March 9th, 2010

Lord Paul Now Says He’ll Give-Up Non-Dom Status
What About Lakshmi Mittal?

So Lord Swraj Paul has fallen into line with Ashcroft.  However Lakshmi Mittal has given even more – some £4 million pounds to the Labour Party tax free – shouldn’t he or the Labour Party pay tax on that sum?

Guido has identified £10,596,751 in non-dom donations to the Labour Party from donors who have avoided paying UK taxes, that is an average of £16,403 per constituency.  There are, as Lord Paul himself says, more donations and donors not yet identified.  If donors had to pay taxes at the higher rate of 40% like ordinary voters the exchequer would have not been cheated of £7,064,500.

Labour’s 1997 manifesto promised to put a stop to all this…


297 Comments

  1. 1
    Captain Black says:

    It’s the right thing to do. Sponging Johnny Foreigner in the HoL.

    • 7
      Brown - not long now says:

      Just less than two months to go – Tory win by 23 seats.

      Brown out forever.

      No Harman

      No Balls

      No Cooper boy Balls

      No Straw

      etc etc.

      Bliss!

      • 8
        Anonymous says:

        I think you are very close.

        But suspect Mandelson will crawl back in somewhere…..

        • 11
          GEORGIE PEORGIE says:

          We’re all nailing the Labour non-doms together.

          Tally-ho!!!

          • Disaffected says:

            Nick Robinscum of the BBC would challenge this, he only wants to talk about Ashcroft. He is manipulating, scheming and selling Bad Al’s line for the Labour Party (Labour Party Press Slugretary). Go on, write to the BBC and Robinscum to make them write impartial articles. Better still make a complaint, after all we are all paying for the bias on Brown’s Broadcasting Company. The company strategy is the same as the UK public sector: increase support staff for government statistics (bad Al can manipulate these), reduce front line staff, reduce equipment to do the job, make most of the posts available to EU entrants and refugees so Labour can change the face of Britain and stay in power forever. However from 1/4/10 Eu migrants have the same welfare benefits as nationals, so the latter is not that important for votes any more.

          • Lord Mandlebum of Fondleboys says:

            If Lord Swraj Paul takes my advice (and who wouldn’t?) he’ll get all his wealth parcelled up in trusts and other tax vehicles so that he can avoid paying tax on most of it, as before, but can still claim to be a full UK taxpayer.

            Heads he wins, tails you lose…

            Taxes are for little people you know!

          • Vote Labour To Destroy Labour says:

            Nick “Robinscum” of the BBC deserves a medal.

          • Mittal and his son in Law and Amit are doing a great job at QPR.

        • 48
          Gordoom cooks the books says:

          More like SLIME back in

        • 64
          Disaffected says:

          How dare you, use my full title please. That’s Lord Slug Mandleslime to you (M’Slug to servants and Sly to my friends).

        • 281
          evil son of the manse says:

          No he won’t because he will be busy being raped in prison

      • 31
        JontyPriorLabourLiarEsquire says:

        Lest we forget Blair as PM making an intervention on behalf of Mittal to smooth the way for him to get his hands on a Romanian steel plant thus putting further BritishSteel/Corus workers on the dole……

      • 36
        Opinion Poll by assertion says:

        The Natural Law Party wil sweep to power.
        Because I said so.
        In other news, wibble wibble!

      • 56
        Hugh Janus says:

        23 is not enough. However, it does at least see the back of McBust and his stinking crew.

      • 153
        Anonymous says:

        Cooper Balls will get back in, the idiots in Castleford would vote labour even if Gordon Brown turned out to be John Venables’ secret identity

        • 161
          Australian says:

          “even if Gordon Brown turned out to be John Venables’ secret identity”

          You mean to tell us that it isn’t?

      • 162
        sick of labour bs says:

        please let it be so!!!

      • 244
        Granny smith says:

        “Yipeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee”

    • 10
      thick as thieves says:

      People who vote Tory are stark staring bonkers

      Labour are best placed to govern the great country of ours

    • 13
      Lord P finally admits he is a non-dom says:

      If only this rich scumbag was as open an honest as Ashcroft.

      It took him this long to finally admit he was a non-dom ???? Disgraceful!!!!

      Clearly Lord P has only just admitted he was a non-dom because of Ashcrofts brave, unsolicited and not in any way, rushed out because of a freedom of information request, admission of his non-dom status.

      • 90
        BROWNED OFF says:

        Why do all these Asian donors favour labour?

        • 106

          Have you ever seen Prescott in an Indian Takeaway?

          It’s like winning the lottery

        • 124
          Tattooed_Arry says:

          Because Labour favour open-door immigration, it’s an integral part of International Socialism.

        • 141

          Because Labour import donors, while making it easy to export profits and jobs to the subcontinent. They’re pretty friendly with the Red Sea pedestrians from the Russian oligarchy too, although the donations in that case are more of a personal nature.

          Is Belize full of call centres and carbon-credit subsidised steelworks? I think not.

          At least Ashcroft hasn’t spent his energies over the last few years actively undermining the UK economy.

    • 16
      It is ALL Bluster says:

      All these Non Dom Lords saying they will comply with the rules is just bluster. What else can they do except comply with the rules?

      And not one of them is bringing their taxes back onshore until the new rules come into force. They are all self serving, greedy and without morals.

      • 25
        The IMF is coming says:

        They will have lawyers and accountants onboard to ensure they face a minimal tax bill anyway. Offspring will probably be richer for it, not HMRC

      • 29
        Jack says:

        and what about their illegally drawn expenses ???

