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Rod Liddle

Tax-efficient leftie luvvie Maxine Peake reaches peak hypocrisy for using loopholes to pay less tax while blasting Tory tax cuts for rich

THE race is hotting up for the ­prestigious Hypocritical Cow Of The Year Awards.

Always my favourite annual ­shindig. Better for a laugh than the Baftas.

 Leftie luvvie Maxine Peake uses legal loopholes to pay less tax while calling on the rich to pay higher taxes
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Leftie luvvie Maxine Peake uses legal loopholes to pay less tax while calling on the rich to pay higher taxesCredit: Rex Features

Striding out in front at the moment is gobby, leftie actress Maxine Peake. She was in that Dinnerladies comedy thing. And Shameless — which is pretty apt.

Maxine, is a former member of the ­Communist Party. And she’s mates with Jeremy Corbyn. Went out campaigning with him. She’s also heavily into being tax “efficient”. Yes, the Socialist whose clarion call in this election is that the rich must pay higher taxes.

 

 Emily Thornberry opposed people buying their council houses while buying a property with her husband to rent out for extra cash
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Emily Thornberry opposed people buying their council houses while buying a property with her husband to rent out for extra cashCredit: PA:Press Association

Who thinks that it’s time we clamped down on individuals and companies who don’t pay their fair share.

What’s she done? She’s used a loophole in the law so she pays less tax. All perfectly legal, mind you.

Something quite a lot of very high earners do.

But then most of them don’t scream blue murder about the rich not paying their taxes.

Thing is, Peakey Blunders, there is no upper limit to the amount of tax you can pay. If you’re really worried about the rich, of which you are one, then pay a bit more voluntarily. Instead of trying every devious accountancy trick in the book to pay LESS than your fair share.

It’s the hypocrisy of the thing. Quite magnificent in its own way. And yet very, very common on the far left.

Indeed, this year’s Hypocritical Cow of the Year Awards will feature several other close friends of Mr Corbyn. People who are also in Shameless — not the drama series, but their actual lives.

Take Emily Thornberry (yes, yes, I wish someone would). Otherwise known as Lady Nugee. Opposed YOUR right to buy your own council house. But, with her posh husband, bought a housing association property herself to rent out and make a few thou extra quid per month. Yay! Cashback!

And despite her high-profile role in Labour, which opposes YOUR right to send your child to a selective school, she sends TWO of her own kids to a selective school FOURTEEN MILES from her home.

You see, there’s hypocrisy. And there’s really going out of your way to be hypocritical. I think Lady Nugee has got to be a strong contender.

 Diane Abbott is against private schools, yet she sent her own son to one
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Diane Abbott is against private schools, yet she sent her own son to oneCredit: Rex Features

But she’ll have to fight off Diane Abbott’s challenge.

Diane and Labour are totally opposed to you sending your kids to a private school. She wants them abolished. But she sent her own son to one. Challenged about this she said it was “indefensible”.

As if saying it’s “indefensible” made it less “indefensible”. It doesn’t, Abbott.

She’s also happy to castigate anyone who voted for Brexit as a racist who wants “less foreign looking people on their streets”. And yet she’s happy to come out with this kind of claptrap herself.

But this is how it is on the far left. It’s all “do as I say, not as I do”.

Diane Abbott sent her kid to a private school because she knew the local comps were useless. And she wanted her child to have a better education.

The same goes for Thornberry and selective schools. They know the world they wish to create is uninhabitable. Even by THEM. It’s a fantasy land.


Shame and able

She also threw a glass at him and a laptop. There’s no suggestion that the man – her boyfriend – had caused her any harm.

And what does the judge do? Decided she shouldn’t go to prison because she’s quite clever.

 Lavinia Woodward may avoid prison for stabbing her boyfriend for being smart
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Lavinia Woodward may avoid prison for stabbing her boyfriend for being smartCredit: Facebook

Judge Ian Pringle said Lavinia Woodward, was an “extraordinary, able young lady”.

Prison would interrupt her career, training to be a surgeon.

Can you imagine the furore if a bloke were treated the same way? There’d be protests in Trafalgar Square.

Why should being quite bright mean you get a soft touch from the courts?


Comply? I can't be fagged

HEY – how are you getting on with National Vegetarian Week?

You chowing down on beetroot and alfalfa?

I’m usually pretty good at eating my veg.

 Did you know that this week is National Vegetarian week?
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Did you know that this week is National Vegetarian week?Credit: Getty Images

But when the authorities have these fascistic and sanctimonious events, I rebel.

So this week I’ve had steak and kidney pie every night so far.

It’s been tough, but someone’s got to do it.

A bit like National No Smoking Day.

 When a 'national' day, like National No Smoking Day tells you to do something, you should do precisely the opposite
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When a 'national' day, like National No Smoking Day tells you to do something, you should do precisely the oppositeCredit: Getty Images

Every year I get up extra early so I can cram in a few more cigarettes to beat my all-time record (94 Superkings, since you asked. Cost me the best part of 50 quid.)

Whenever they tell you to do stuff, because they think you’re thick, do the precise opposite.



Bad moods are good for you

MORE good news from the scientists. Apparently being in a bad temper can make you healthier. It improves your well-being, the experts insist.

Good! I should live forever, then.

And we could all improve our health by watching a video of Diane Abbott every day. I just KNEW we’d find a use for the woman one day.

Family Failings

ONE in five child deaths in one part of London’s East End are caused by mum and dad being related to one another.

This is a consequence of people in Asian communities marrying their own cousins.

Health and social workers have tried to stop them doing this. But they say the locals are resistant. They like to keep it in the family.

And so the kids are born deformed, or dead.

Do you remember the East End of London, by the way? Gor blimey, avva cup of tea missus.

No. No longer.

Lucie blames Brexit

I SEE that Lucie Jones has blamed Brexit for her coming 15th in the Eurovision Song Contest.

 Lucie Jones blames Brexit for her position on the  Eurovision scoreboard
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Lucie Jones blames Brexit for her position on the  Eurovision scoreboardCredit: Getty Images - WireImage

Yeah right, love. I can just imagine the juries in Baku and Madrid thinking to themselves: “Well, it’s a great song. But the Brits have left the EU so I’m not voting for them.” As if.

The reason you came 15th, Luce, is that the song was about as interesting as a life-insurance seminar.

It was, not to put too fine a point on it, crap.



Americanisms are taking over the English language

INTERESTING discussion on Radio 5 Live about Americanisms infiltrating our language.

Such as “can I get a cup of coffee”. And spelling realise with a z instead of an s.

This stuff sometimes annoys me, too.

I’ve noticed kids these days refer to insects by the American term “bugs”. And in both British hotels and department stores you’ll find yourself directed towards the “elevator” rather than the lift.

But it’s a small price to pay to have everybody in the world trying to learn English.

If it wasn’t for the power of the USA, English might be, by now, a small, almost forgotten language.

Although still infinitely superior to French, obviously.


Corbyn keeps his friends close and our enemies closer

LABOUR leader Jeremy Corbyn says British troops have not been involved in a “just war” since 1945.

What an insult to our servicemen.

 Jeremy Corbyn supports several organisations that are a threat to our country
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Jeremy Corbyn supports several organisations that are a threat to our countryCredit: Getty Images

How about the Falkands War, Corbyn? A fascist government illegally invades British territory. What should we do, Corbyn, surrender? That’s what he reckoned at the time. It is this, more than anything else, that makes me despise Corbyn.

His loathing of everything the country stands for.

His perpetual support for our enemies and the enemies of the West. Cuba, the IRA, Hamas, Hezbollah – if they hate us enough, Corbyn’s on their side.

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