Unbelievable, the 2 people the liar appointed as political advisors were the only people he approached, via WhatsApp to Jack and rang James, for assurances, but cannot say who the individual MPs were who witnessed these assurances.
Seems like today was a good day to hide some embarrassing news... £500k tax 2022... how awkward Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, said: “[The tax returns] reveal a tax system designed by successive Tory governments in which the prime minister pays a far lower tax rate than working people who face the highest tax burden in 70 years.”
It's an interesting one this. Sunak has published his returns and been transparent but he clearly picked yesterday so that it wasn't on the front page of every newspaper today. Most of his tax is capital gains rather than income so he's only being taxed at 20%. Rayner's line of attack seems wrong to me though. It was 40% for 20 years before Gordon Brown reduced it to 18% in 2008. Labour then put it up to 28% in 2010 before Cameron then reduced it back to 20%. The more interesting angle is that Sunak has requested a review on CGT when he was chancellor in 2020. The reports recommended it be hiked back to 40% in line with income tax, but he hasn't acted on it. Labour pledged to put it in line with income tax in their last manifesto and hinted at it again in their Autumn Statement. When we're going through a cost of living crisis that affects so many of the poorer people in this country, it should be asked why the Prime Minister hasn't done more to take a little more from those at the top to help balance the books rather than put so much strain on those at the bottom.
If only there was something Labour could have done to stop these successive Tory governments being unilaterally installed since 2010. Ah. What a silly line of attack. He's payed what the system says he owed. If he hadn't, HMRC would have been knocking and they wouldn't have been published in the first place. It's also a tax system which does very well for the Labour leader's 'unique' pension scheme.
Clever of Sunak releasing what he paid in tax on the day of the Bojo inquiry. Not on the front pages. Wouldn't mind seeing him declare what he didn't pay.
When is the annual works Christmas do, with booze, toasts and secret Santas, not a works do ... ... it depends on whether Boris Johnson is there or not. If he's there it's a vital work event for people who've been working incredibly hard and he's 'ushered in by an adviser' If he's not there it's an illegal gathering subject to a £10,000 fine
The scheme has never been used by Starmer so it doesn't do very well for him. He's pledged to reverse it if Labour get into power.
I have been unable to watch the cinematic event of the year this week. Work chose the choice time to send me out to make friends and influence enemies. I now wonder if Boris needed that sort of skillset. It sounds like I have missed nothing we didnt expect. Also sounds like he will get a slap on the wrist, no great surprise at all I suppose. My opinion of him remains as was. Now Sunak could do worse than remove the whip. Johnson is isolated like never before. It might boost Sunak's increasing reputation, but more importantly send a message and a precedent to any furture leader.
If the Queen had labelled Philips funeral as a leaving event, she could have had the whole palace around her and copious drinks afterwards, and still have complied with @BorisJohnson’s version of the rules and guidance.
What an insult to claim the Downing Street staff deserved these 'work events' and 'leaving parties' because "they were working so terribly terribly hard" ... ... whereas NHS staff were having to wear full PPE, throughout an entire twelve hour night shift, then sleep at work to avoid mixing with their families. "Nurses are leaving their shifts in tears, feeling scared and exhausted, as they continue to battle the worst surge of Covid-19 yet, Nursing Times has been told."
There is a clip of Question Time doing the rounds. The audience was asked if Boris wasn't lying, not one hand went up. Somebody tech savvy could probably put it up?