    • 47
      Fabio Capello's Ice Cream Van says:

      ԒԓԒ Justa one cornetto, geeev it toomee ԒԓԒ

    • 288
      udderly 'orrible says:

      Mr Fawkes trust you noticed that Trotter Paul the Trougher is NOT being prosecuted for his expenses according to the NS:

      “Paul also revealed that the police had decided not to proceed with their investigation into his House of Lords expenses.
      He said: “I am delighted to announce today that the Metropolitan Police Service have informed me that it has decided after due consideration that it will no longer be proceeding with any investigation or inquiry in relation to my House of Lords expenses. I very much welcome the police decision.”

      Coming soon more copshop whitewash with that other upstanding member of the illustrious upper house, Baroness Udderly Disgraceful.

      Are the police too close to Liebour? (silly question, answered it meself)

  2. 2
    Flogging a Dead Cashcow says:

    So you now think Ashcroft should have to pay UK Tax on all his non-dom earnings by the same token ?
    You are taking a hard stance on this Tory Blog funder.

    • 4

      Guido has never supported taxes on anyone, the Labour Party however…

      • 23
        Dodging a Dread T-Word says:

        Ah! if only young Osborne had consulted with you before speaking to Rawnsley so candidly about his happiness not to rule out tax rises.
        That other blade of the scissors will fall rather hard on someone.
        And going by that opinion poll you highlighted, of what voters would like to see the Tories do more of, we have a pretty good idea who Dave and George will have it fall on.

        • 38
          Road_Hog says:

          This dog tax/licensing thing seems to be getting a lot of front page coverage from the BBC, so I thought what are they trying to hide, what has Labour tried to bury today. And as if by magic,”UK trade deficit widens to worst in 17 months” http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8557200.stm

          • The IMF is coming says:

            Weak pound should be an opportunity to export.
            Wonder how much of it was due to importing cars from Korea/France/Germany/Japan etc etc Car scrappage sheme not looking such a brilliant idea as the downsides unwind.
            Foreign cars for British workers!

          • IT'S THE ECONOMY STEWPOT! says:

            When, not if, WHEN, the manifestos come out every Political Party will have to have some answers for the voters on the economy.
            Because the public will be asking about taxes (who’s goes up or down) and public spending (what goes up or down) and the public will be asking how does this affect ME and when will the recession be over.
            The public already knows there is a recession because they are the ones losing jobs and can’t put everything on expenses, unlike the piggies.

          • Harriet Harman ( A dangerous dog if ever there was one ) says:

            I have decided to tax the British people according to their gender, 25% tax per testicle, sounds fair to me.

          • The EMF is coming says:

            If you don’t produce you can’t export!

          • Not long until Labour gone says:

            Exactly what I thought when I saw it, but assumed it was to stop any talk about Labour in snowy Scotland.

            Beginning to wonder if a Number 10 petition is needed to highlight the BBC Bias.

          • AC1 says:

            That investment in 5-a-day diversity coordinators will keep the economy going.

          • sockpuppet #4 says:

            strange juxtaposition.

            “I have decided to tax the British people according to their gender, 25% tax per testicle, sounds fair to me.
            If you don’t produce you can’t export!”

          • Lord G says:

            It is also clear that the Lord Paul story is sliding down the news board very quickly.

            Nothing to see here, move on. Now, about that Ashcroft blighter?

  3. 3
    Hugh Janus says:

    Someone tell DC – that’s assuming he’s interested in fighting this of course.

    • 18

      Er right, can I have a think about it and come back to you on it, I’m a bit busy devising a cat tax and licensing system.

    • 20
      Gordon ( SoldGoldAtThe ) BottomBrown says:

      Maybe the Tories don’t want to inherit my zombie economy and have calculated that a few months of a Lab/Lib coalition would render the the Nation into a Zimbabwe look-alike.

      After a period of turmoil in the markets with the Pound collapsing, with gilts near junk bond status, inflation rocketing and interest rates having to rise, the electorate would be begging for the return of a sound Conservative government.

      I could then be sectioned.

      Some kind of sanity ( to the Country ) could be restored after a couple of years of Tory rule.

      Oh, I nearly forgot to mention Lord Ashcroft

      • 43
        Dave is being deliberately shit (again) says:

        Of Course! It’s all a cunnning plan for Dave to be shit on purpose.
        For all these years.
        Right.

        • 52
          Gordon ( SoldGoldAtThe ) BottomBrown says:

          Whereas with me, it’s not a plan.

          This is who I am. Useless, mendacious, sociopathic, and bullying.

          It’s in my D-N-A.

        • 257
          Vote Labour To Destroy Labour says:

          Dave is not part of our cunning plan. That simple fool still wants to win.

          However, we of the longer view can see the benefits of losing this one and consigning the ZaNuLabia party to the dustbin of history.

      • 95
        MrsBtwitter says:

        My Husband- My Nutter

    • 32
      Vince Cable says:

      The Lib/Dems will not be left behind, I am working on a weasel tax system myself.

    • 51
      Anonymous says:

      Flaky Dave doing his bit for dhimmitude –

      Crash and burn motherfucker!!

    • 292
      Gordoom cooks the books says:

      whats all this about Lord Paul has he done something wrong had radio 2 on all day ain`t heard a peep tell ya what though that Ashcroft eh well I never

  4. 5
  5. 9
    alex says:

    The working man in this country Has to pay his tax, he does not have any choice, all we get is is a vote between a couple of tossers where the non doms get to run the fucking country.

  6. 12
    Disaffected says:

    Guido, you are not listening. fall in and do as you are told!

