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A load of old Balls?

Stevo_666Stevo_666 Posts: 44,551
edited November 2014 in The cake stop
Well sort of.

I'm off for an 'audience' with Ed Balls and one of his sidekicks tomorrow, hosted by one of the big accounting firms. (Not just me, there'll be lots of other tax people from business there). He's going to set out Labour's perspective on the taxation of business.

Fair play to him for coming into the 'Lions Den' as he's hardly likely to get an easy ride from some of us :) I'm thinking of some tricky questions over a cold glass of Schnapps; I reckon this is going to be quite interesting...
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  • Sirius631Sirius631 Posts: 1,015
    If they get in again, one could say that in terms of business tax, you'll be had by the Balls. ;-)
    To err is human, but to make a real balls up takes a super computer.
  • tlw1tlw1 Posts: 19,077
    when you were in power which individual company tax deals did you do that now give you sleepless nights?

    Joking aside fair play to him, though I suppose he has nothing to lose and everything to gain
  • rick_chaseyrick_chasey Posts: 53,292 Lives Here
    Fwiw he has a rep in parliament as the best numbers & monetary/fiscal MPs in the UK.

    Probably a low bar.
    _
  • Stevo_666Stevo_666 Posts: 44,551
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Fwiw he has a rep in parliament as the best numbers & monetary/fiscal MPs in the UK.

    Probably a low bar.
    Agree it's probably compared to a pretty low base - I'll make my own mind up on how he fares relative to some of us industry tax bods tomorrow.
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  • RideOnTimeRideOnTime Posts: 4,712
    Stevo 666 wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Fwiw he has a rep in parliament as the best numbers & monetary/fiscal MPs in the UK.

    Probably a low bar.
    Agree it's probably compared to a pretty low base - I'll make my own mind up on how he fares relative to some of us industry tax bods tomorrow.

    gets the pulse racing. Why don't you just go down the pub?
  • rick_chaseyrick_chasey Posts: 53,292 Lives Here
    Well, how was it?
    _
  • arran77arran77 Posts: 9,260
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Well, how was it?

    Very dull I imagine but that might be right up your street :P
    "Arran, you are like the Tony Benn of smut. You have never diluted your depravity and always stand by your beliefs. You have my respect sir and your wife my pity" :lol:

    seanoconn
  • Stevo_666Stevo_666 Posts: 44,551
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Well, how was it?
    Actually quite interesting - for me anyway.

    It was under Chatham House rules so I am sworn to secrecy on details :wink: , but overall he acquitted himself pretty well, has a good grasp of the subject matter by politicians standard (as he should given his job) and is interested in the views of business. It wasn't quite a 'prawn cocktail' charm offensive, probably more an awareness that while business does not have a vote directly, when they come out and make public statements on this sort of issue it can swing public opinion to a degree - as seen in the Scottish referendum. The differences in principle remain though.

    Apart from Blair he's the only major league politician that I've met face to face, and the Blair meeting was totally out of the blue on holiday.
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  • bompingtonbompington Posts: 7,674
    Stevo 666 wrote:
    It was under Chatham House rules
    thought that meant your source is anonymous? "I'm afraid I can't tell you which Shadow Chancellor I spoke to..."
  • rick_chaseyrick_chasey Posts: 53,292 Lives Here
    Stevo 666 wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Well, how was it?
    Actually quite interesting - for me anyway.

    It was under Chatham House rules so I am sworn to secrecy on details :wink: , but overall he acquitted himself pretty well, has a good grasp of the subject matter by politicians standard (as he should given his job) and is interested in the views of business. It wasn't quite a 'prawn cocktail' charm offensive, probably more an awareness that while business does not have a vote directly, when they come out and make public statements on this sort of issue it can swing public opinion to a degree - as seen in the Scottish referendum. The differences in principle remain though.

    Apart from Blair he's the only major league politician that I've met face to face, and the Blair meeting was totally out of the blue on holiday.

    Like I said, Balls has a rep for being the most able treasury type for actual governance.

    He just has a penchant for the tribal politics which is quite unpalatable.
    _
  • arran77arran77 Posts: 9,260
    Stevo 666 wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Well, how was it?
    Actually quite interesting - for me anyway.

    Boring [email protected] :P
    "Arran, you are like the Tony Benn of smut. You have never diluted your depravity and always stand by your beliefs. You have my respect sir and your wife my pity" :lol:

    seanoconn
  • Stevo_666Stevo_666 Posts: 44,551
    arran77 wrote:
    Stevo 666 wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Well, how was it?
    Actually quite interesting - for me anyway.

    Boring [email protected] :P
    Being boring has its upsides.

    Like your job I guess :wink:
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  • Stevo_666Stevo_666 Posts: 44,551
    bompington wrote:
    Stevo 666 wrote:
    It was under Chatham House rules
    thought that meant your source is anonymous? "I'm afraid I can't tell you which Shadow Chancellor I spoke to..."
    You would have had a point if I'd told you what he said :wink:
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