This week has seen a fevered attack on the Prime Minister which has seen him publish his personal tax summaries to try and defuse what I think is a very petty row over his tax situation. After watching it all from a distance, it is clear to me that this country is either developing or has already developed a disgust for the wealthy. A totally illogical attitude.
Cameron’s situation
Before I move on to why I think left wing anger towards wealthier is total garbage, I want to say my piece on David Cameron’s situation.
There is something very distasteful in this whole story. David Cameron was given some money, £200k, by his mother which she inherited when is father died. He was also given £300k on his death. He also held shares in his father’s offshore investment, which was perfectly legal and broke no laws, in which he sold just before he became PM and indeed did pay income tax on those profits. There is nothing here that is wrong.
The anger surrounding this issue smacks of jealousy. The fact that the PM has more money than others and he’s earned it legally. I suspect that the pressure put on him to publish details was in hope by the left that it would uncover something dodgy, which it has not.
It’s frankly disgusting that political “leaders” have used David Cameron’s deceased father’s money to try and score political points. Public figure or not, it is no one’s business. I know if someone started poking around my business and started to ask me personal details about money left by my dead Dad I would be inclined to to give them a swift knee to the stomach and tell them to move on.
Attitude towards wealth
What this whole matter highlights to me is the growing negative and almost militant attitude towards those with any degree of wealth.
We appear to be turning into a nation that despises those who have more wealth than the next person. Which is a totally ridiculous attitude to have as I’m pretty sure most of us work to increase our wages and standard of living. Yet, when the subject of millionaires comes up, somehow they all become dodgy, not to be trusted and somewhat worse than other “normal” members of society.
Would you not want to be a millionaire? Be safe in the knowledge that you and your family are financially secure? Fairly sure everyone will say yes to that. So I find it hypocritical when the country is suddenly up in arms when companies and high net worth individuals use perfectly legal frameworks overseas to conduct their business and finances.
I also find it very naive when people become outraged that people and companies actually use offshore businesses and accounts to conduct their affairs. Whilst these are perfectly legal, do not expect big business and wealthy individuals to use these methods. I don’t know why we’re all shocked and appalled by it.
If the world really wanted to do something about offshore accounts and tax havens, it is Governments and them alone that have the power to do something about it. They either change the laws around the world to close whatever loopholes are out there, or they don’t. The public cannot expect the wealthier percentage of the world not to use it. I’m sure we all would if we had the chance.
If I become a millionaire, I’m off!
I work damn hard for the money I earn. My day job is working in the family run window and door installation business, which is growing strongly this year and the money I earn from there is good. I also work on this site in the evenings and weekends and earn money from companies who choose to advertise on here.
Hopefully, my work will result in me being in a position where I don’t have to worry about money. I want to be in a position where I can bring up a family in comfort, without having to worry about finances. If I’m very lucky, I would like to be in a position at some point in my life where by bank accounts shows seven figures, maybe more. In which case, should I expect criticism and scrutiny if I get there? Should I be ready for a backlash against portions of the public of believe I shouldn’t have that much money?
If so, I’m off. I would be quite happy to leave the UK and move to another part of world. I don’t intend to work by arse off, be successful, to be then put under any sort of pressure for that.
We’re becoming a very bitter and jealous country when it comes to money and wealth. There will always be someone richer and more successful than you. The question is, are you going to sit there and bitch about it, or will you get up and doing something about it?
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There are 2 aspects, in my view, to all this: 1. The socialist view which you have accurately described as one of envy. There are a lot of people who have legitimately earned what wealth they have and there is no place here for envy. The problem however, is that the appalling credit system we have enriches the richest, and keeps the poorest poor. Witness the difficulty the youngest generation have in affording a home of their own. 2. The current tax system is dysfunctional.It taxes income and profit, which makes it easy for the wealthiest to hide and to… Read more »