Quote of the year so far... Lin Homer
Discussion
Head of HMRC, in front of the public accounts committee.
'I'M NO TAX EXPERT'
You don't say.
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/02/today-in-audi...
'I'M NO TAX EXPERT'
You don't say. http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/02/today-in-audi...
Wills2 said:
It's seems awkward on the face of it, but is the boss of BT a telecoms engineer? Or the boss of BA a commercial pilot?
The better quote was the Google exe who forgot how much he earns....er I don't have the figures to hand.
Indeed, Homer is rubbish in many ways but she is a senior manager not someone checking tax returns. The Google boss not knowing how much he is paid is just bizarre and divorced from normal life.The better quote was the Google exe who forgot how much he earns....er I don't have the figures to hand.
greygoose said:
Indeed, Homer is rubbish in many ways but she is a senior manager not someone checking tax returns. The Google boss not knowing how much he is paid is just bizarre and divorced from normal life.
I think 'I don't know' was a polite way of telling her to mind her own business. I bet its many X the jumped up questioners salary , so he has the last laugh
dandarez said:
Head of HMRC, in front of the public accounts committee.
'I'M NO TAX EXPERT'
You don't say.
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/02/today-in-audi...
UK establishment...by Monty Python. 'I'M NO TAX EXPERT'
You don't say. http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/02/today-in-audi...
2.5pi said:
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Exactly, If pressed I could probably guess reasonably accurately how much I earn but I'm not going on record to a committee of the House of Commons with a guess..Elroy Blue said:
Willy Walsh, the head of BA actually was a commercial pilot. Useless fact of the day.
That was one of the good things about the days of family-owned businesses. Not the shareholder-squeeze-maxi-profits out of a stone, knows the price of everything and the value of nothing souless days of today. Wills2 said:
It's seems awkward on the face of it, but is the boss of BT a telecoms engineer? Or the boss of BA a commercial pilot?
The better quote was the Google exe who forgot how much he earns....er I don't have the figures to hand.
Now you've mentioned that, for an example a close friend has been with BT since he left school, same time as I did. We have a chat when we bump into one another. He's now past retirement age, as am I, and wants to leave because of despair at BT, and he can leave but is worried sitting on his ass all day he might not be to his liking. Me? I'd be out like a f. shot!The better quote was the Google exe who forgot how much he earns....er I don't have the figures to hand.
He tells how it's been nothing but a total disaster over the last 10 years. His current BT boss is ex-Nationwide manager (prior to this his boss for 3 years was an ex-Boots female chief exec, she also knew sweet fa about comms, the higher echelons knew this, but still employed her!) - wtf does a Boots exec or bank manager know about the communications industry?
Yeah, nowt, that's why after only 18 months in the position he just been given a (silver?) handshake to go (ie: p
s off, you are fking things up, just like the previous female incumbent!). The irony is he starts back at the top of a local bank at the beginning of March. Where the ex-Boots lady went, who knows, he didn't tell me, probably back to Boots!Ah well, carry on.
Regardless.
At least I'm in a position to piss myself about it all.
dandarez said:
Now you've mentioned that, for an example a close friend has been with BT since he left school, same time as I did. We have a chat when we bump into one another. He's now past retirement age, as am I, and wants to leave because of despair at BT, and he can leave but is worried sitting on his ass all day he might not be to his liking. Me? I'd be out like a f. shot!
He tells how it's been nothing but a total disaster over the last 10 years. His current BT boss is ex-Nationwide manager (prior to this his boss for 3 years was an ex-Boots female chief exec, she also knew sweet fa about comms, the higher echelons knew this, but still employed her!) - wtf does a Boots exec or bank manager know about the communications industry?
Yeah, nowt, that's why after only 18 months in the position he just been given a (silver?) handshake to go (ie: ps off, you are fking things up, just like the previous female incumbent!). The irony is he starts back at the top of a local bank at the beginning of March. Where the ex-Boots lady went, who knows, he didn't tell me, probably back to Boots!
Ah well, carry on.
Regardless.
At least I'm in a position to piss myself about it all.
BT just made record profits. So the boss (although not to his liking) is clearly doing something right. Despite not knowing what a pair of 81s are or not being great at climbing a telegraph pole!He tells how it's been nothing but a total disaster over the last 10 years. His current BT boss is ex-Nationwide manager (prior to this his boss for 3 years was an ex-Boots female chief exec, she also knew sweet fa about comms, the higher echelons knew this, but still employed her!) - wtf does a Boots exec or bank manager know about the communications industry?
Yeah, nowt, that's why after only 18 months in the position he just been given a (silver?) handshake to go (ie: p
s off, you are fking things up, just like the previous female incumbent!). The irony is he starts back at the top of a local bank at the beginning of March. Where the ex-Boots lady went, who knows, he didn't tell me, probably back to Boots!Ah well, carry on.
Regardless.
At least I'm in a position to piss myself about it all.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I still thought it a better quote than the HMRC one- a manager not being a specialist must be more common than not knowing how much you get paid. He also insisted that Google had paid 20% tax, though couldn't recall how much profit the company made. While I think the whole thing stinks, I don't think either HMRC nor Google are responsible for our tax law, which is really what should be under scrutiny. How difficult would it be to create a completely new system and have it in place by 2020 I wonder?
