Pegg pilloried for demanding higher taxes on the rich to combat inequality – by Tory trolls
Simon Pegg: This Writer may have looked much the same when I saw some of the responses to his suggestion – but more frowny.
This man deserves better:
Simon Pegg, the actor and writer who brought us Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, has been berated by members of the public for suggesting the rich should pay higher taxes.
He is among 120 signatories of an open letter asking millionaires and billionaires to join calls for higher taxes on very wealthy people, and for international reforms to stop tax dodging.
Writing in The Times, he stated: “Inequality is not inevitable, it’s a policy choice.”
“It’s the product of governments passing policies that favour the very wealthy at the expense of the less fortunate,” he wrote.
He said the rate of poverty reduction had halved since 2013, whereas in the past decade the number of billionaires had doubled.
And he stated that inequality was the driving force behind both societal breakdown and the “climate crisis we face”.
And what response did he get?
It’s always good to see Hollywood luvvies tell us what they think. They’re always so virtuous and right….
— Paul T SDP ⚒️ (@hammer311273) January 23, 2020
https://twitter.com/DavidAGunn1/status/1220317146934317058
He's acting like he cares now he's a millionaire,had to get to a certain monetary point before he took the part😂
— Rob (@robrexwilliams) January 23, 2020
Easy to say when the most pro-elite/rich/oligarch/rent-seeker government in decades are in power & you know there's a zero chance of tax increases on the rich materializing…
— Desmond (@Desmond40182905) January 23, 2020
https://twitter.com/theJamieBoyle/status/1220311123934830592
Some have said that this army of opposition is a classic example of “turkeys voting for Christmas” because it is a contradiction for poor people to demand that an unequal system continues to benefit the super-rich.
But it’s actually worse than that.
I chose the above selection of tweets at random, but take a look at the profiles of the people writing them.
I don’t think any of them are genuine. I think they are all Tory-supporting troll accounts, set up to gaslight us.
The names are (generally) pseudonyms; the profile pictures (if any are there) are of things, not people; the accounts have mostly existed for many years but have few followers and aren’t following many others either.
Those are classic Twitter troll characteristics.
It looks like the (alleged) Conservative Party Twitter army got wind of this story and mobilised the troops to trash it before it could gain traction.
Are you going to let that happen?
How about visiting the itv.com tweet and posting some support for Simon, to counter the flood from nonexistent trolls?
That’s what I’ve done.
I notice the vast majority of responses here are from Tory Twitter trolls, attacking this excellent idea.
Perhaps REAL Twitter users could show their support for it and drown out these fakes. #ThursdayMotivation #ThursdayThoughts #ThursdayPolitics #UKPolitics
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) January 23, 2020
Source: Actor Simon Pegg demands higher taxes on the rich to combat inequality – ITV News
Have YOU donated to my crowdfunding appeal, raising funds to fight false libel claims by TV celebrities who should know better? These court cases cost a lot of money so every penny will help ensure that wealth doesn’t beat justice.
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Here are four ways to be sure you’re among the first to know what’s going on.
1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (in the left margin). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.
2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical
3) Like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VoxPolitical/
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
4) You could even make Vox Political your homepage at http://voxpoliticalonline.com
And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
The Livingstone Presumption is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
Since Thatcher Blair the poor are paying that price
While the not rich pay their taxes the rich evade
It .untill they pay their share nothing will change
Just started #I’mwithPegg on Twitter can you share it?