Lewis Hamilton hammered for making charity appeal while avoiding tax. But is he the worst offender?
Lord Ashcroft hid in a toilet to avoid answering allegations of tax avoidance. How many other shadowy businesspeople are keeping their heads down in similar ways?
Lewis Hamilton should have known: You can’t avoid paying tax on your private plane and expect people to praise you for asking other people to give.
It is therefore no surprise that his support for the BBC’s Children in Need appeal garnered this response:
https://twitter.com/AbiWilks/status/931873303572156418
He has also been supporting other efforts to attack poverty:
https://twitter.com/LewisHamilton/status/931186816010604544
But here’s the thing:
https://twitter.com/huwlemmey/status/931875772264009730
And that’s exactly the point. By avoiding his tax obligation, Mr Hamilton – the UK’s highest-paid sportsman, unless I’ve been misinformed – is depriving the state of the cash necessary to fund schemes that would help lift children out of poverty, in a way that charities simply can’t achieve.
Lewis Hamilton must be as thick as bulls lugs. He donates a pair of old shoes when paying the legitimate VAT got his plane would've funded public resources. Rich but with a bankrupt morality and soul. https://t.co/em4ixmsQqv
— Spock of Thornaby🖖 (@Spock_Thornaby) November 18, 2017
Of course, there are alternatives to harsh criticism:
Ok but can u pls pay ur taxes to support the country. Austerity also forces families into poverty. https://t.co/AvASbBoTjb
— Aleesha 🇵🇸 (@a_leesha1) November 18, 2017
And of course, Lewis Hamilton isn’t the only tax avoider in the UK.
We know about him because reporters on the BBC’s Panorama knew that he is a big name that would attract interest.
What about the really serious offenders? These are the businesspeople who make a career out of cheating the nation out of their tax obligation.
It might be legal, but it sure isn’t moral.
Lord Ashcroft was the token businessperson mentioned by Panorama, but there are plenty more – and they deprive us of billions.
Who are they?
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