Again, how much tax Apple have paid is not the issue arising from yesterday's ruling.
It's a question of who has jurisdiction. Taxation is a reserved matter for national parliaments, and it's not the Commission's business.
That's the issue, not whether Apple have engaged in legal tax avoidance.
Not really, they're rinsing the profits they've made from all these other countries through you and flicking you a few bob to keep your mouth shut. It's criminal and needs addressing more than 98% of other issues that exist in the world today outside of international terrorism and whether Jeremy Corbyn had a seat on a train or not.
Legally.Originally Posted by phonics
If the Irish want to change the tax system within their jurisdiction, let them do so. But that's a decision for the Irish government as guided by the Irish electorate. Not for some technocrat sitting in Brussels who's decided to make it a cause célèbre.
You're missing the point - again. Whether Apple are legally avoiding tax or not is entirely irrelevant to the question of whether the EU should be leveraging illegal state aid rules for an entirely different purpose. It's a farce outside the democratic system - just because you like the end product doesn't make it less so. Then again, I suppose you have to buy into the idea of 'unilateral EU action' outside the scope of the democratic process if you were a remain voter, so perhaps we shouldn't be surprised.
Mate, I literally could not give a fuck about your sovereignty one bit. You are stealing billions from other countries just so you can keep a few pennies of it. I live in Switzerland, our entire economy was built off it and other stolen items. It's embarrassing.
I suggest you learn the distinction between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland before you start waffling on with second person pronouns.
Once again, this is not the EU's remit. Until Ireland cedes its right to decide its own taxation policy, the EU can and should fuck off. What does it say about the organisation when they treat areas of competency reserved to national parliaments with complete disregard when it suits them? Margrethe Vestager is not some modern day Robin Hood, she's leveraging extant law that has nothing to do with tax policy to backdoor tax harmonisation through because they can't get the votes through the normal and correct processes.
Again - just because you like the outcome does not make it okay. Citizens of member states should be able to assume that the EU will respect the distinction between reserved and ceded areas of sovereignty.
If you want to deal with the multinational transfer pricing, you're certainly not going to do so with this sort of sham decision. If anything, this makes the EU a far more volatile place to invest because you have no clarity anymore on the extant tax arrangements and you could well find yourself getting hit retrospectively for massive tax bills. Tax on decisions and arrangements which are entirely legal in the country in which you're based, and were entirely legal when you made the decision and filed your accounts.
This sort of ludicrous European overreach, and the casual way in which the liberal side would shrug it off because they don't disagree with the outcome, really does reinforce how lucky we are the vote went as did. Imagine the shit they'll be getting up to in the years ahead.
I think I'm almost with the Europeans on this. Morally, that is. If your rules aren't actually applicable then get lost, but giving one company its own tax code is basically the same as direct state support, and anyone with any belief in free markets should be against this set-up the Micks have.
I bet 'Brexit' doesn't happen.
You'd be hard pressed to argue that this arrangement distorted competition or affected trade between member states. It's a very good European base for American companies irrespective of the tax policies. First and foremost it's English speaking, has a good education system and Dublin is very well connected. Apple have also been based there for decades, so weren't originally attracted to the country because of any 'bespoke' deal.
Ultimately Apple sold across the single market and used provisions legal under European and Irish taxation law to move those sales through Ireland. You can dislike the principle of it, but it was legal when they did it.
If you think it undermines competition for Apple's corporate business (i.e. attracting Apple to base themselves in a Germany, France, Latvia (lol) or wherever) across the bloc, fine. But the way to address that is to introduce laws at a European level which supersede national laws. Retrospective decisions like this - outside the normal parameters - are asking for very serious trouble, particularly when you're nowhere near being able to 'prove' direct state aid.
It provides zero clarity to business, and will just make them hesitant to invest. It should be good for us though, because we can just take all these businesses into the UK post-Brexit with our new reduced CT rate outside the bounds of imperial-style EU overreach.
I was initially sceptical, but I think it will. Canada+ remains my preferred option.
Economic experts getting it wrong again. Who'd have thought it.
I like how you ignore the tweet directly after
I hear the Jnr Doctors are planning to strike again? Did they not say a few months ago that the latest deal was the best for everyone, or did I imagine that?
You've missed the point again. It's becoming routine.
I was referring to the economic experts; that is, their forecast for August. They forecast a poor result. They were very wrong. As they have been time and time again. From Reuters:
The recovery far outstripped all economists' forecasts, delivering the strongest signal yet that Britain's economy is performing better than initially feared after the June 23 referendum vote to leave the European Union.
Correct. The BMA recommended they accept the deal, the junior doctors voted it down and now they're commencing further strike action. There's not much point really, because the government aren't going to back down and they'll have lost any public support for it. Apparently the vote for further strike action from the BMA council was a 16-14 split, so it'll probably fall apart soon.
@Lee - what's your view on this? Given it's quite soon, I assume the necessary contingency planning isn't in place and the only thing this is going to do is shaft patients.
