No-one is probably suprised to hear no doubt that Paul Grey the ex chairman of HMRC who resigned over the lastest scandal of lost data disks containing the information of 25Million UK taxpayer by HMRC has reportly now moved to the Cabinet Office still on a salary of over £200,000. One MP called it falling on a feather bed rather than his sword.

It just demonstrates that activity in the public sector in jobs is nothing like the private sector. In all reality all the hype over his "resignation" is just spin. What has really happened? Possibly something like "Mr Grey we need to move you to take the heat of Mr Brown. What we have planned is hush hush but in terms of press releases and public announcements what we want you to do is step down and Chairman of HMRC and will have a Senior Position for you in the Cabinet Office where you can remain until you retire as planned in the new year".  Not so much resignation as relocation as a Civil Servant.

And Civil Servants wonder why the public think there are on a cushy number? Simply amazing this Government clearly has absolutely not a shread of respect for the UK public. Undeclared donations to Labour Party MPs coming out by the day.

Mr Brown as a few other home truths coming shortly too. He has enjoyed bragging about house price inflation I wonder if he will be bragging about house price deflation? The UK economy is linked to other worldwide economies that is the truth of it. They go up and we go up they go down and we go down. Mr Brown has been riding a period of growth as if it was his creation. A monkey could have been Chancellor of the Exchequer and "run" the counties finances and it would probably have made little difference (and it would have been the same if any other politic party had been in power aswell). Perhaps though a monkey would have even done a better job of not destroying the pension industry. How many people are keen to make pension premiums these days to what they were ten years ago? Where are the "premiums" going? Into property perhaps? Businesses and all the hard working employees that generate profits and weath are what drive the country it has very little to do with "Government" which simply collect taxes put simply then spend the money raised on various projects, like NHS, "Defence", Education and the like. Actually come to think of it I think a monkey could probably have done a better job of spending the taxes raised as well. Not suggesting any of the other parties can do a better job either.

A leading Chief Economist is today reporting that house prices could fall in 2008 by 10% the biggest fall in a single year since records began in 1969? The Bank of England will of course drop interest rated to try and artificially prop up house prices but house built on sticks ... He also forecast further falls in 2009.

Have your say of what you think is going to happen with house prices on www.opinionpolls.me.uk or if you fancy predicting when the next general election will be...

18% CAPITAL GAINS TAX COMING FOR BUSINESS OWNERS FROM APRIL 2008 - Business Sell Offs...

Todays press also reports that Sir Keith Mills is selling his 46% (approx) of Nectar the points rewards company for around £160Million to Aeroplan Income Fund base din Canada which should be completed by the "new year" is that the Calendar or Tax New Year I wonder. As Sir Keith Mills will no doubt be an "employee" of the company and in any event owns 5% or more of the voting rights and no doubt the "group" or company is a "trading company" so I am sure a Capital Gains Tax saving of around (increasing from 10% effective to falt 18% from 6 April 2008) 8% Capital Gains Tax (or around £12.8Million) has absolutely nothing to do with the timing of the sale . And guess what it is a Canadian Company in the running for the purchase.   His share no doubt qualify as a "business asset" for CGT Taper Relief purposes. I don't blame you Sir Mills I can image you could achieve a lot more with the extra 8% than the Government of HMRC could as they are business wasting lots of money all round day in day day out.

Now Canada that sounds like a nice place to live... Umm we can all dream eh....

There must be quite a few business people in the later years or working or who have built up large businesses that would like to sell on now and save a few million in CGT before April next year. No doubt quite a few of those businesses will also be sold to foreign buyers aswell. How was that good for the UK economy Mr Alistair Darling? How short sighted are politians most of the time...