Protesters gatecrash university tax talk

12:00pm Thursday 4th October 2012 in News

PROTESTERS gatecrashed a black-tie dinner in Oxford attended by the former head of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.

Dave Hartnett retired as Permanent Secretary for Tax at HMRC earlier this year and was attending a tax planning conference held at New College.

The ‘WeAreTheIntruders’ group, were protesting against corporate tax avoidance and included Green Party city councillor Sam Hollick, who represents Holywell.

They burst into the college’s Great Hall while Mr Hartnett was making an after-dinner speech during the £854 plus VAT evening.

Before being ejected from the hall, they handed Mr Hartnett a bouquet and a spoof “golden handshake” award.

Mr Hollick said: “We went into the hall and asked the audience to give him a round of applause. They seemed to think it was a nice, friendly presentation of an award.

“A senior tax solicitor called us scum, which was a little bit aggressive.”

New College hosted the three-day conference called Practical Tax Planning 2012 last month.

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Comments (9)

12:09pm Thu 4 Oct 12

Myron Blatz says...

Well, that's the Oxford Green Party for you - hardly anyone in Oxford (or anywhere else) ever votes for them, so they have to gatecrash functions (not for the first time!) to try and gain public attention. However I think the term 'scum is a bit over the top - sure more a case of recycled wasters?
Well, that's the Oxford Green Party for you - hardly anyone in Oxford (or anywhere else) ever votes for them, so they have to gatecrash functions (not for the first time!) to try and gain public attention. However I think the term 'scum is a bit over the top - sure more a case of recycled wasters? Myron Blatz

12:17pm Thu 4 Oct 12

zho says...

>>Well, that's the Oxford Green Party for you - hardly anyone in Oxford ... ever votes for them ...>>

So how come they've got 5 seats on the City Council?
>>Well, that's the Oxford Green Party for you - hardly anyone in Oxford ... ever votes for them ...>> So how come they've got 5 seats on the City Council? zho

1:14pm Thu 4 Oct 12

museli says...

Here is the video of this protest - well done WeAreTheIntruders!

http://youtu.be/3w4t
cIsaInE

(So where's that last attempt to comment gone - it'll reappear later I expect.)
Here is the video of this protest - well done WeAreTheIntruders! http://youtu.be/3w4t cIsaInE (So where's that last attempt to comment gone - it'll reappear later I expect.) museli

1:19pm Thu 4 Oct 12

Andrew:Oxford says...

So bursting into a hall is normal, but referring to an indivual as "scum" is aggressive.

I suppose, given his education, he couldn't be a "pleb".
So bursting into a hall is normal, but referring to an indivual as "scum" is aggressive. I suppose, given his education, he couldn't be a "pleb". Andrew:Oxford

1:20pm Thu 4 Oct 12

adlibber says...

Myron Blatz wrote:
Well, that's the Oxford Green Party for you - hardly anyone in Oxford (or anywhere else) ever votes for them, so they have to gatecrash functions (not for the first time!) to try and gain public attention. However I think the term 'scum is a bit over the top - sure more a case of recycled wasters?
yeah god forbid anyone should illustrate the rank hypocrisy of Inland Revenue who allow Vodafone etc to avoid billions in tax payments but will hound someone who hasn't filled in a tax form and is fined £100. Even worse imagine being upset at the thought of Senior Management at HMRC actually paying themselves in such a way that they themselves avoid paying full tax?

You've really got your finger on the pulse Myron.......
[quote][p][bold]Myron Blatz[/bold] wrote: Well, that's the Oxford Green Party for you - hardly anyone in Oxford (or anywhere else) ever votes for them, so they have to gatecrash functions (not for the first time!) to try and gain public attention. However I think the term 'scum is a bit over the top - sure more a case of recycled wasters?[/p][/quote]yeah god forbid anyone should illustrate the rank hypocrisy of Inland Revenue who allow Vodafone etc to avoid billions in tax payments but will hound someone who hasn't filled in a tax form and is fined £100. Even worse imagine being upset at the thought of Senior Management at HMRC actually paying themselves in such a way that they themselves avoid paying full tax? You've really got your finger on the pulse Myron....... adlibber

1:23pm Thu 4 Oct 12

Myron Blatz says...