    I am sure the only people who cares about Ashcroft is Slug Mandleslime (M’Slug to servants and Sly to his friends) and BBC’s Nick Robinscum. I think we need to remember what the Labour Party are about. If you dare to criticise you will be smeared and beaten into the ground. You might recall the infestation Damian McBride who worked for the Smear Slugs, smearing opposition MPs and their families; the arrest of Damian Green, where the Home Slugretary Jaqui Smith tried to claim it was a secret and also claimed national security grounds to keep the truth from the public. We currently have the Slug witch Harslug trying to make everyone equal other than her family. And remember she tried to keep information about MPs’ expenses from the public, and spent thousands of pounds of tax payer’s money in doing so. Slug speaker Michael Martin was promoted to the ermin vermin for his endeavours. We have Blair and Straw sending everyone’s children to war losing life and limb while their children benefit from their positions through government and, incidentally Blair making a fortune on the speech circuit about the Iraq war. Meanwhile the Press Slugretary Slug Campbell is back advising how to spin, smear, scheme and manipulate the dull public because he is so clever. Poor Dr Kelly driven into the ground by Blair and Campbell who were determined to find out who was going to blow their cover over the Iraq war. The poor lady who recently revealed Brown bullied his staff faced the might of Labour’s surpressive tatics. And why didn’t Robinscum report the events surrounding Purcell, McConnell, ermin vermin Rennard in accord with the BBC’s impartial broadcasting code? Moreover, Slug Straw prevented the elevation of a judge to the President of the Family Division last week because he dared to be a critic of government policy. I think Labour public policy tactics are akin to the same used by communists, their real change is that they have learnt to present differently under Blair to stay in power. Do not dare dare to criticise them, you do as they tell you or could end up dead in a field with a coroner unable to release the evidence for 70 years.

    • 265
      Lord G says:

      So will you be voting Labour???? I’m not sure I can tell….

    • 280
      Anonymous says:

      Robinscum is a BBC2 regular every Wednesday 11:30a.m. Maybe Brillo should have a shot at teasing out the ethos underlying ‘scum’s views.Brillo has a second opportunity on BBC1 Thursday night 11:30p.m.

  7. 15
    Butler to Lord Fondlebum says:

    Please don’t forget that there is one law for Labour and one law for everyone else. As his Lordship says, “the facts are what we tell you.” A future fair for Labour non doms!

  8. 17
    Martin Day BBC political correspondent says:

    David Cameron was accused of “running scared” yesterday as Labour piled on pressure over the Lord Ashcroft non-dom scandal.

    The Tory leader failed to hold a Monday morning event for the first time since his pre-election offensive began.

    He opted to take cover as Peter Mandelson and David Miliband delivered a scathing attack on his “weakness” in dealing with the tax-dodging peer.

    Former Tory chairman Norman Tebbit also put the boot in, saying the truth about Lord Ashcroft’s tax status should have been revealed years ago. Mr Cameron’s allies are desperately trying to pin the blame on shadow foreign secretary William Hague.

    • 26
      Martins mum says:

      Go and have a wank somewhere else Martin, FFS.

    • 30
      The IMF is coming says:

      Sorry Martin, still not converted me to vote Labour

    • 37
      Translation Expert says:

      Could you explain yourself a little better Martin so that we can correct you.

    • 45
      Citizen 98759482/ad/456 says:

      Anything to say on THE TOPIC of Lord Paul?
      No, I thought not.
      Your twisted spin is no longer working.
      Bye bye Labour and take Mandlescum with you.
      Oh, you are Lord Scum, well well!

    • 62
      MI5 says:

      Hello Dolly !!

    • 66
      Martin's Care Worker says:

      Has Martin Day been in here this morning? I am a little concerned, he didn’t call into the day centre and hasn’t taken his medication for three days.

      • 138
        Anonymous says:

        sure as Day follows Knight, he’s been here again in one or two new guises. He’s not better though … needs some help urgently. Of course you could always just put him down, it’s the right thing to do

    • 68
      Henry Crun says:

      Have you scrubbed the bogs yet Damien?

  9. 19

    Oh come come guido we’ve had 12 years of this already in that, bad things can only be done by the tories. When labour does such things it is perfectly acceptable as it is only the tories who are the nasty party.

    Pot Kettle Black…

  10. 21
    what about the unions? says:

    “Labour’s 1997 manifesto promised to put a stop to all this…”

    A Labour manifesto is a work of fiction.

    • 202
      SarumSea says:

      And they promised class sizes of max 30 pupils. I see that lasted about 5 minutes! Absolute charlatans. I intend to vote Labour. Let them sort it out.

  11. 22
    Poor Citizens of the third world says:

    Why are you britishers diverting much needed taxes from our poor countries?

  12. 24
    David Cameron says:

    Hello,good morning,welcome

    After a hard day competing at the local chess tournament, all the players would gather in the reception area of a near-by hotel, and talk about their best strategies, tactics and victories.

    After 10 minutes, the hotel manager told the group that they must leave the hotel.

    “Why?” said one of the fanatics “What have we done?”

    “It’s nothing personal” The manager replied “I just can’t stand chess nuts boasting in an open foyer”

  13. 27
    England's Government of mentally unstable, bullying, Scotch liars says:

    Lying in a manifesto is the right thing to do

    Those scroungin proles wot votes for us are fick as pig-shit anyway

    • 57
      Anonymous says:

      Even better, what about a manifesto with absolutely no policies in it?
      The electorate want only fluff and baubles…let’s here it for politics without substance !

      • 67
        Caligula says:

        Ya

        Put the Cole girl on the cover of the manifesto..the CHAVs willl love it…they will turn our in millions to vote ZANULABOUR…

        Vote for Miss Cole the Labour Luvvie…

        (but don’t cross her path because she will assault you !)

      • 71
        The PM shouldn't be disturbed but this cunt is says:

        No Sir!

        I want lie after lie in me manifesto choices!

