Coming to the UK soon

[DimPrawn]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8494849.stm

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has announced tough austerity measures aimed at cutting his country's soaring public debt.

In a televised address on Tuesday, Mr Papandreou urged the public and his political rivals to support his austerity programme.

"This is an effort to stop the country's course towards the cliff," he said.

"Our country is at the centre of a speculative attack. It is being treated as the weak link of the Eurozone.

"We must act in an imminent and efficient manner and it is for that reason that I called on the political parties to support this national effort," he added.


The prime minister said tough measures were needed in the face of such an "unprecedented crisis", including a 10% cut in wages and spending in the public sector, a higher retirement age and an increase in fuel prices.

He also pledged to go after tax evaders and said those who could afford to pay more would be forced to do so.


Thank god we've got Gordon!

[cojak]

The Greeks don't go in for mere tax avoidance (the BN66ers would be sneered at by most Greek grannies). Tax evasion in Greece is a more than a national sport - it's up there with religion.

Most of them don't pay tax - and are miffed at the idea that they should be expected to pay any tax, let alone a bit more...

However p the Greek Government doesn't help itself - Ever-changing Greek tax system a factor in crisis

Sound Familiar?

Greece's ever-changing tax system undermines compliance and revenue — and makes a major contribution to the government financial crisis that has shaken the entire European Union and undermined the euro currency.

"With regulations amended or overhauled practically every year for decades, businesses — and the average Greek taxpayer — don't know what to expect from the future, or even from the past.

You never know what tomorrow's dawn will bring, or what's in store for you for yesterday," said Giorgos Patas, who runs a health and beauty institute in the capital's northern suburbs. "Who says you can plan your budget? You do something rough and hope for the best."

[cojak]

"The unstable tax environment is one of the disadvantages of attracting foreign capital and it's certainly a disincentive for locals, for investments," said Nikolaos Patelis, general secretary of Greece's Federation of Tax Preparers.

"I've been dealing with this for 26 years, and the same thing has been happening for the past 26 years. There's always something that will change," Patelis said. "And what's worse, regulations are passed with retroactive application."

Actually that article is worth a whole cut and paste, but I don't want to turn into BrilloPad

[PAH]

I'd say it's here now.

One day the tax payers will realise they're the only ones propping the country up.

At the bottom you have the 'born into benefits' who follow in their grandma's footsteps (not too difficult she's only 30) and haven't done a days work in their life.

At the top you have the hooray henrys born with a platinum spoon in their mouth who own most of the land and control most of the power.

Then you've the mugs in the middle. Pressured by the govermin into:

Going to University only to leave with 20k+ of debt;

To get a job paying an average of 20k/year, which will just about cover the food/heating/accommodation, and maybe two weeks holiday;

To buy a house that'll take you the rest of your working life to pay off, just so they can take it off you to fund your health care;

To pay a large chunk of your income into a pension of which there is no guarantee it'll be worth anything when you come to need it;

To have children so you are trapped into all the above through fear of their future.

Have a nice day at work.

[EternalOptimist]

I'd say it's here now.

One day the tax payers will realise they're the only ones propping the country up.

At the bottom you have the 'born into benefits' who follow in their grandma's footsteps (not too difficult she's only 30) and haven't done a days work in their life.

At the top you have the hooray henrys born with a platinum spoon in their mouth who own most of the land and control most of the power.

Then you've the mugs in the middle. Pressured by the govermin into:

Going to University only to leave with 20k+ of debt;

To get a job paying an average of 20k/year, which will just about cover the food/heating/accommodation, and maybe two weeks holiday;

To buy a house that'll take you the rest of your working life to pay off, just so they can take it off you to fund your health care;

To pay a large chunk of your income into a pension of which there is no guarantee it'll be worth anything when you come to need it;

To have children so you are trapped into all the above through fear of their future.

Have a nice day at work.

Aww come on !!!

there must be some bad news as well

[sasguru]

I'd say it's here now.

One day the tax payers will realise they're the only ones propping the country up.

At the bottom you have the 'born into benefits' who follow in their grandma's footsteps (not too difficult she's only 30) and haven't done a days work in their life.

At the top you have the hooray henrys born with a platinum spoon in their mouth who own most of the land and control most of the power.

Then you've the mugs in the middle. Pressured by the govermin into:

Going to University only to leave with 20k+ of debt;

To get a job paying an average of 20k/year, which will just about cover the food/heating/accommodation, and maybe two weeks holiday;

To buy a house that'll take you the rest of your working life to pay off, just so they can take it off you to fund your health care;

To pay a large chunk of your income into a pension of which there is no guarantee it'll be worth anything when you come to need it;

To have children so you are trapped into all the above through fear of their future.

Have a nice day at work.

And yet having enough to eat, clean water, your homeland not devastated by war and a roof over your head puts you into the top 10% of the world's population.
So quit whinging ya big nancy.

[BlasterBates]

...and don't forget Britain will be less devastated by Global Warming than Greece.

[DimPrawn]

...and don't forget Britain will be less devastated by Global Warming than Greece.

Due to higher (therefore more effective) Carbon taxes?

[rootsnall]

He also pledged to go after tax evaders and said those who could afford to pay more would be forced to do so.


Thank god we've got Gordon!

I really fear for those in the UK who have juicy lump sums just waiting for HM Govt to seize for the good of the nation.

After watching the Shadow Chancellor last night on the telly ( prize time pillock ) and listening to the Shadow Home Sec on radio this morning I'm starting to think Gordon and Alistair aint that bad. The Tories are a bag of tulip !!!

[cojak]

I really fear for those in the UK who have juicy lump sums just waiting for HM Govt to seize for the good of the nation.

After watching the Shadow Chancellor last night on the telly ( prize time pillock ) and listening to the Shadow Home Sec on radio this morning I'm starting to think Gordon and Alistair aint that bad. The Tories are a bag of tulip !!!

Labour have a habit of pinching Tory proposals and making them sound like their own.

Which is why the Tories just say 'wibble' when asked about them.

It is annoying, though...