Anyone who knows Bill Blunt will tell you that he's not a man for moral crusades. I leave those things to the likes of Paul Foot and others.
Nevertheless, when I was in the snug of the Pin and Cushion last night, I couldn't help my hackles from rising. Charlie Bentmore was holding forth about his garage door. There he was, as proud as punch, crowing about the £200 he's saved in VAT by paying his old pal (Alfie Radcliffe) in cash for installing a new door to the place where he parks his Renault Laguna.
Fair enough, you'll no doubt be saying. That's £200 less to be frittered away on cleaning the moat of some bloated Member of Parliament who should know better when it comes to claiming expenses.
But it's also £200 less to be spent on a life-saving operation for some poor soul whose needs are obviously somewhat greater. I'm not sure Charlie would have bought that argument.
However... Charlie had - on a previous evening - been holding forth about the the failure of HMG to provide our troops in Afghanistan with basic equipment like body armour. So, when I pointed out that his failure to pay VAT might just have an impact on such matters, he was soon quieted.
Taxes are never pleasant. But there's always a moral consequence to avoiding them. Here endeth the rant.
3 comments:
Well done Bill... as you know I whole heartily agree with you :-)
I inclination not concur on it. I regard as polite post. Particularly the appellation attracted me to review the unscathed story.
Absolutely, Bill. There's no such thing as a free lunch.
But did Charlie wreak revenge - you have been silent for two months?
Did he crush your fingers in the door, did he break your jaw, or did he just steal your parker fountain pen?
We must be told. Where does he live? Do we need to send the boys round?
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