pumped back into British charities regardless. Once you get to his level of wealth, if we tax him an extra £10m then that's probably just £10m less that goes into a charity in the future.
Tax havens work on low tax due to high GDP per capita compensating, but if we were to reduce taxes for wealthy people here to try and get a slice of the pie with people not moving abroad: 1) It would annoy anyone outside of the top ~1% that would benefit, and 2) We'd also lose a chunk from the people that are happy to stay here and pay full taxes, and idk if it would even come close to compensating.
Tbh, when the Government just decides to grab £1bn off the money tree and ship it across to the DUP and we all get justifiably angry about how 'our' money is being spent, I certainly wouldn't blame anyone for wanting to contribute the bare minimum in taxes towards that.
We aren't entitled to someone's money just because they're British. If we don't accommodate wealthy people living here (and I'm not saying we should) then we can't expect them to stick around and pay millions in additional taxes when they don't have to. I don't get how Lewis (in this case, but anyone really) would be the villain for using the loophole when it's not the person's fault that the loophole exists to begin with. "Ok wp you got us this time" and close the loophole should be the line to take here, assuming the loophole is an issue in the first place.
That said, it won't happen when the people making the rules are also making the most of these loopholes themselves.
I also fail to see the link between patriotism and paying taxes - You can be proud of where you are from but still not want to pay more tax than is absolutely necessary. I can't understand how this could make someone 'less British' as a result.
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Fwiw I am by no means a Hamilton fan - I think he's the best driver on the grid atm, but I dislike his public persona. I have disliked him ever since "Is it because I'm black haha I'm joking", the countless tantrums when things aren't going his way over team radio, the whole Lewis Hamilton 'brand' that he creates, how every single podium interview after a race is "Thank you to the fans you're the best fans in the world" that is totally predictable and boring to listen to now, not to mention insincere... I could go on a lot longer.
In 2015/2016 I wasn't supporting Nico as much as I was supporting the guy who isn't Lewis. Definitely supporting Vettel this year
Now if we could put Ricciardo in a car that can fight for championships rather than just odd race wins, that would make me very happy indeed
Firstly the avoidance of vat on the jet was achieved via a fairly complex process of registration by one off shore company, leasing by another, and not being completely honest about the usage.
There are firms that just come up with loopholes for tax avoidance. As HMRC close one, they will have the next one ready.
The way the state pays for stuff is by collecting taxes. Currently the top 1% of earners pays around a quarter of all income tax collected.
If all these people moved abroad to pay less tax, wouldn't it mean that those that are left would be forced to pay a higher rate, causing many more people to struggle?
Many people may see someone who had been given good opportunities in this country, and bolted abroad once they started earning a few quid as unpatriotic.
If Lewis Hamilton stayed here and paid his fair share, it may result in him only having £500m in the bank at the end of his career rather maybe £600m.
I would have been sorry for him.
As for the jet, I was being diplomatic in saying tax avoidance. I don't want suing.
As Haysie said, it was the way it was done and allegedly potentially tax evasion.
As reported, he registered it for business use to avoid the tax (again allegedly) but we have all seen the photos of him on his hollibobs standing by the plane.
If so, he should be paying what is due.
I think I covered myself there.
I agree 100% that it is the system that needs looking at, more than rich people who use it legally for their benefit.
But when the multi millionaires who use the loopholes, are in power or backing those in power, (media magnates etc.) things will not change.
As for races, I have to agree. He winds me up with his boring drivel when he wins and his moaning when he loses.
For me, I'd love to see Alonso in a decent car against him.
But for now, it's anyone but LH.
On the minus side, I read somewhere that he has NEVER paid income tax in this country. The closest he gets to paying tax in this country is the VAT on the flags people buy thinking he is in some way British. It's like Sean Connery banging on about how important Scottish independence is-from Monaco.
And anyone who can sack their own father...
If you accept what this country offers our citizens free of charge while growing up, like education, access to doctors, dentists, and the NHS, police to protect you, etc etc etc. Doesn't it follow that have at least a moral obligation to stay here and pay your fair share of taxes.
To move to another jurisdiction, in the case of Lewis Hamilton, as soon as he started earning big money, not only deprived the UK of £millions in taxes, but he paid a bit less, but still £millions to another country, that at least initially will have given him nothing in return.
Yes, we're talking about a jet rather than a car, a much larger sum of money and a guy who is wealthy here but the principle isn't any different. In my experience people's attitudes are vastly different in this spot depending on how wealthy the tax avoider is, which I don't think is fair.
If tax was not charged on the basis of it being for business use, and it can be proven that isn't actually the case, then yes he should pay that tax. Tbh given the amount of global PR stuff that top F1 drivers do along with the travel from race to race, it's gonna be tough to prove that the jet isn't mostly for business use. IMO, no.
Even if a person does have some obligation, people tend to pay that back in other ways.
