8 ms·

The kind of businesses that they're worried might flee are the large corporations that evade almost all taxation anyway. To announce something like this right n

The kind of businesses that they're worried might flee are the large corporations that evade almost all taxation anyway. To announce something like this right now is as foolish as Theresa May refusing to guarantee the status of non-British EU nationals currently living in the UK. I am ashamed of this country and am applying for Polish citizenship as soon as possible.

retube 10y ago
Serious: how is Theresa May (or any politician) supposed to be able to guarantee the status of EU nationals right now? There are several million British people in Europe who are at risk of being kicked out. Obviously their status needs to be defended.
- jamiethompson 10y ago
  She can't. No one can. But she could have diffused the uncertainty by reassuring the many EU citizens in the UK and the many British citizens living in the EU that, of course, the government would seek a deal which protected their status.
  - tonyedgecombe 10y ago
    Notice that uncertainty is being stirred up by an opposition politician from Scotland, expect a lot of this until the whole thing has been resolved.
    - jamiethompson 10y ago
      I'm guessing you mean Nicola Sturgeon the Scottish First Minister?
  - retube 10y ago
    But that's exactly what she did say - she said she'd do everything she could to protect them but couldn't guarantee it.
tonyedgecombe 10y ago
It's just a very loose signal to business that they shouldn't rush out the door, the UK might be anti-EU but it isn't anti-business. Note there was no mention of a date. Theresa May isn't the prime minister yet, nor head of her party. Article 50 hasn't been called, negotiations haven't started. I think it's a bit early to start feeling ashamed.
- jamiethompson 10y ago
  A vote to leave the EU secured by means of misinformation that caused areas like Wales to literally vote against their best interests? Misinformation, lies, which were almost immediately revoked by the perpetrators? I think there is much to be ashamed by and worried about. Personally I intend to secure a future for my children as EU citizens, and that appears to mean that we must now leave the UK.
  - tonyedgecombe 10y ago
    I was strongly in favour of remaining, I just think we have to be pragmatic about where we are now.
    - jamiethompson 10y ago
      I agree. There's nothing un-pragmatic about wanting to retain ones EU citizenship though.
    - DanBC 10y ago
      https://twitter.com/TimHarford/status/749874385490771968 https://twitter.com/TimHarford/status/749874385490771968 > So if we all hold hands and say "I believe in Brexit, I do I do!" it will become a brilliant idea? Tinkerbell economics.
      - tonyedgecombe 10y ago
        No, it was a terrible idea, I just feel quite strongly we have to get on with life rather than wallow around.
return0 10y ago
I think the really large corporations don't care about the tax rate of the UK because they use complex schemes that reduce their tax rate to single digits or less anyway, regardless of country. I think this is mostly about startups and medium size businesses
- pluma 10y ago
  As an EU citizen: what's the point of moving/keeping an international startup to/in the UK if the UK is no longer in the EU? Surely the benefit of the lower corporate tax would be outweighed by the difficulties of accessing the EU market and the British market is not big enough in isolation (compared to other English-speaking markets or the EU as a whole). In terms of growth potential moving to the US (to stay English-speaking and find more investors) or to the EU (to be able to easily expand to other countries) seem the more obvious choices. I can see how it might incentivise local startups to stay in the UK but at that scale the difference in taxation is likely not particularly noteworthy and simply an excuse to do what they already planned to do (i.e. "I don't want to leave anyway because I love working in Brighton but look how much money I'm saving by staying").
  - peteretep 10y ago
    Stable, great infrastructure, three of the best 10 universities, business friendly government
    - pluma 10y ago
      It's a bit weird to list "stable" as an advantage in the current mess, though.
      - deleted 10y ago
        [deleted]
ionised 10y ago
I'm currently looking into where else I'd like to live and work.

retube 10y ago

Serious: how is Theresa May (or any politician) supposed to be able to guarantee the status of EU nationals right now? There are several million British people in Europe who are at risk of being kicked out. Obviously their status needs to be defended.

jamiethompson 10y ago
She can't. No one can. But she could have diffused the uncertainty by reassuring the many EU citizens in the UK and the many British citizens living in the EU that, of course, the government would seek a deal which protected their status.
- tonyedgecombe 10y ago
  Notice that uncertainty is being stirred up by an opposition politician from Scotland, expect a lot of this until the whole thing has been resolved.
  - jamiethompson 10y ago
    I'm guessing you mean Nicola Sturgeon the Scottish First Minister?
- retube 10y ago
  But that's exactly what she did say - she said she'd do everything she could to protect them but couldn't guarantee it.

tonyedgecombe 10y ago

It's just a very loose signal to business that they shouldn't rush out the door, the UK might be anti-EU but it isn't anti-business. Note there was no mention of a date. Theresa May isn't the prime minister yet, nor head of her party. Article 50 hasn't been called, negotiations haven't started. I think it's a bit early to start feeling ashamed.

jamiethompson 10y ago
A vote to leave the EU secured by means of misinformation that caused areas like Wales to literally vote against their best interests? Misinformation, lies, which were almost immediately revoked by the perpetrators? I think there is much to be ashamed by and worried about. Personally I intend to secure a future for my children as EU citizens, and that appears to mean that we must now leave the UK.
- tonyedgecombe 10y ago
  I was strongly in favour of remaining, I just think we have to be pragmatic about where we are now.
  - jamiethompson 10y ago
    I agree. There's nothing un-pragmatic about wanting to retain ones EU citizenship though.
  - DanBC 10y ago
    https://twitter.com/TimHarford/status/749874385490771968 https://twitter.com/TimHarford/status/749874385490771968 > So if we all hold hands and say "I believe in Brexit, I do I do!" it will become a brilliant idea? Tinkerbell economics.
    - tonyedgecombe 10y ago
      No, it was a terrible idea, I just feel quite strongly we have to get on with life rather than wallow around.

return0 10y ago

I think the really large corporations don't care about the tax rate of the UK because they use complex schemes that reduce their tax rate to single digits or less anyway, regardless of country. I think this is mostly about startups and medium size businesses

pluma 10y ago
As an EU citizen: what's the point of moving/keeping an international startup to/in the UK if the UK is no longer in the EU? Surely the benefit of the lower corporate tax would be outweighed by the difficulties of accessing the EU market and the British market is not big enough in isolation (compared to other English-speaking markets or the EU as a whole). In terms of growth potential moving to the US (to stay English-speaking and find more investors) or to the EU (to be able to easily expand to other countries) seem the more obvious choices. I can see how it might incentivise local startups to stay in the UK but at that scale the difference in taxation is likely not particularly noteworthy and simply an excuse to do what they already planned to do (i.e. "I don't want to leave anyway because I love working in Brighton but look how much money I'm saving by staying").
- peteretep 10y ago
  Stable, great infrastructure, three of the best 10 universities, business friendly government
  - pluma 10y ago
    It's a bit weird to list "stable" as an advantage in the current mess, though.
    - deleted 10y ago
      [deleted]

ionised 10y ago

I'm currently looking into where else I'd like to live and work.