[Abernathy]

Interesting call-in to LBC earlier from a bloke who boasts a 40 year career with HMRC as a tax investigator, who therefore knows extraordinarily well that of which he speaks. Basically, the level of the penalty imposed on , and paid by, Zahawi would indicate he is very close to the category of "deliberate but not concealed action"- very close to actual tax evasion - which would normally result in the offender being banned from holding office as a company director, etc. Which logically implies that Zahawi's position as Chair of the Conservative Party is untenable and that he should by rights resign, or be required to resign. He won't of course. Zahawi is claiming that HMRC found his actions to be in the lesser category of "careless and not deliberate".

What it points to is something that most people already know - that Zahawi is fundamentally dishonest, selfish and venal (see: threatening email to a journalist seeking to investigate his misdemeanours). Just like Johnson. Just like Rees-Mogg. Just like every other Tory shit. He shouldn't be within a million miles of public office.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

And you can't tell that by looking at him?

[Tubby Isaacs]

Interesting call-in to LBC earlier from a bloke who boasts a 40 year career with HMRC as a tax investigator, who therefore knows extraordinarily well that of which he speaks. Basically, the level of the penalty imposed on , and paid by, Zahawi would indicate he is very close to the category of "deliberate but not concealed action"- very close to actual tax evasion - which would normally result in the offender being banned from holding office as a company director, etc. Which logically implies that Zahawi's position as Chair of the Conservative Party is untenable and should by rights resign, or be required to resign. He won't of course. Zahawi is claiming that HMRC found his actions to be in the lesser category of "careless and not deliberate".

What it points to is something that most people already know - that Zahawi is fundamentally dishonest, selfish and venal (see: threatening email to a journalist seeking to investigate his misdemeanours). Just like Johnson. Just like Rees-Mogg. Just like every other Tory shit. He shouldn't be within a million miles of public office.

Yep, it's very serious. Dan the Man Neidle says that Zahawi could easily have been charge more interest, even though he'd probably not get convicted of tax evasion (see Harry fucking Redknapp).

HMRC understandably likes to settle cases rather than fight risky court cases, but maybe it could have hardballed a bit more given that Zahawi would have been very keen to settle to be able to tell the media he'd paid the full amount.

There is no way this should be survivable. It's not just the tax evasion-avoidance, the lying about it, the sending libel threats to people who were telling the truth, but also that he seems to have concealed this from the government when taking the Cbancellor job.

Zahawi got incredibly lucky being in charge of the vaccine when it was getting good headlines. That could just as easily have been Helen Whately, the hapless Care Minister, heading for the Cabinet. Some rumours that he's standing down at the next election, I'm told.

[Abernathy]

And you can't tell that by looking at him?

I did say that most people already know.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Another very odd thing about all this is that we haven't heard anything about tax advice in the context of the original transaction. Who does something like this without getting advice? It's like he "did his own research", which ended as well as you might expect. Did he speak informally to an expert who told him it was illegal?

[Bones McCoy]

Another very odd thing about all this is that we haven't heard anything about tax advice in the context of the original transaction. Who does something like this without getting advice? It's like he "did his own research", which ended as well as you might expect. Did he speak informally to an expert who told him it was illegal?

it's worth remembering that until recently the tory treasurer was a fellow who provided concierge services to high net worth individuals. Mostly Russians, but I'm sure he wasn't picky about the nationality of his high rollers.

Zahawi will have rubbed shoulders with all manner of purveyors of advice. I believe he may also have met Sebastian Green and the Fantastic Doctor Fox.
He may also have had the likes of Michael Gove advising him that he was doing nothing wrong.
You may infer the quality of that advice based on your own prejudices.

[zuriblue]

https://www.taxpolicy.org.uk/2023/01/19/zahawi_story/

Interesting piece from Dan of Tax Policy.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Did they actually say this? I don't see why they'd need to pronounce one way or the other. There's a sliding scale from easily explained oversights to dodgy as fuck, but 30% is a lot to cough to if HMRC have told you "don't worry, mate, any of us could have done the same". Looks more like (unspoken) "we know you're a crook, but unfortunately juries are often gullible" so we'll go for this, right?

[Abernathy]

It all absolutely stinks to high heaven of utterly rancid shite.

Zahawi is very obviously guilty of deliberate, criminal tax evasion, but the cunt is pulling every string he has to try to cover it up . Part of Sunak's government of integrity and accountability.

[Oboogie]

Did they actually say this? I don't see why they'd need to pronounce one way or the other. There's a sliding scale from easily explained oversights to dodgy as fuck, but 30% is a lot to cough to if HMRC have told you "don't worry, mate, any of us could have done the same". Looks more like (unspoken) "we know you're a crook, but unfortunately juries are often gullible" so we'll go for this, right?

This was explained by Kuenssberg this morning. "Careless" has a specific legal meaning when used by the HMRC, it means "failing to take care" i.e. negligent, rather than the oversight implied in general speech.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Ah right. That makes sense. In any case, ”it’s ok, I wasn’t called dishonest” is a bit of a low bar.

Abers, this is who Sunak is. He thought his wife living in 10 Downing Street as a non dom was fine.

[Tubby Isaacs]

What a guy.

[kreuzberger]

I might have missed some nuanced contributions but, apart from Cleverly's "He's a dead good businessman, innit" performance, I have yet to see anyone throw any weight behind Zahawi. All they do is quote him or claim /feign ignorance of the detail.

That says to me that nobody fancies the tape being played back to them if and when the shit properly hits the fan.

There is also a whiff of today's big stories being connected. There was no way that the Zahawi scandal was going to go nuclear until the BBC laid a kid glove on it on Friday morning (Christ, Robbo was weak) but, not 36 hours later, the Corporation found itself at the centre of another storm from which the fallout is fresh claims that that they are unflinchingly defending the tories, whenever called upon to do so, and with whom they are in cahoots.

Sorry lads; sit on your hands, get broken fingers.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Sunak hasn't really bothered. Gove had a bit of a go.

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/ ... 436384a76a

And today Zahawi was defended by Gove, who told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: “Nadhim has paid his taxes.”

He added: “Someone paying their taxes isn’t a story, someone not paying their taxes is.”

“My firm understanding is that HMRC have no quibble with Nadhim — he’s paid everything he should.”

[Oboogie]

the Corporation found itself at the centre of another storm from which the fallout is fresh claims that that they are unflinchingly defending the tories, whenever called upon to do so, and with whom they are in cahoots.

What claims and who is making them?

[satnav]

I think that the government sent out Raab and Cleverly to defend Zahawi would suggest that they have given him up as a lost cause. Sunak could easily sack Zahawi as party chairman but still allow him to run Tory HQ with somebody else appointed as a token Chairman.

[Abernathy]

The thing is, Zahawi didn't make "an error". He was quite blatantly seeking to evade tax due, and that, to me at any rate, and for quite a few voters, couldn't be plainer.

He is a shifty, conniving, crooked piece of shit.

[Crabcakes]

The error he made is the same error that so many Tories fall foul of - getting caught.

[kreuzberger]

What claims and who is making them?

Claims are in that very sentence. I will usually not repost from Twitter these days as it is usually either from a completely irrelevant account, a confirmation of bias, or both.

John Sopel has been flexing his fingers and cracking his knuckles, mind. Not explicitly and certainly not without weight.

[Samanfur]

Kuenssberg's guests this morning were the head of Tesco, IDS, and "LBC presenter and journalist" Rachel Johnson, who reckoned that we should go easy on Zahawi, because doing your taxes is really difficult.

Fair and balanced.