On the subject of that PMI thing, whether you believe it or not (it sounds like shit to me), one should note the fact that it apparently fell (slumped/COLLAPSED) after the result of the referendum, was rolled out with great glee and authority by certain parties.
Indeed. The Guardian take any negative and make a big deal of it, whilst any potential positive is caveated with "just a poll" or some shit.
Yeah, we are having to cancel pretty much everything.
"Despite Brexit" is an important caveat to throw into any positive economic news.
Well done, lads. Top, top marks for patient safety.
It's not as if there was even a fresh poll on strike action either. They're idiots.
All is not well in the socialist paradise that is the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
https://yougov.co.uk/news/2016/09/01...geon-scotland/
In short, 50% don't want another referendum (compared to 37% who do), 54% would vote "No", and Ruth Davidson is now the most popular party leader in Scotland, albeit marginally.
Still, I suppose Wee Jimmy Krankie needs to keep the base agitated when she launches her new drive for independence later.
Newsnight had a bit about Greenland last night and one of the eskimo chief chaps donned the Scottish quite hard on their bi-polar desire for independence from the United Kingdom but membership of the European Union.
Did he don them by pointing out they hate the English?
lol at the Greens with their dual-leadership bullshit, as well as Carolina Lucas' ego.
I doubt it, but the SNP have moved their rhetoric away from "staying in the EU" because they know it's not going to happen. As I've said previously, if Brexit isn't a sufficient constitutional shock to warrant a stampede to the other side, nothing is ever going to be.
In Jez related news, he's had another dreadful day. There's now a 65 (sixty-five, for fuck sake) point gap between he and Theresa May. It's difficult to know where to start with this, but 'lol' seems a good starting point:
He's also deeply unpopular in Scotland, where a more left-wing offering was apparently going to win them back all the seats they lost to the SNP in 2015. Still, the gap between the hated Tory new Mrs Thatcher and socialist Jezza is only 55 points so perhaps it could be worse:
Finally, to prove that satire is now dead, he's had a go at 'after-work drinks'. I agree with him, because they're shit and I never go to them, but:
For fuck sake, Jeremy, mate.Jeremy Corbyn has called on companies to end after-work drinks, claiming that "early evening socialisation" benefits men while discriminating against mothers.
The Labour leader made his comments at an early evening event which launched a document detailing how Mr Corbyn's flagship 10 pledges would advance gender equality for women, and tackle gendered violence and harassment.
Following the event, held at Unison's offices, a drinks party was held.
I think if after-work drinks were cancelled half of my department would have killed themselves before the month was out.
Fuck off Jez, I like my 5pm pint.
Keith Vaz.
Fucking hell.
Fucking. Hell.
It is sort of invading his privacy; but then, it's Keith Vaz. Fuck him.
What's happened? Is it better than him almost crying after the referendum?
It's an invasion of privacy, but given his role on the HASC it's probably fair game - http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...-warns-8763801
And it's Keith Vaz. Fuck him.
He's been bumming Romanian rent boys whilst pretending to be a washing machine salesman called Jim.
He's never really sought publicity or actively tried to put himself in the public eye when there's an opportunity to pontificate to the country, so I'm surprised they were able to recogn... Wait.
There's your defence, Keith. 'Research'.Mr Vaz last met two Eastern European prostitutes eight days ago, even though he is chair of a powerful parliamentary group probing vice and drugs.
It worked for Pete Townshend
It's a lot worse, apparently: http://order-order.com/2016/09/04/244563/
That'll be him finished in politics, you'd expect.
Couldn't have happened to a nicer bloke.
He's resigned from the Home Affairs Select Committee now, so lol.
That's pretty hilarious.
A nice easy by-election is just what Jezza needs to unify the party with proof that his message is resonating [in the Islamic State] as well.
'Well, we did say he was a Tory.'
*everyone on Twitter loves it*
*historic defeat*
This is amazing, couldn't happen to a more venal, self serving wanker. Free publicity though Keith, you always liked getting your face on the tele.
lol he hasn't even resigned yet. He seems like the type to shamelessly cling on until the absolute bitter end, so watch him play the victim and hope it goes away.
Makes sense now why he was so distraught over the referendum result.
No more Eastern European rent boys.
Excellent point, Yev.
The Spectator also dragged up a piece where they were mocking him for going to meet new Romanian migrants at the airport.
The jokes write themselves, really.
David Davis is a top, top lad.
You suspect we'll be leaving the single market and the customs union. Sovereignty is coming.
An impressive feat to say absolutely nothing for 90 minutes.
It's not about what they explicitly say, given it's massively complex. It's about what they're prepared to say at this stage. Given the need to control our own laws and borders, it's clear that's not compatible with single market membership. Ergo we must leave to actually reclaim sovereignty and this appears to be what they are indicating.
It also means rejection of any EEA-centred solution, meaning we're looking at Canada Plus.
Fuck that. Complete autarky or nothing.
Alright, Boydy, mate.
Yes, GS, mate. Top, top, top. Lads.
Banter.
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