Conservatives: Who funds them, and what's in it for them?

[srb7677]

Labour had over a decade in power and did nothing, why is this an issue that the Tories haven't dealt with?

Labour in it's 13 years were as guilty of doing the bidding of the wealthy in return for their money as the tories were. Mandelsson and Blair loved hobnobbing with them.

Anyone who cannot understand how this works is a fool.

However, they have not been in power for 11 years. And in any case, saying that the other lot is just as bad does not make it alright and is a pitiful defence.

[Nick]

Indeed. The moral corruption becomes an issue when wealthy people pay politicians to ensure they can continue to avoid paying their taxes so the rest of us - who cannot afford to bankroll our politicians - have to pay them for them.

Labour had over a decade in power and did nothing, why is this an issue that the Tories haven't dealt with?

[srb7677]

Well if there are loopholes it isn't tax evasion, it's tax avoidance. And any business worth its salt does it. I avoid paying tax as much as I can, why wouldn't I?

Indeed. The moral corruption becomes an issue when wealthy people pay politicians to ensure they can continue to avoid paying their taxes so the rest of us - who cannot afford to bankroll our politicians - have to pay them for them.

[Nick]

It is not the taxing of anybody that is the problem, it is the evasion of tax. And the wealthy keep paying our politicians to ensure the right loopholes remain in place. And because they evade paying their required contribution, you and I have to pay more instead. If everyone paid their dues, we could all pay less or have better services.

Why do you think rich people fund politicians? Surely you are not naive enough to believe that they do it out of the goodness of their hearts?

Well if there are loopholes it isn't tax evasion, it's tax avoidance. And any business worth its salt does it. I avoid paying tax as much as I can, why wouldn't I?

[srb7677]

The whole country is funded by the wealthy, and why should someone pay extra tax cause they're wealthy? They paid the taxes during the process of getting wealthy, you can't just take more cause they have lots of it.

It is not the taxing of anybody that is the problem, it is the evasion of tax. And the wealthy keep paying our politicians to ensure the right loopholes remain in place. And because they evade paying their required contribution, you and I have to pay more instead. If everyone paid their dues, we could all pay less or have better services.

Why do you think rich people fund politicians? Surely you are not naive enough to believe that they do it out of the goodness of their hearts?

[Nick]

The Tories have always been funded primarily by the wealthy.

The whole country is funded by the wealthy, and why should someone pay extra tax cause they're wealthy? They paid the taxes during the process of getting wealthy, you can't just take more cause they have lots of it.

[srb7677]

The Tories have always been funded primarily by the wealthy. They do it to the tune of millions to ensure that the wrong tax loopholes don't get too effectively closed, and that they don't have to put up with annoyances like mansion taxes or wealth taxes. In order to guarantee the funding, the Tories keep their donors sweet to ensure the money keeps coming in. Which is why the wealthy give it after all. It is an investment designed to ensure that any Tory government looks after their interests.

Of course, when Labour is run by reliably principle free centrists, a few wealthy donors might bung them a few million too as an added insurance policy. Not wanting to lose such money, Labour centrists will be loathe to do anything that upsets their own wealthy donors too much. Which is exactly why some rich people see value in giving to Labour.

In essence they are de facto paying our politicians to look after the interests of the wealthy elites. It is tacitly understood by everyone that this is a condition of such donations. Those trying to tell us otherwise are taking us for fools. Those believing otherwise actually are fools.

[Borchester]

I'm not quite sure what your point is. Under the laws of the land all political party funding has to be documented and open.

If it wasn't it is a racing certainty that the Beeb would not have reported it. Auntie is spectacularly timid.

[Borchester]

BBC disapproval story.
I expect they will do a balancing act tomorrow about where the Labour party get their dosh.

Maybe the Tory party could have a licence fee like the BBC? It has to be said that Boris is more fun than most of Auntie's programs.

[papasmurf]

My point is that the BBC are trying to smear the Tory party,

Since when is reporting facts a smear?

[Barry]

Where Labour get its money from is well documented and open.

I'm not quite sure what your point is. Under the laws of the land all political party funding has to be documented and open.
My point is that the BBC are trying to smear the Tory party, when everything is already documented and open.
There's nothing new in their report. Are they biased?

[papasmurf]

BBC disapproval story.
I expect they will do a balancing act tomorrow about where the Labour party get their dosh.

Where Labour get its money from is well documented and open.

[Barry]

BBC disapproval story.
I expect they will do a balancing act tomorrow about where the Labour party get their dosh.

[GBNews]

Conservatives: Who funds them, and what's in it for them?

To be in the top 10 of Conservative donors, you're going to need a seven figure sum.

Source: Conservatives: Who funds them, and what's in it for them?