• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
  • Guest Content
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Elevenses
  • Business
  • Food
  • Travel
  • Property
  • JOBS
  • All
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Sport
    • Tech/Auto
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Elevenses
  • Business
  • Food
  • Travel
  • Property
  • JOBS
  • All
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Sport
    • Tech/Auto
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home News Joes Sketch

Parliamentary sketch 11th Feb – HMRC it’s easier on HSBC

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Mexican drug cartels, terrorist organisations and now dodgy party donors. It’s a wonder HSBC had time to sell PPI insurance to us mere mortals, but they did…bless them. Hours before today’s PMQs there were revelations about political benefactors (mainly Tories), peers and a high profile MP who held accounts in […]

Joe Mellor by Joe Mellor
2015-02-11 16:11
in Joes Sketch, Politics
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor

Mexican drug cartels, terrorist organisations and now dodgy party donors. It’s a wonder HSBC had time to sell PPI insurance to us mere mortals, but they did…bless them.

Hours before today’s PMQs there were revelations about political benefactors (mainly Tories), peers and a high profile MP who held accounts in Switzerland with HSBC.

It appears the world’s local bank – for the super-rich – is an office in Zurich.

This was Ed’s chance to finally land some decisive blows on the Conservative party. The problem is, because HSBC have laundered Mexican drug money and funds for terrorist organisations, are we supposed to be shocked Zac Goldsmith, Con, has a few quid tucked away, in the land of Toblerone, Roger Federer and, er, neutrality.

So the main line of attack was whether Cameron should have brought up the issue of tax avoidance with Ex- HSBC chief Lord Green, before he gave him a peerage and the role of Minister of State for Trade and Investment.

This was the main issue of the day, with various opposition MPs posing the same question. It bore a striking resemblance to the Andy Coulson fiasco, when the PM failed to ask the ex-editor of the News of the World how things had been going at work.

Perhaps there is an innocent answer to all this though. It has recently been reported that the PM has shunned formal meetings, and instead he has a ‘chaterama’. So maybe it just slipped his mind, “I was chillaxing on the chaise longue, discussing the Lucy Beale mystery in Eastenders and just simply forgot.” I’m sure the Select Committee will understand.

Ed was resolute – not a penny of any Swiss-happy Labour donors had been on his watch (ok let’s just ignore Lord Paul whose donations to the party span 25years) and the PM was “up to his neck in it”. Lucky for Ed he is only up to his waist, but the same pungent scent wafts from both men.

RelatedPosts

Labour now ‘at risk of LOSING votes’ for supporting Brexit

Westminster has become a ‘hotbed of sexual misconduct’

Former Tory chairman says the party has been taken over by ‘flat earthers’

WATCH: Jack Monroe says we’re in a ‘Cost of Conservatives’ crisis

The PM response to each question about Lord Green, was that Labour had welcomed his appointment, and even took him on a business jolly in 2013. We might own the beast, but you tickled his tummy, appeared to be his argument.

Lord Green has even written books about morality in banking saying that Lance Armstrong wrote books about how he won fairly.

When the argument that Labour had supported Lord Green too, didn’t work for the PM, he claimed it was all “desperate stuff, they can’t talk about economy, unemployment is falling, Ed can’t go to Scotland, annoyed women with his pink [it’s magenta] bus, business hates him and he has even offended British nuns…Labour haven’t got a prayer”. The Conservatives might be no angels, but it’s better the devil you know.

The Labours party’s new vibrant bus, designed to appeal to female voters, also seemed to annoy Karen Lumley, Con, who accused Miliband of “patronising pink [it’s magenta]) stunts,” I wonder whether she got the irony, as she asked the question with her garish purple (or it is mauve) hair.

The PM responded saying, “The wheels are falling off the bus. And surprise, surprise – it’s going to be driven by Unite!” It would be funny if they went on strike during the tour.

However, it doesn’t matter what colour the battle bus is, persuading the public to put their trust in either party seems like a war that can’t be won.

Sycophantic question of the day

Tim Yeo, Con, who compared the 1983 Conservative election landslide over a left-wing leader to the up-coming election. Cameron replied he was too young to vote in 1983, but there have been 1,000 jobs created each day he has been in power (I wonder how many UK based Swiss bank accounts had been opened in the same period)

Winner

All those other international banks with their unblemished records.

Content Protection by DMCA.com

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending

Elevenses: The Thing About Wrexham’s Cinderella Story

Elevenses: Exposing the Tories’ Deepfake Illegal Immigration Bill

Elevenses: Rishi’s Finest Hour

More from TLE

Restaurant Review: Royal China Canary Riverside

Weather forecast, alerts and UVB index for London, Saturday 31 October 2020

How to Make the Perfect: Cheese Toastie With Pink Onion and Chilli Relish

Tortor Ornare Vulputate Ligula Adipiscing

Rape becoming ‘effectively decriminalised’ after drop in prosecutions

PLAYLIST: Best of OCTOBER 2018

Sculpture by Antonio Canova to sell for over £1 million – after being lost for 200 YEARS

Recent Studies Today Show Brexit Fears are Holding Back UK Investments

Trade department bashed for claiming soy sauce will be cheaper after Brexit

Skeleton found at the bottom of Greek well is missing British tourist

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

Contact

Editorial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Commercial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Address

The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE
Company number 09221879
International House,
24 Holborn Viaduct,
London EC1A 2BN,
United Kingdom

SUPPORT

We do not charge or put articles behind a paywall. If you can, please show your appreciation for our free content by donating whatever you think is fair to help keep TLE growing and support real, independent, investigative journalism.

DONATE & SUPPORT

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.