        Tough on crime!!, 24 hours to save the NHS!!, and wait for it ‘an ethical foreign policy’, (Caveat: ‘not withstanding the invasion of sovereign nations which pose no threat to us, so Tony can make lots of money in trailer trash land)

        Larfin at Labour lobotomites
        HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

  14. 34
  15. 39
    oldasiahand says:

    Before giving up non dom status Ashcroft/Paul et al can give the assets to their children or put it in an offshore trust tax free and the children maintain their non dom status. result: very little extra tax for HMG and the ssets rem,ain put of reach. Nice work!

  16. 40
    oldasiahand says:

    assets remain out of reach.

  17. 41

    Heads I win Tails you the voters lose so what different from before political reform is decades away . . . . .

  18. 42
    Doc Trough says:

    All Jonah’s mates are completely dhoti.

  19. 44
    Tommy Atkins says:

    Does this mean Mandelson will appear outside number 10 and denounce “Paul” obviously forgetting his labour peerage?, and ask for an immediate enquiry?

  20. 46
    march hare says:

    “Lord Paul Now Says He’ll Give-Up Non-Dom Status”

    I wonder how much public money Labour have paid him to fall into line.

  21. 49

    Who was that MP on derbyshire’s show laying into the BBc?

  22. 50
    Jack says:

    This non-dom business is all dust in the juryman’s face Guido

    Let’s get back to your comment

    Where is the Tory strategy ?

    What are Hilton/Cameron doing ?

    They appear to actually be “running”…

    Or are they “nobbled” by the Hilton cousin Alex ???!!

    And is Alex Hilton actually your partner in online businesses ???,

    This is interesting for us…

  23. 55
    They're all cunts at the BBC, 'cept Susanna Reid who I wish to bum very much says:

    The filth at the Socialist workers Five Live commune have naturally ignored Lord Paul, so too they will ignore that friend of the workers, Mittal.

    Surely the story of Charlie Whelan running Labour policy and marginals campaigning strategy with the money of minimum wage slaves must be a worthy news story???

    No of course not

  24. 60
    jon snow says:

    Lord Ashcroft.

    (just thought I’d keep the story going)

  25. 63
    labour scum says:

    come on down mandy.let’s hear it then?

    let’s hear about ALL LABOUR FIDDLES.(not those with young men).

    the tories should be out slaughtering these hoons………

    what about the mortgages mandy?
    ditto brown!
    what about gordies slush fund?
    the 100 broken keyboards ffs?
    are they playing cricket with hand grenades?
    have ed and yvete von braun decided where they live yet?
    has hain found the £103,000 ‘mistake’?
    fat jacqui? £116,000 and laughing……..

    i keep hearing about the nasty party …..fecking hell!

    ps cash for peerages or passports anyone?

    • 79
      Hugh Janus says:

      You are wasting your time LS, DC just isn’t interested in this tedious detail.

  26. 69
    Andrew Efiong says:

    40%… soon to be 50%!

  27. 70
    john campbell says:

    in 2000 the sunday times published the u.k. tax paid by lord levy, the labour party fund raiser, about £5ooo I seem to remember. As a printer even I paid more – and don’t forget all the sleaze attached to his peerage .

  28. 74
    charlie whelan(an apology for a man if i ever saw one) says:

    i would just like to say that martin day, the inquisition(sadly missed) and all other trolls were paid minimum wage and are getting tax credits.

    all of this was authorized by the fuhrer himself who personally rogers them daily with a nokia.

    no keyboards were broken in these activities.

  29. 76
    Strength through Unity says:

    Labour leading the way as usual on cleaning up politics. Perhaps the others will now clean their houses?

  30. 77
    Clarence, BBC Political Reporter says:

    Just in case anyone was concerned, Unite is not spending millions in the marginals, like Ashcroft is, nor are they in way hoping to influence policy or shoe-horn its favoured people into key political positions.

    The Labour Party may not have two pennies to rub together, but that doesn’t mean Unite is financing its election campaign. Oh, no. Nothing to see here.

    To compare Unite with Ashcroft is daft: Unite – and Charlie Whelan – are fully accountable to the electorate and are not some kind of boys’ club aimed at doing the Labour Party’s donkey work.

    The only elephant in the room is Lord Ashcroft. Unite isn’t even in the room. So. There.

  31. 81
    Jon Venables says:

    It is with great regret that I must stand down as a Labour party donor despite the support that I have enjoyed from the party.
    I would also like to thank Lord Mandleson for all the exotic images that he sent to me during my previous incareration.
    Vote Labour get a child killer for a neighbour.
    Jon

    • 126
      Anonymous says:

      The judge that granted you anonymity says you could be murdered by vengeful vigilantes. C’mon me old china, reveal yourself.

      “Vengeance is mine, I will repay” Romans 12:19-21

    • 231
      QWERTY says:

      Actually I’d like to make you a donor, a body parts donor.

  32. 83
    HMRC Worker. On strike today says:

    Anybody interested in how much tax Mandelson pays? Let me know, you will be shocked.

  33. 86
    FJ says:

    What about Ronnie Co’hen, or are jews immune from criticism?

    • 89
      Kevin MacDonald says:

      Don’t mention the elephant in the room. It’s “anti-semitic”

      • 100
        Sir William Waad says:

        That Ashcroft – sounds a bit like ‘Ashkenazi’ – know what I mean? As for Swraj Paul – how do we know he didn’t change his name from Plotnek or something? I tell you those 4x2s are cunning, they’re everywhere and they’re up to something.

        The Pope’s got a big nose, don’t you think? Could that H*tler Youth have been a blind?

        • 110
          lol says:

          Sir Willian Waad = useful idiot

        • 121
          Norm says:

          You should know by now that if you have the temerity to criticise a jew one of them will pop up within minutes to accuse you of having a pathological disorder.

