On Friday Guardianistas Rob Davies and Joseph Smith had an article attacking recipients of furlough funds, “including billionaire tax exiles, Saudi royals and oil-rich Gulf states which have claimed millions of pounds in taxpayer-funded furlough money.”

Based on government information, they claimed their story had “sparked dismay among MPs at the use of a scheme designed to support struggling businesses and prevent mass unemployment, with one complaining of public money being scattered ‘like confetti'” quoting Robert Palmer, of Tax Justice UK, saying: “It’s pretty galling that tax exiles who have minimised their contributions in the good times are asking for a handout when things get tough.” Who else do we know to have minimised their contributions in good times and now claims handouts in hard times?

Guido can reveal that to date Guardian Media Group has claimed some £200,000 in furlough funds, despite having managed for decades to avoid paying corporation tax, even when sheltering a billion pound asset sale in the Caymans Island’s tax haven. Avoiding taxes when it makes money, claiming from the taxpayer when it is in difficulty.

As for billionaires, in the begging footnotes seen at the bottom of articles it pushes a nonsense line that the Guardian that it is “free of the influence of billionaires”. In truth The Guardian solicits millions in subsidies from foundations established by some of the richest billionaires on the planet to push their agendas.  Millions are laundered through the opaque foundations of billionaires every year to subsidise the loss making newspaper. Sponsored content guaranteed to toe-the-line desired by the billionaire donors…

N.B. At Guido we didn’t furlough anyone, or make anyone redundant, we weathered the pandemic out of reserves and actually increased headcount. No taxpayers are harmed in the production of Guido.