Nigel Mansell lived in the Isle of Man for most of his career then Jersey afterwards, and his salary was ridiculous for F1 at the time he was racing, but he's done an insane amount of charity work in the UK since retiring.
Yes, that money didn't go to the tax man, but Mansell is still fulfilling any moral obligation that he might have to use that money to help improve the lives of others, and I'm fine with that. If there is a moral obligation, then I don't think it is to the tax man.
Even if Hamilton has a moral obligation of some kind to give something back at some point, I don't think we can judge that until 10-15 years after he retires to see what he does with the money. If he just keeps everything and never gives anything back in any way, then yeah I can understand people criticising him for that. If he chucks some time and £££ at charity work once he retires then that's good enough for me.
I have also used my own car for work, in which case HMRC disregard 10% of your fuel receipts, in respect of private mileage.
Lewis Hamilton made a declaration that the jet was to be used purely for business purposes to avoid the millions in vat. Then posted photos on his social media of him taking his friends on trips and various holidays.
The point I was making has nothing to do with charities. There are people that do charity work and still pay their tax.
Lewis Hamilton and those like him have to pay income tax somewhere. Purely on the basis that they can pay a little less, they are choosing not to pay it to the UK, but to pay it to another country. Maybe the country that offers the best deal. Where is the patriotism in that. How does that help the NHS etc, now, not in 15 years time.
If all the rich people in the UK avoided paying any tax, the poor people would have to pay more.
We have a clear system in this country, where big earners pay more tax, allowing for lower earners to pay less.
It wasn't designed for the big earners to pay no tax at all.
You and nine of your mates are going on holiday. You book a villa in Spain for the week which cost £1,000. You have to pay when you book. So you pay, intending to get £100 off each of your mates. At the last minute three of your mates (one of them was Lewis Hamilton) decide they are not going, and as they don't feel morally obligated, they are not paying either. Because of this the remaining 7 end up paying almost 50% more. This obviously gives you the hump.
This is how tax works, 3 of your mates don't pay, the 7 that do, have to pay more.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41886607
I've never understood the criticism Lewis receives, he is currently our greatest sportsman by a distance, the best driver in the world and one of the top sportsmen in the world. We should be proud/grateful that he flies the British flag.
Why do we want to drag successful people down in this country, is it jealousy? Why shouldn't Lewis live in Monaco? Where would everyone else choose Stevenage or Monaco? Most f1 drivers live in Monaco and I'm pretty sure they don't face the criticism Lewis does (jenson lives there and can't remember him facing such angst). In Monaco wealth and fame is the norm and he is able to live his life, imagine him living in Stevenage being hounded daily and no doubt abused, I know what I'd choose.
It would be great if Lewis paid 40% tax on his millions to our treasury but that's never going to happen, he does however have a huge positive effect on our GDP, it can't be quantified but from a financial perspective we should be grateful to have him.
Personally I believe he is the polar opposite of me I'm the least trendy/fashionable man you could meet(I did tell my wife I'm getting corn rows after the Spanish gp) but all I'm concerned with is him being quick at race weekend and he is invariably breathtakingly quick.
On that note I I've found him at 8/1 to win today, this has to be value. Vettel and ricciardo could take each other out,a well timed safety car or a shower could play into the heros hands and raikkenon is unlikely to trouble him from behind. Can't wait.
I never used to admire Lewis, thought he was a bad loser & an ungracious winner, but the more I observe him, the more I realise he is an outstanding talent, & we should treasure these guys, when they retire we'll wish we had watched them more often.
8/1 to win today? He might not win - probably won't win - but that's good value, he'll win this race more than 1 time in 8 imo. I'll have a modest wager.
F1 Season plus Tax reasons keep him out of the Country half the year, however while at Local Event Meeting I was told by local's he does attend events from time to time and supports local Charities in the Village. Their proud of him.
Many sportsmen, musicians, and business owners, who are massive earners pay tax in the UK.
For me its not about a choice of living in Stevenage or Monaco, its about your choice of where you pay your income tax.
You could purchase an apartment elsewhere in the world and still pay your tax in the Uk.
Some people choose to pay their tax elsewhere because it will be a bit less. By definition these are the bigger earners, are not food bank users, and are not in desperate need of money.
People like Lewis Hamilton have taken their education and all the opportunities afforded to people in this country free of charge. To see these people opt to go elsewhere to pay their taxes, is annoying.
Maybe if they had grown up elsewhere, without the opportunities available, they may not have fulfilled their potential.
The government collects taxes to fund the NHS, education, the police, the armed forces, etc, etc.
Therefore if all our biggest earners opted to pay their taxes elsewhere, then the rest of us have to pay more, including the lowest earners, and the poorest in our society.
Yet if he smashed his car up the British grand prix, he would be expecting to be taken to an NHS hospital, not flown off to Monaco.
Maybe he should be parading himself with a Monaco flag.