Election Year or Fear!

[swaledale]

"I do ask myself time and again, if one has many millions, how much more does one need? " Need or want? If you plan to buy a football club, plenty? At some point aspiration likely becomes an obsession.....why else are you or I still working?

As for saving tax - well you can save it short term but when you are dead the Treasury rape and pillage you. That hard earned pension pot you have saved for will soon disappear at up to 60% roughly. Yes the mega rich will find ways and means, but for the "average hard working guy" pulling down say 100-150k a year any tax planning will likely more defer the tax than avoid it. Low income earners dont pay that tax, high income earners likely can delay or avoid it. Thos in the middle are screwed one way or the other. Inter generational wealth is rapidly becoming a thing of that past for most people so it you want to leave anything substantial to your kids then you probably do need "that one more million".

I've no issue with wealthy people actually using their money to say buy a football club, like Clowes, though he has been sensible and done it through a subsidiary of his company to limit his liability or indeed to fund other projects that have a wider benefit. Actually I've no objection to anybody being wealthy, but quit the whining about paying your tax dues!!

I've got trust arrangements for my childrens inheritance, so no raping and pillaging by the Treasury for me. Plus I've given them financial help over the years within whats allowed, as I don't see the point of heirs inheriting money later in life when its generally earlier on in adult life its most helpful.

[Andy_Faber]

All I’m actually advocating is that we all know what is desirable in terms of educational facilities, wouldn’t it be better to share them around a little more?

Relevant to that, and I don't know if you saw the news this am, Michael Vaughan is launching a new competition for state schools, 'The Stokes Knight Trophy', and gave thanks to 'the independent sector' for providing access to 'facilities' (I presume he meant pitches)

And relevant to that, though not making any particular point: I am a member of a 'former pupils' forum for my old (state) school, at the time I left a very sporty school with six football/rugby pitches, two cricket squares, a full size (rare back then) athletics track and associated gubbins, and five tennis courts (one grass!). Apparently its ALL gone now, replaced by housing...

[ramAnag]

Relevant to that, and I don't know if you saw the news this am, Michael Vaughan is launching a new competition for state schools, 'The Stokes Knight Trophy', and gave thanks to 'the independent sector' for providing access to 'facilities' (I presume he meant pitches)

And relevant to that, though not making any particular point: I am a member of a 'former pupils' forum for my old (state) school, at the time I left a very sporty school with six football/rugby pitches, two cricket squares, a full size (rare back then) athletics track and associated gubbins, and five tennis courts (one grass!). Apparently its ALL gone now, replaced by housing...

Sadly I think that’s a story replicated hundreds of times across the country, AF, as state schools have been forced to sell off land to try and raise money to renovate and replace outdated buildings.

Good for Vaughan, who was actually educated in a state comprehensive. Coincidentally I have a couple of grandchildren and, rather longer ago, a son who have all enjoyed success at cricket. Again sadly I have to say that their achievements have been almost entirely down to the influence and efforts of people within their local cricket club rather than the school system.

[Andy_Faber]

Sadly I think that’s a story replicated hundreds of times across the country, AF, as state schools have been forced to sell off land to try and raise money to renovate and replace outdated buildings.

Good for Vaughan, who was actually educated in a state comprehensive. Coincidentally I have a couple of grandchildren and, rather longer ago, a son who have all enjoyed success at cricket. Again sadly I have to say that their achievements have been almost entirely down to the influence and efforts of people within their local cricket club rather than the school system.

Rather reinforcing your point about the 'chasm', my eldest daughter played for the school girls cricket team and helped coach the seconds...

[Andy_Faber]

Having just seen the ten o'clock news headlines, I'm surprised we haven't seen a post from Sith with a helpful link and the words 'surely he has to resign'

forum problems again I guess

[Geoff Parkstone]

Another story about Starmer??

[Andy_Faber]

Another story about Starmer??

No the same one

[ramAnag]

No the same one

What? You mean the one about him still standing up to an insane POTUS ‘ravaging’ (Pope’s word) the world with illegal war…or him leading a government that has seen NHS waiting lists fall to their lowest in three years?

[MadAmster]

BGS. 4 rugby pitches, athletics track (grass) and a cricket square with a decent pavilion as well. Pavilion became dangerous and was demolished, not rebuilt. All the pitches are still there, fortunately.

[SithHappens]

I assume AF is referring to the mandelson story for which the government and starmer find themselves on increasingly rocky ground.

Not sure i need to provide any links as, because its Starmer/ Labour its getting headlines on pretty much all news outlets.

But confused that AF take on it is to come straight on here and use it as an opportunity to have a dig at a forum member.

[Andy_Faber]

What? You mean the one about him still standing up to an insane POTUS ‘ravaging’ (Pope’s word) the world with illegal war…or him leading a government that has seen NHS waiting lists fall to their lowest in three years?

No not those

[Andy_Faber]

BGS. 4 rugby pitches, athletics track (grass) and a cricket square with a decent pavilion as well. Pavilion became dangerous and was demolished, not rebuilt. All the pitches are still there, fortunately.

As rA stated, that’s the way of things with schools sacrificing sports facilities for income

On a slightly related subject there’s a fb page devoted to (or at least it was til it got ‘politicked’) ‘lost football grounds of the uk’. I have posted about the lost pitches of Morley FC and Smalley Miners Welfare FC, the old red stand at Ripley, the Ramarena etc. you may find the page interesting in amongst all the dross

[Andy_Faber]

I assume AF is referring to the mandelson story for which the government and starmer find themselves on increasingly rocky ground.

Not sure i need to provide any links as, because its Starmer/ Labour its getting headlines on pretty much all news outlets.

But confused that AF take on it is to come straight on here and use it as an opportunity to have a dig at a forum member.

Wasn’t intended as a dig Sith, sorry if it came over as such. Merely pointing out in my idiosyncratic way that Tory/Reform/POTUS transgressions are aired on here PDQ yet labour/liberal goofs seem to go under the radar. So just offering a point about balance

[ramAnag]

No not those

Didn’t think so. Starmer may not be perfect…correction, Starmer ISN'T perfect, but let’s face it, in a world full of ruthless, self serving, lying, narcissistic politicos (Trump, Netanyahu, Putin and Farage spring to mind) he’s not so bad and isn’t it odd how the Mandelson fiasco surfaces again just in time for the local elections when certain other individuals and news agencies choose to ignore the PM’s successes?

[ramAnag]

Wasn??t intended as a dig Sith, sorry if it came over as such. Merely pointing out in my idiosyncratic way that Tory/Reform/POTUS transgressions are aired on here PDQ yet labour/liberal goofs seem to go under the radar. So just offering a point about balance

Lol. Of course it was intended as a dig. Why else would you have singled out Sith?
The ‘balance’ already exists. You and GP are always quick to offer a right of centre viewpoint, as is your absolute right, to counter the views of Sith, Swale, myself and MARP.
The difference is that when we do it we’re immediately identified as ‘rear gunners’ or being part of an ‘echo chamber’ by you or GP, so please don’t now come over all innocent…all too reminiscent of your ‘just joshing’ tactic and absolute bollux.