I heard on BBC Radio Five Live* a brief discussion about the military and how the wife of a soldier who died when a US helicopter crashed in Iraq had received a letter asking her for cash. But somehow they got on the question about forces being taxed whilst outside of Britian.

The arguement being “the Americans don’t do that, so why do we?**” here is what I have to say about it:

You should be taxed even if you’re working outside of the UK, why? Because you’re being employed by a British organisation. If you’re working on a base in Germany, well who fucking cares, you’re still being paid by the same organisation, nothing is going to change that, unless that is you start working for the German government.

This is the same under the Canadian tax scam scheme, even if you’re working abroad you still have to pay your taxes if the company paying you is based out of Canada (ex. CBC News has correspondants in London, assuming they’re on the payroll in Toronto, will be taxed for their earnings even though they are in London.)

Makes sense? no, probably not, because I couldn’t explain taxation if my life depended on it. But whatever, I assume you get the jest of it all.

foot notes * = Who is responsible for naming these stations at the beeb? Really “Radio Five” will suffice. ** = not actual statement, but a summarised version…. in my own words.

Listening to:

Vibe: cynical

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