Well ZHO, in Oxford the Majority Party on City Council is Labour with 29 seats, and LibDems as the Official Opposition Party with 13 seats. The Green Party trails behind with only 5 seats, and Independents with 1 seat. On County Council, currently Tories are in control, with the LibDems as Official Opposition Party, and the Greens? Well, nobody - but democracy means that people have the right to vote for the Candidate and or Party which they think best for their particular Ward or Division at any one time of election. If more people want to vote for Green Party, they have that right - in the same way that if they don't., they won't - though probably not helped by the likes of Cllr Hollick.
Well ZHO, in Oxford the Majority Party on City Council is Labour with 29 seats, and LibDems as the Official Opposition Party with 13 seats. The Green Party trails behind with only 5 seats, and Independents with 1 seat. On County Council, currently Tories are in control, with the LibDems as Official Opposition Party, and the Greens? Well, nobody - but democracy means that people have the right to vote for the Candidate and or Party which they think best for their particular Ward or Division at any one time of election. If more people want to vote for Green Party, they have that right - in the same way that if they don't., they won't - though probably not helped by the likes of Cllr Hollick. Myron Blatz

4:04pm Thu 4 Oct 12

paul from Kennington says...

Myron Blatz wrote:
Well ZHO, in Oxford the Majority Party on City Council is Labour with 29 seats, and LibDems as the Official Opposition Party with 13 seats. The Green Party trails behind with only 5 seats, and Independents with 1 seat. On County Council, currently Tories are in control, with the LibDems as Official Opposition Party, and the Greens? Well, nobody - but democracy means that people have the right to vote for the Candidate and or Party which they think best for their particular Ward or Division at any one time of election. If more people want to vote for Green Party, they have that right - in the same way that if they don't., they won't - though probably not helped by the likes of Cllr Hollick.
In the case of Mr Hollick Myron, you would be correct in saying that no permanent residents voted for him seeing as his constituency covers most of the city centre colleges.
[quote][p][bold]Myron Blatz[/bold] wrote: Well ZHO, in Oxford the Majority Party on City Council is Labour with 29 seats, and LibDems as the Official Opposition Party with 13 seats. The Green Party trails behind with only 5 seats, and Independents with 1 seat. On County Council, currently Tories are in control, with the LibDems as Official Opposition Party, and the Greens? Well, nobody - but democracy means that people have the right to vote for the Candidate and or Party which they think best for their particular Ward or Division at any one time of election. If more people want to vote for Green Party, they have that right - in the same way that if they don't., they won't - though probably not helped by the likes of Cllr Hollick.[/p][/quote]In the case of Mr Hollick Myron, you would be correct in saying that no permanent residents voted for him seeing as his constituency covers most of the city centre colleges. paul from Kennington

6:38pm Thu 4 Oct 12

Myron Blatz says...

Indeed Paul - give me a closet full of boozed-up arsey-toe-crats from Oxford's proper University every time! Certainly our little 'hooray Henrys and Harriets' would have gatecrashed with more style and aplomb. After all, its part of their breeding education - sorry, breeding and education, and wot bucketloads of inherired and plundered money certainly has been able to buy, over the centuries. Thank goodness we live in the UK, where we have freedom of speech and the birthright to defend our opinions - unless it may offend someone with a diffident opinion, and even greater myopic vision! Are you sure the gatecrashers weren't rabid Labour supporters of the former neo-socialist Gordon Brownshirts?
Indeed Paul - give me a closet full of boozed-up arsey-toe-crats from Oxford's proper University every time! Certainly our little 'hooray Henrys and Harriets' would have gatecrashed with more style and aplomb. After all, its part of their breeding education - sorry, breeding and education, and wot bucketloads of inherired and plundered money certainly has been able to buy, over the centuries. Thank goodness we live in the UK, where we have freedom of speech and the birthright to defend our opinions - unless it may offend someone with a diffident opinion, and even greater myopic vision! Are you sure the gatecrashers weren't rabid Labour supporters of the former neo-socialist Gordon Brownshirts? Myron Blatz

11:11am Fri 5 Oct 12

john saxophone says...

I don't see why Mr Hollick's constituency has got anything to do with the news story, nor his abilities as a Councillor for that matter.

What is interesting here is why they gatecrashed the dinner in the first place, to highlight the fact that David Hartnett has on numerous occasions turned a blind eye to companies such as Goldman Sachs and Vodaphone among others not paying their tax.

I think its shocking that rich companies have government officials in their back pocket so they can get away with illegal actions and further deepen the recession.
I don't see why Mr Hollick's constituency has got anything to do with the news story, nor his abilities as a Councillor for that matter. What is interesting here is why they gatecrashed the dinner in the first place, to highlight the fact that David Hartnett has on numerous occasions turned a blind eye to companies such as Goldman Sachs and Vodaphone among others not paying their tax. I think its shocking that rich companies have government officials in their back pocket so they can get away with illegal actions and further deepen the recession. john saxophone

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