Public turn on the Royals over ‘Paradise Papers’ tax avoidance revelations
Experts said the investments were not illegal and there is no suggestion the Queen is not paying tax –
but that is not the point. By avoiding tax,
Her Majesty is depriving her citizens of money that could be used for public services.
That is immoral –
and unforgivable [Image: Getty].
Here‘s the story, as it relates to the Royals:
Millions of pounds of the Queen’s private money is invested in offshore funds in Caribbean tax havens, a huge leak of financial documents referred to as the “Paradise Papers” has revealed.
The documents show that the Duchy of Lancaster, which manages investments for the Queen’s £520m private estate, invested around £10m in the Cayman Islands and Bermuda-based funds.
They also show that the monarch holds small investments, via funds, in businesses including off license chain Threshers and BrightHouse, which has been accused of exploiting people with mental health problems and learning disabilities in order to sell its products.
It is important also to remember that Her Majesty tried to use a state-run poverty fund to heat Buckingham Palace. Was she avoiding tax at this time?
And here’s the public reaction. It seems nobody is keen to support Her Majesty in this:
Guardian front page, Monday 6 November 2017: Revealed: Queen's cash invested in controversial retailer accused of exploiting the poor pic.twitter.com/uA2LDGlE9F
— The Guardian (@guardian) November 5, 2017
https://twitter.com/withorpe/status/927249043570528260
Am staggered officials didn’t stop Queen’s money being invested via tax havens – & then into Brighthouse. Will be seen as an insult to millions on low and stagnating incomes pic.twitter.com/oHyhGc7JJ5
— Robert Peston (@Peston) November 5, 2017
https://twitter.com/Liam_O_Hare/status/927251481992093697
When even the Queen's estate is treacherously smuggling money out of the country, the Establishment is revealed as rotten from top to toe
— George Monbiot (@GeorgeMonbiot) November 6, 2017
When you are told that the Royal Family cares for your well being, just remember like all the entitled they like to invest offshore. #queen
— John Smith (son of Harry Leslie Smith) (@Harryslaststand) November 6, 2017
So the taxes we all pay to support the Royal Family, they then syphon off into tax havens so the NHS can't get at it. #ParadisePapers
— Danny Baker (@prodnose) November 5, 2017
So we pay our tax to fund the Royal Family who then invest our tax money to ensure that they pay less tax. Wow. #paradisepapers
— James Melville 🚜 (@JamesMelville) November 5, 2017
offshore tax avoidance though not illegal, is a moral insult to all who pay tax! pic.twitter.com/5Tgsh2JOdM
— Are We All Asleep ? ▄▀▄▀▄∆▄▀▄▀▄ (@demindblower) November 6, 2017
Yet another opportunity to bring out one of my favourite Tony Benn quotes #ParadisePapers pic.twitter.com/SE05hloQ7b
— Tweets by Sue (@marthasydenham) November 6, 2017
Imagine having more money than you or your children could ever spend and still hiding it away while ur country ppl go hungry #paradisepapers
— Paula (@PaulaCoyscot) November 5, 2017
Long to 'rain' over us
God save the Queen…She doesn't need any help, she saves in the Cayman Islands. pic.twitter.com/BpQ8WDadha
— Denis Skinner (@BolsoverBeast) November 6, 2017
The Queen has £10m stashed away in offshore accounts.
Only this year she was given an £8m rise because £74m a year isn’t enough to live on. pic.twitter.com/9QqvZtDlm1
— Socialist Voice (@SocialistVoice) November 5, 2017
https://twitter.com/BitcoinBuddhist/status/927342510975852544
For one thing, let’s stop paying to refurbish the Queen’s palaces. #TaxAvodingQueen
— Prof Paul Bernal (@PaulbernalUK) November 6, 2017
"Mummy, these peasants are paying for the Buckingham Palace refurb" #ParadisePapers pic.twitter.com/jHKI843Q7I
— 𝚒𝚊𝚠𝚗 𝚌ô𝚗𝚝? 🏴 ꜱᴜᴘᴘᴏʀᴛ ᴜᴋ ꜱᴛᴇᴇʟ (@Shonie75) November 5, 2017
https://twitter.com/DanNeidle/status/927258030563123200
Shows like Panorama are like select committee hearings. Entertain the masses, whilst we carry on screwing them & making them think we care.
— Mr Ethical (@nw_nicholas) November 5, 2017
John Humphrys tying himself in knots trying to defend tax avoidance.
— Mr Ethical (@nw_nicholas) November 6, 2017
So Humphreys worried companies will leave UK if they have to pay tax but he doesn't care about companies leaving because of Brexit #r4today
— Gail Freeman-Bell (@gailf_b) November 6, 2017
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This might open a few eyes as to what the Windsor family are really all about. A bunch of not-very-bright parasites.
Not sharing. ‘Dead cats’ spring to mind!
Your choice. I think it’s reasonable to question the behaviour of the Royal Household in this matter.
If not paying your tax and putting it in an offshore fund is not illegal, Why can’t we all do it???
let them eat cake hay
It’s absolutely disgusting… .
I am flaborghasted (spelt wrong)
Nothing but a set of parasites sucking what ever they can out of the country
Well done, please, please keep the pressure on these Pariahs. We don’t need or want them here. Disgusted to my core!
“Royals” are, by definition, parasites, whether they are British or Saudi.
I cannot see what benefit it is for the Queen to invest her money elsewhere, especially in a tax haven. This is supposed to be her country and she doesn’t have to pay tax here, anyway. Surely, it would be better for her and for her subjects, if she invested her money here? We are told that she is an astute woman but had to ask what one did with cash money. It seems implausible that she didn’t know where the money was going, or the nature of the investment but not impossible. Questions need to be asked and answered, regarding this. Something just doesn’t add up, except to say that the more that she earns abroad, the less we should have to pay her. Certainly, I think that she will want to know more about the companies in which her money is invested, if she doesn’t already.
The Queen does pay tax in the UK. Has since the 1990s.