          • Sir William Waad says:

            I’m not Jewish. The fact that you might think so shows that..er…

            I just don’t believe in the Worldwide Jewish Conspiracy or that whenever somebody called Cohen, Goldwasser or Liebovich pops up we all have to start hissing “Jew, Jew, Jew.” Frankly I think it’s nuts.

  34. 87
    Anonymous says:

    The public dont care about non-doms.

    They care about lying politicians – this time it’s Hague and Cameron.

    Do the Tory’s think Labour will drop this? It’s yummy Tory sleaze all over again….

    • 93
      Al says:

      No Tory sleaze here. Just lies, smears, and black propaganda from Brown’s gang of psycho-spivs and their pals at the BBC and the govt-sponsored Guardian.

  35. 88
    Al says:

    Labour gives almost ten million pounds of taxpayers money annually to unions like UNITE (run by Whelan) While the unions give the Labour Party over 8 million pounds in donations.

    If that’s not money laundering I don’t know what is.

    • 133
      i'm rubbish at maths says:

      er, why don’t labour jsut give them 2 mill then?

      • 142
        Al says:

        Because Labour benefit to the tune of 8 million quid, you thick fucker. That’s the whole point of it and that’s why I referred to it as money-laundering.

      • 283
        Steve Expat says:

        ‘cos it’s not Labour giving away the money, it’s US TAXPAYERS

  36. 92
    edukashun edukarson ejuckashun says:

    Labour’s 2010 election slogan:

    Ashcroft, Ashcroft, Ashcroft.

  37. 97
    Alistair Darling says:

    Seven million quid? Now how would we spend that? Would we

    (a) Improve public services;

    (b) Reduce the deficit; or

    (c) Piddle it up the wall?

    • 158
      Lord Gordon Brown says:

      well, there won’t be much of any of that left after I’ve bought my new house and had a holiday

  38. 99
    lol from the beeb merry go round leftish media says:

    And indeed the guardian does not lead with this story, nor does it give readers the opportunity to comment.

    Is it because of all the public sector job ads that labour directs to it?

    • 160
      All Greek to Me says:

      no it’s because the Guardian is an extremely illiberal newspaper with an editorial line that bans any sort of freedon, freedom of expression and freedom to differ (despite the laughable CiF)

  39. 103
    Loadsa_Labour_Wonga says:

    Lord Billy Paul’s 2010 Election Slogan:

    Let ‘em In!!

  40. 109
  41. 111
    BBC News says:

    Who cares

  42. 112
    Ed says:

    I thought Labour, and their economist shills like Blanchflower, told us that a weak pound is good for exports?

    ” UK exports plunge, threatening hopes of economic uplift
    UK exports suffered their biggest fall in more than three years during January, dashing hopes that trade would help lift the flagging economy.”

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/7404682/UK-exports-plunge-threatening-hopes-of-economic-uplift.html

    • 117
      .243 Win says:

      Two problems Ed :

      (1) Everyone else is running in local protection mode so they ‘aint buyng too much in
      (2) We’ve got two parts of sod all that anyone wants to import anyway…

      • 136
        Al says:

        The UK economy is a giant ponzi scheme fuelled by ever rising levels of debt. Pretty soon that debt will no longer be able to be financed and the whole stinking mess will come tumbling down.

        Better it happens before the election, so that Brown’s scorched earth policy of blaming it all on a Tory government doesn’t come to fruition.

    • 118
      The square root of Fuck all says:

      But if you don’t make anything, then you can’t export anything. Nothing can not be sold no matter how cheap nothing is.

    • 128
      Moley says:

      Will the Q4 export figures result in changes to the final Q4 GDP figures and that nebulous “growth” in Q4?

      • 194
        .243 Win says:

        Exports down 6% and the largest trade deficit since Aug 2008. Pound sinking too.

        Next stop : Major inflation.

  43. 119
    Tommy Atkins says:

    Nick Robinson BBC political analyst.

    Is a mediocre journalist at best and downright lazy at worst, there appears to be very little to the man, the same story for over and over again for a week.

    His sole power base is the serving cabinet, he know that when they are thrown out in May his freebie passes will cease, the man appears to have a not so hidden agenda.

    Impartiality my arse

  44. 122
    Browns Broadcasting Company says:

    It’s been very low key on the Beeb for some reason. I wonder why the ‘impartial’ BBC isn’t chasing after it?

  45. 125
    David Cameron says:

    Hello,good afternoon and welcome

    Bunch of clowns book into a hotel. They ring reception up to complain that there are no ironing boards. Guy on phone says “you’ve gotta use the window ledges.”

    Every clown has a sill for ironing

    • 143
      Moley says:

      Can you tell us why you are posting jokes under the name of David Cameron?

      Labour election strategy?

      What do you think it says about the Labour Party?

      That you accept that there are no reasons why any sane person should vote for you, and the only way you can win the election is by smearing and lying about your opponents?

      And Labour has the nerve to attack the behaviour of the B*P?

      You are opposite sides of the same coin.

      • 154
        nell says:

        It’s damian, Moley, most likely bored with that school job.

        As I said in an earlier post mandy, the business secretary, is engaged full time spinning and smearing against ashcroft; gordon is spending all his time looking for photo-ops; aintbustagut is spending all his time trying to organise a news blackout on the war and straw is doing the same over the venables issue.

        Who’s running the country?

    • 172
      Gordon Brown's Press Officer says:

      David Cameron is a joker.
      Just wait for his feeble performance at tomorrows PMQ’s
      The man has no policy and just tells jokes all the time

  46. 131
    allan akhbar says:

    so where does mandy pay tax?

    brussels?
    luxembourg?
    grand cayman?

    surely not the uk?
    any ‘bungs’ in readies handed over on yachts?

    and any money paid on ‘gifts’?
    what about the £20,000 watch?

    any capital gains tax paid on homes?
    how did he buy the regents park drum for £2.5 million?
    16 times his official salary!

