Selasa, 03 Juli 2012

BBC broadcaster John Simpson said he used to be a tax avoider (until he realised paying tax was 'absolutely right')

BBC broadcaster John Simpson said he used to be a tax avoider (until he realised paying tax was 'absolutely right')

  • He placed his London town house with an offshore company until he decided to end the arrangement
  • He said paying tax was 'painful' but it was part of the 'duties of being a British citizen'

By Emily Allen

PUBLISHED: 06:19 EST, 3 July 2012 | UPDATED: 10:02 EST, 3 July 2012


BBC broadcaster John Simpson has admitted that he used to be a tax avoider - until he realised that paying it was one of the 'duties of a citizen of this country'.

The 67-year-old journalist said he placed his London town house with an offshore company until he decided to recently end the legal arrangement.

He bought the house for £1.85million in 2004 and it was owned through a Bahamas company controlled by his South African wife Dee Kruger in order to avoid inheritance tax or stamp duty after a future sale.

Enlarge   John Simpson and his wife

Avoider: John Simpson, pictured with his wife Dee, said his £1.85million London home was placed in an off-shore company until he decided to end the legal arrangement recently

However, Simpson said he decided before the Jimmy Carr tax controversy was revealed to put the property back in the couple's own names - even though it could mean he's landed with a six-figure capital gains bill. 

The BBC's World Affairs Editor told the Independent: 'It's absolutely right for a citizen of this country to pay whatever amount of tax, within reason, the government of the day feels is required.

'It's painful but I think that's part of the duties of a citizen of this country.'

Last month, shamed comedian Carr was publicly vilified after it was revealed that he was keeping his £3.3 million fortune in a completely legal tax scheme in Jersey which allowed him to pay as little as one per cent tax on his earnings.

More than 1,000 people, including Carr, are thought to be using the Jersey-based K2 scheme, which could be sheltering as much as £168m a year from the Treasury.

John Simpson

Duty: John Simpson, the BBC's World Affairs editor, said it was 'absolutely right' for a citizen of Britain to pay tax to the government of the day - even though it's painful - but he said it was part of a citizen's 'duties'

Carr issued an apology through Twitter stating that it was ‘obviously a serious matter’ and that he would ‘conduct my financial affairs much more responsibly’ in the future.

Even the Prime Minister chipped in during the furore saying: 'I think some of these schemes â€" and I think particularly of the Jimmy Carr scheme â€" I just think this is completely wrong.

Jimmy Carr

Shamed: Comedian Carr was publically vilified after it was revealed that he was keeping his £3.3 million fortune in a completely legal tax scheme in Jersey

'People work hard, they pay their taxes, they save up to go to one of his shows. They buy the tickets. He is taking the money from those tickets and he, as far as I can see, is putting all of that into some very dodgy tax-avoiding schemes.

'That is wrong. There is nothing wrong with people planning their tax affairs to invest in their pension and plan for their retirement â€" that sort of tax management is fine.

'But some of these schemes we have seen are quite frankly morally wrong. It is not fair on hard-working people who do the right thing and pay their taxes to see these sorts of scams taking place.'

Simpson's surprising revelation about his personal finances comes just days after he revealed he would commit suicide if old age were to leave him incapacitated.

He said he would rather end his life than become a ‘gibbering wreck’ who is totally reliant on his wife or carer to manage basic functions.

Speaking at the launch of the BBC1 documentary When I Get Older, part of the When I’m 65 series that broadcasts this week, he said: ‘I’m working out new ways to make sure I don’t end up... utterly dependent on somebody whose life I’m [making difficult].’

Simpson, who became a father again at the age of 61, explained: ‘I’m not advocating [euthanasia] for anyone else.

'But in my own case, I don’t want my own six-year-old son to have his main memories of me as a gibbering, sad old wreck. I’d rather take the early way out, rather than to hang on purely for the sake of being alive.’

Simpson married South African Ms Kruger â€" who is 19 years his junior and was formerly his producer - in 1996. He became a father again at 61.

Here's what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards.

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

  • Newest
  • Oldest
  • Best rated
  • Worst rated

This is crazy he has now sold himself his own house and will be stuffed with a massive tax bill as a result. What a plum

Report abuse

"within reason" is subjective. I don't think 30% of what I earn is within reason, when hundreds of millions of it goes to India, who neither need nor want it.

Report abuse

The whole system is wrong and needs reviewing. Those in the PAYE scheme have no option, but to pay Tax before they receive their Salary. Why should those who can afford clever Accounts and pay Tax only on that which that cannot hide? Could this be a whole Can of Worms, showing the Entertainment, Sports, Politicians all having a nice cozy relationship through Tax avoidance. I've just received a demand from the Tax Office saying I owe £9.35 from 2007/2008, what a Joke.....

Report abuse

What a load of codswallop! taxes in the UK are disgustingly high, by calling it tax the government think it justifies ripping people off and they can claim the moral high ground.. only sheep without their own minds think otherwise!

Report abuse

As a law abiding, tax paying citizen, I have now come to the conclusion that the rich and 'pillars of our society' have cheated the system for decades, even several generations, well its good enough for them, its good enough for me, as a low income pensioner I'm too poor now to pay tax.

Report abuse

I`m beginning to think I`m the only mug paying my Tax and not claiming Benefits.

Report abuse

He did nothing illegal, however our tax authorites should have made sure many years ago that such avoidance schemes could not exist!

Report abuse

On the one hand I believe that if you are earning then you should pay your responsible fair share of tax, but on the other hand the government has a moral duty to make sure that it frames the laws on tax in a fair way as not to give those with the wealth the choice of how much they are willing to pay. Those who can only earn an income on paye do not have a choice of what percentage of their income they would like to shelter from HMRC

Report abuse

So will he NOW pay the tax he's avoided?

Report abuse

Who wouldn't take advantage of legally being able to pay less tax?

Report abuse

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

Diposting oleh di

Tidak ada komentar:

Posting Komentar

Langganan: Posting Komentar (Atom)