Wills2 said:
It's seems awkward on the face of it, but is the boss of BT a telecoms engineer? Or the boss of BA a commercial pilot?
IndeedTo manage the HM R&C isn't going to require detailed tax knowledge I would suggest and in fact it would be a brave person to claim to be an expert in ALL aspects of tax collected by HM R&C. It is more common for people to claim expertise in particular areas whether that be VAT, IHT or what have you.
glazbagun said:
While I think the whole thing stinks, I don't think either HMRC nor Google are responsible for our tax law, which is really what should be under scrutiny. How difficult would it be to create a completely new system and have it in place by 2020 I wonder?
Could we not start with the legal system first ?Laws that need £10k a day solicitors to decipher - how is that a reasonable and fair system ?
Have you looked at what it costs ?
Halb said:
dandarez said:
Head of HMRC, in front of the public accounts committee.
'I'M NO TAX EXPERT'
You don't say.
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/02/today-in-audi...
UK establishment...by Monty Python. 'I'M NO TAX EXPERT'
You don't say. http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/02/today-in-audi...
The lyrics of "When I was a Lad" (more usually referred to as "Ruler of the Queen's Navy") from 1878. Nothing changes much -
When I was a lad I served a term
As office boy to an Attorney's firm.
I cleaned the windows and I swept the floor,
And I polished up the handle of the big front door.
Chorus.
He polished up the handle of the big front door.
Sir Joseph.
I polished up that handle so carefullee
That now I am the Ruler of the Queen's Navee!
Chorus.
He polished up that handle so carefullee,
That now he is the ruler of the Queen's Navee!
Sir Joseph.
As office boy I made such a mark
That they gave me the post of a junior clerk.
I served the writs with a smile so bland,
And I copied all the letters in a big round hand.
Chorus.
He copied all the letters in a big round hand.
Sir Joseph.
I copied all the letters in a hand so free,
That now I am the Ruler of the Queen's Navee!
Chorus.
He copied all the letters in a hand so free,
That now he is the Ruler of the Queen's Navee!
Sir Joseph.
In serving writs I made such a name
That an articled clerk I soon became;
I wore clean collars and a brand-new suit
For the pass examination at the Institute.
Chorus.
For the pass examination at the Institute.
Sir Joseph.
That pass examination did so well for me,
That now I am the Ruler of the Queen's Navee!
Chorus.
That pass examination did so well for he,
That now he is the Ruler of the Queen's Navee!
Sir Joseph.
Of legal knowledge I acquired such a grip
That they took me into the partnership.
And that junior partnership, I ween,
Was the only ship that I ever had seen.
Chorus.
Was the only ship that he ever had seen.
Sir Joseph.
But that kind of ship so suited me,
That now I am the ruler of the Queen's Navee!
Chorus.
But that kind of ship so suited he,
That now he is the ruler of the Queen's Navee!
Sir Joseph.
I grew so rich that I was sent
By a pocket borough into Parliament.
I always voted at my party's call,
And I never thought of thinking for myself at all.
Chorus.
He never thought of thinking for himself at all.
Sir Joseph.
I thought so little, they rewarded me
By making me the Ruler of the Queen's Navee!
Chorus.
He thought so little, they rewarded he
By making him the Ruler of the Queen's Navee!
Sir Joseph.
Now landsmen all, whoever you may be,
If you want to rise to the top of the tree,
If your soul isn't fettered to an office stool,
Be careful to be guided by this golden rule.
Chorus.
Be careful to be guided by this golden rule.
Sir Joseph.
Stick close to your desks and never go to sea,
And you all may be rulers of the Queen's Navee!
Chorus.
Stick close to your desks and never go to sea,
And you all may be rulers of the Queen's Navee!
anonymous said:
[redacted]
It isn't, but he just came across as unprepared for the question (that's not meaning he should have told them, but needed a better come back than the one he chose IHMO) TBH I'd like to see an exe with some balls in front of a select committee fire a few shots back. Wills2 said:
It isn't, but he just came across as unprepared for the question (that's not meaning he should have told them, but needed a better come back than the one he chose IHMO) TBH I'd like to see an exe with some balls in front of a select committee fire a few shots back.
what legal powers do select committees have? is it like a judge and contempt of court etc. What if you just dont answer their questions? do you have to attend? what if you give them a sarcastic answer what care they going to do? go red in the face or send you down for contempt?
superlightr said:
what legal powers do select committees have? is it like a judge and contempt of court etc.
What if you just dont answer their questions? do you have to attend? what if you give them a sarcastic answer what care they going to do? go red in the face or send you down for contempt?
Since I asked the question above, namely "What can they do if you give a no comment interview?" which is in similar vein to yours have found this. It answered all my questions, anyway. What if you just dont answer their questions? do you have to attend? what if you give them a sarcastic answer what care they going to do? go red in the face or send you down for contempt?
Select committee effectiveness, resources and powers. Written evidence submitted by the Clerk of the House
Edited by FiF on Friday 12th February 10:33
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