    • 148
      Poirot says:

      how about the turks and caicos he was having a great time there many years ago

    • 157
      nell says:

      I wonder what Libya gave him in return for his assistance in organising the release of al-megrahi?

      • 165
        allan akhbar says:

        plenty of digging to be done here …………

      • 180
        Poirot says:

        still alive is he?

        • 192
          AC1 says:

          He’s been cured of terminal cancer.

          • nell says:

            hmmm – Here in our NHS a young man died from thirst because staff simply ignored his needs, in Libya their hospitals are prolonging the life of people of cancer………………

            It couldn’t be, could it? that gordon lied about al-megrahi’s life expectancy?

            Barefaced Lies? from the son of the manse with the moral compass?! Surely not!

          • Susie says:

            That sort of thing should go down well in Lockerbie.

            Al-Megrahi’s just about the only British export which seems to be in rude health this morning.

          • twats says:

            it should because those in Lockerbie know he didn’t do it and want a public inquiry

  47. 140
    pissed off voter says:

    Is that the same manifesto that promised an EU referendum? Were any manifesto promises actually kept?

    • 182
      Gorfons Blownit says:

      Well said

    • 201
      nearly says:

      They weren’t “promises”, they were “pledges” which is apparently more than a promise -a solemn promise. Is there any recourse for the public (apart from not voting for said party next time) when the government gets your vote under false pretenses?

      • 227
        Sting's beard says:

        I spoke to someone who was a marketing wonk who cheerfuly informed me that a promise is not a promise unless it is contained within a guarantee. How many times do the bastards ever give you a guarantee! Oh I forgot call me Dave but then he was a PR man not in marketing and consequently too dim to understand the difference.

  48. 144
    marcus aurelius says:

    skoows ‘n’ hospitaws

  49. 145
    Poirot says:

    Can someone please explain to me why Labour are allowed to go around electioneering at a cost to the tax payer without an election being called?

    have we found browns 50k slush fund yet and found out who send it to him and also i am desperate to know who sent him the roasted pig?

    • 166
      BillyBob - Stop immigration, reduce crime !! says:

      Please, do not offend our Great Leader and his acolytes !!

    • 198
      Lez says:

      “The roasted pig” is a reference to Sarah Brown after she spent too long in the sun.

  50. 147
    Peters Friends says:

    “What About Lakshmi Mittal?”

    Largest Labour donor? Never heard of him.

  51. 159
    Old Labour says:

    Labour has sold out the working classes and is now the party of fraud.

  52. 163
    The Sleeper says:

    My Springer Spaniels were fast asleep when this ‘everyone has to pay insurance for dogs’ policy was announced.

    These normally docile beasts both awoke and said… ‘the only fucker we’ll bite is that Brown arsehole that Mandleson has…and whose gonna complain about that?”

    Intelligent, my dogs…

  53. 167
    from the office of The Prime Mincer says:

    This is a non issue subject now the wind has been taken out of our ‘moral high ground’ but was worth the effort. Everybody knows donors to the mainstream parties are a mix of all sorts and that most of the tory money comes from the unions unlike us.

  54. 170
    Martin Day says:

    No-one,not even David Cameron will get a grip on me

    Headline

    David Cameron must get a grip on Martin Day

  55. 183
    isitjustme says:

    BBC ignores the story that violent crime is up 44% under Labour despite coverage in Sun, Mail, Telegraph and Times

    • 232
      Sting's beard says:

      Perhaps BBC staff are too fightened of be coming the victim of a government inspired violent crime if they run the story!!

  56. 187
    What oposition? says:

    I don’t Fucking believe it

    The Conservatives are backing Labour’s draconian Dog Tax.

    Dave and his team are Hell bent to lose the election.

    • 193
      Ed says:

      There is already a scheme under the existing Act to chip and licence certain breeds of dogs like pitbulls, rotties etc. The police rarely bother to enforce this because dealing with violent chavs and muzlim dog-fighting rings is too much trouble for them

      This latest proposal is just another way that Brown intends to harass and tax the law abiding majority, this time by targeting responsible dog-owners.

      If Cameron supports this further attack on the law-abiding by Brown and his Stasi then he has lost my vote.

      • 236
        South of the M4 says:

        Sorry. Reached tax saturation. Not a penny more from me. And all the grannies, grandads and mums with their viscous Westies and Jack Russels should say the same. A complete load of bollocks, designed to raise tax, and keep an army of bedwetters in a publicly funded non-job. As you say, if all parties support this then as a nation we are all completely bollocksed.

        • 245
          sockpuppet #4 says:

          I don’t think you need to bother looking that far for a reason.
          Its plain old “something must be done”-ism.

          Quite ironic really, as I thought the most famous piece of crap “something must be done” legislation was the dangerous dogs act.

          • Sting's beard says:

            Whatever happened to “nothing needs to be done” a major facet of conservative thinking, Let sleeping dogs lie.

      • 237
        Sting's beard says:

        Don’t animals have rights. Who the F*** is the government to force them to be chipped. Next thing you know they will be suggesting it for humans. Obviously conservatives wouldn’t be granted a license to exist. Our Masters have other plans for us!!

