Jeremy Corbyn didn’t declare the salary for leader of the opposition because he didn’t know it was him.

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We have now sunk to a depth at which the restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men. [Orwell]

He released them and he cocked it up. Another needless own goal.

Tories were checked apparently at the last election. I can't say I remember to be honest.

The whole argument about earnings and tax returns is ridiculous and based on envy.

No party will come out well because guess what, lots of wealthy people avoid paying more tax than they need to

It does appear he hasn't cocked them up but it wasn't very transparently completed (or at least not in a way his spokesperson was able to follow) so does appear as an own goal.

But is does highlight the very obvious media bias against him and in favour of the government at the moment. A person agrees to release his tax return and is effectively criticised over lack of transparency (Corbyn). A person refuses to release his tax return and receives no criticism (Hammond).

I don't think they should have to have released their tax return. It is irrelevant and personal. But the media are happy to conduct a campaign against Corbyn for doing nothing wrong, but leave government ministers off the hook for worse "offences".

The narrative on JC has been written and whether it's fair or not, for the good of the Labour party and for the good of the democratic process in this country, I do wish he would just go

Edited by OknotOK (07 Mar 2017 10.49am)

"It's almost like a moral decision. Except not really cos noone is going to find out," Jez, Peep Show

Publishing a tax return is utterly pointless exercise unless you publish all the schedules that go with it and no one should have to disclose that in public.

Tax returns are private. As is any individuals tax affairs.

Also JC made the rod for his back so can't really complain when the coverage is negative.

Joylon Maugham QC is a fascinating tax commentator to follow. I don't agree with a lot of what he posts, but he is to the left and if you read what he posts he talks a lot of sense in many areas.

And yes I would suspect that either JC or his accountant has cocked it up, in the recording of it if nothing else.

Edited by robdave2k (07 Mar 2017 11.32am)

He's been a silly @rse!
There is no point, and no need, for an MP to publish their private tax returns any more than any other public servant from policemen to teachers.

What there should be, in my opinion, is rules on what you can earn outside of your parliamentary salary (i.e. I'd be inclined to not think my MP was doing a particularly good job for me if most of her income was from public speaking, for instance). But that may be better served by other means (time recording to ensure the MPs are doing a decent days workl, for instance, but I know that would be hard given travel for those commuting to Westminster)

Can do depending upon the nature of the income but is unlikely to have done in this instance. Although can't say I am going to bother looking through as I'm not that interested.

I'm not going to disagree with npn though that he has at least ended up looking like a silly arse out of it. And I'm not really sure how he's managed it. If he wanted to do this as a stunt to shame others, you would think they would at least have vetted his tax return first.

But I think that's just further evidence of the chaotic nature of his administration.

"It's almost like a moral decision. Except not really cos noone is going to find out," Jez, Peep Show