  57. 189
    JN says:

    Meanwhile the globalists plans gather pace:

    “Jon Moulton, Lord Salisbury and Irwin Stelzer join CPS board
    Lord Saatchi, Chairman of the CPS, commented:

    “I am delighted that three such exceptional individuals are joining the Board of the Centre for Policy Studies at such a critical time in British politics. The Centre for Policy Studies will relentlessly continue to pioneer and advocate policies which lead to economic growth. A NEW WORLD ORDER IS EVOLVING. But nobody knows its shape. Each of our new Board Members will bring insight, drive and expertise to help us define it.”

    http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thinktankcentral/2010/03/jon-moulton-lord-salisbury-and-irwin-stelzer-join-cps-board.html

  58. 200
    David Cameron says:

    If this makes the mainstream press then my Conservatives have lost the next General Election

    The Shadow Cabinet is routinely excluded from decision-making by David Cameron, it was claimed yesterday.
    Kenneth Clarke, the Tories’ business spokesman, revealed that the party leader prefers to keep his senior Conservative colleagues ‘informed’ rather than consulted.
    His comments reflect growing concern among senior Tories about Mr Cameron’s so-called ‘leadership by inner circle’.

    • 248
      Engineer says:

      Gordoom McRuin, of course, is well known for involving everybody in decision-making – except that in his case, he makes others decide whether to dodge the flying Nokia, duck to avoid it, or catch and return it.

  59. 204
    Anonymous says:

    Am I in need of a visit to the funny farm, or is the BBC getting very good at having technical problems when there is something on the the news that is less than compliamentary to the government?.

    • 210
      JL says:

      The election campaign has started but the BBC are refusing to let the Tories join in.

    • 226
      Anonymous says:

      I noticed that last week when it was a story which Labour would rather have buried – technical problems meant BBC had to move on swiftly to next story.
      Definitely something to monitor.

    • 242
      Sting's beard says:

      Just listened to the world at one on Radio 4. They were discussing polling in the Marginals and what the real state of play is. They had a conservative PPC on as soon as he began to get into his stride he was cut off short by the BBC presenter with the sarcastic comment “Less of the party political broadcast” Yes there is an election on but no one other than the Government is going to get a fair say, Brown is Scum!

    • 242
      Engineer says:

      I’ve also noticed during phone-ins and interviews, if a point is made that might be advantageous or sympathetic to the Tories, presenters are quick to interrupt. The same seems less true of points in favour of the governing party.

      Maybe it’s me being sub-consciously listening for it, or maybe it’s because BBC presenters are mostly selected because they answered a job ad. in the Grauniad.

      • 277
        Susie says:

        That Any Questions is still on i-player for anyone with a strong stomach… I had to turn it off as it was making me feel physically sick.

        What were the BBC thinking of broadcasting from a mosque anyway? I thought religion and politics were kept apart in any civilized country — or are we Iran?

  60. 205
    Damien McBride says:

    Wil Gordon have to have Sarah microchipped, licensed, and insured?

  61. 209
    Disco Biscuit says:

    Is £7,064,500 really 40% of £10,596,751? :-/

    • 230
      Sir William Waad says:

      No, it’s 40/60 of £10,596,751.

      £10,596,751 is the amount of income you would need, before tax, to be left with £7,064,500 after tax to give to the Labour Party, should you wish to gain a peerage or some big fat contracts for your company.

    • 233
      Engineer says:

      Mathematically, no. If you are the appropriate sort of accountant, however, it can be anything you want it to be.

  62. 211
    The Dirty Rat says:

    That spunk stain of a man Mandelson keeps telling us, in that patronising way of his, as if we are five year olds, that the fact that the pound has fallen in value against all major currencies and some minor ones at that is good news for our exports.
    ‘UK exports suffered their biggest fall in more than three years during January, dashing hopes that trade would quickly help lift the flagging economy.’

    Spin that you lying perverted cn*t.

    • 217
      Rip Van Winkle says:

      ‘That spunk stain of a man…’

      A man? Are you sure? The meaning was better without ‘a man’.

    • 221
      Raving Loon says:

      You have to forgive him, he’s probably never looked passed page 1 of his Macro textbook.

    • 246
      Sting's beard says:

      Thats an easy one for Mandleslime to slither out of. ” The reduced level of exports is excellent news as it will alleviate wear and tear on our Merchant fleet”

  63. 213
    Justiceforall says:

    Is it illegal to murder a despotic dictator ?

  64. 214
    nell says:

    I see gordon is busy today with congratulating the Oscar Winners . Well it makes a change from flying all the way to Afghanistan just for a photo-op with brave soldiers.

  65. 223
    concrete pump says:

    O/T
    I always new Sean Penn was a left wing c*nt, but…….Fuck me!

    http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/03/08/sean-penn-wants-reporters-jailed-calling-chavez-dictator/

    Penn should shut the fuck up and go and fucking live there.

  66. 225
    jdennis_99 says:

    Ah, but they didn’t ‘give assurances’ that they would become domiciled. So it only applies to Ashcroft.

    Hypocritical Labour thinking. Bastards.

    • 255
      Engineer says:

      Ashcroft didn’t give any assurances that he would become domiciled. Only resident – which isn’t the same thing.

      • 260
        tory boys never grow up says:

        And not even ordinarily (or permanently) resident – which is what would bring most of his income into the scope of UK taxation – just like the vast majority of those he is happy to legislate for.

        • 269
          Engineer says:

          The same argument applies to Lord Pa*l, with his duties in the Privy Council.

          • tory boys never grow up says:

            Didn’t say that they didn’t – I don’t believe that anyone who isn’t resident and ordinarily resident for tax purposes should be able to legislate for those of us that are. The issue of domicile is a little bit of a grey herring – as you say it is difficult to lose your domicile – although it appears that Ashcroft may have done so!

  67. 229
    Jimmy says:

    Mittal has a peerage?

  68. 238
    QWERTY says:

    Ugly dyke on BBC news just slagged off the Tories again and gave Lord Paul a free pass.

    So Lord Paul has told the BBC that the Police are no longer investigating him (the BBC NEVER reported that in the first place), ugly dyke also claimed Paul gave 70K to Liebour, what about the pensions and his expenses?

    Oh and Lord Paul is still under investigation from Parliament (Ashcroft no longer is) but the BBC won’t bother to report that story either.

    • 249

      Expecting even-handedness from BBC politics, QWERTY? You might as well be looking for patterns in the movement of smoke particles in a Huntz dust tube.

    • 253
      The Sleeper says:

      BBC is in full election campaign mode.

      They have now stopped even pretending to be neutral and are in full Labour re-election status.

      The Beeb…now to be called..”Campaign for Re-election of All Browns Sleaziness” ….or CRABS.

      • 278
        Susie says:

        I’ve got a campaign for them… everyone who’s intending to Conservative signs a pledge that they will not pay the license fee tax.

  69. 250
    Labour Are Dead says:

    Wake me up on May 7 when Labour are gone. And if by some horrific chance they’re still here, wake me up anyway so I can book the next flight out of the country. I have a feeling many will want to do the same if Gorgon Brown gets back in.

  70. 251
    tory boys never grow up says:

    This just advertises Guido’s ignorance about tax matters – non doms are taxed on overseas income/capital gains that they remit to the UK. I find it difficult to see how anyone could pay a donation to a UK political party without remitting overseas income to the UK and hence bringing it within the sciope of taxation.

    What really matters is whether the individual concerned is permanently (or more correctly ordinarily) resident in the UK – if not they can get their overseas income outside the scope of UK taxation. If you put your name on the electoral register then it is very difficult to argue that you are not permanently resident.

    • 262
      Engineer says:

      “Resident” and “domiciled” mean different things. Residency can be changed relatively easily, but domicilary status is much harder to change, as I understand it.

      It’s currently legal for political parties to accept donations from anybody, whatever their tax status. Arguably, that should be changed so that in future, only donations from someone resident and domiciled in the UK can be accepted – but I’ll bet it’s not that simple. How does the law apply to people in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, for example?

      • 272
        tory boys never grow up says:

        Not quite – the tax distinction between resident but not ordinarily resident and resident and ordinarily resident is very important in determining whether income generated from overseas income falls within the scope of UK tax.

        You are right that the tests for ordinarily resident are not that simple – and it looks to me as an outsider that is what Ashcroft has actually been arguing about. It appears that he wants to be resident but not ordinarily resident. HMRC will try and argue that you are ordinarily resident if you are on the electoral register.

        Donors who give to political parties in a personal capacity have to on the UK elctoral register – the use of comapnies/incorporated associations should be stopped for this very reason.

        Those in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man – are not usually residient in any form and cut all links to demonstrate that this is the case – and those that retain domicile will only be taxed on their remitted earnings, so they don’t remit on anything. Off the topic this is something of a disgrace sine the individuals concerned take all the benefits of our economy and banking system and don’t pay their taxes in return – perhaps this might be one source for reducing the deficit!

  71. 254
    Allah's Akbarred says:

    This is how they get their groove on Friday nights.

    AIN’T NO PARTY LIKE AN AL-QAEDA PARTY CUZ AN AL-QAEDA PARTY DON’T STOP

    • 256
      Seen it before says:

      Do you work for the BBC? I’m sure this is a repeat….

      • 263
        Allah's Akbarred says:

        No, the BBC go to great lengths NOT to show you images like these. Not very PC.

        • 271
          Seen it before says:

          Maybe, but the point’s been made several times before on this blog. Do us a favour and change the record.

  72. 258
    Brown Is A Cunt says:

    Brown is always scared shitless of PMQs. He’s so desperate to get away, the stupid fuck forgets he has a statement to make:

  73. 264
    tory boys never grow up says:

    Is Guido a non dom and/or ordinarily resident for UK tax??

  74. 275
    Labour Are Corrupt says:

    Is this Lord Paul’s theme song?

  75. 282
    Confused.com says:

    carol walker (BBC24) just said Lord Paul has donated £70k to the labour party compared with Ashcroft’s millions

  76. 289
    Fedupwithsocialism says:

    What appals me is this assumption that we should seek to pay as much tax as possible. What claptrap. Personally, I think Ashcroft is only being sensible. Tax is legalised theft insofar as the Govt can send round armed men and ruin your life unless you pay them protection money. Dammit. I use every legal avoidance measure that my accountant can find. After all, I earned it by the sweat of my brow and I’m better qualified that some apparatchik gauleiter to decide how it should be spent.

    Good on you Ashcroft!

  77. 290
    Anonymous says:

    Why all the fuss?

  78. 293
    Robert Thompson says:

    Everyones forgot about me hee hee

  79. 294
    Anonymous says:

    But Mr Mittal was gifted Corus by Saint Anthony wasn’t he?

    Oh and who were the consortium members who walked from the contract?

  80. 295
    thick ass thieves says:

    vote for Brown



Another Twittish Tweet from Kerry McCarthy | BBC 
What’s the Point of Our Anti-Business Secretary? | Ruth Porter
HuffPo Hiring Pro-Iranian Mehdi “Act of Desperation” | Fox News
Krugman is Seductive, Simplistic and Unrealistic | Jeremy Warner
Lower Taxes, Higher Growth, the Statistical Evidence | CPS
Bash the Unions, Gatecrash the Quangos | ConservativeHome
I Told You So: Euro is Doomed | Douglas Carswell
PM Speaks for the Nation When Bashing Balls | Quentin Letts
Time for an Alliance | Dan Hannan
Farage’s Plan | ConservativeHome
Guardian Open News is a Failure | Heather Brooke
Balls Calls for Deeper Cuts | Speccie
Lessons from the Thirties | CPS
PMQs Idiots | Harry Cole
Jon Cruddas is Not the Messiah | Dan Hodges

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