I do not know how anyone can regard the local BBC as supporters of our government when they happily pronounce guilty the Lloyds TSB finance worker covertly filmed by Panorama.
This person is employed by Lloyds TSB and has been suspended. I do not know him but his sales patter must surely have had authority from the bank. Further the method he was promoting is not illegal, whether or not we as the public or taxpayers like it or not.
As far as he was concerned he was speaking to a genuine customer. In these days of "Know Your Client" perhaps he should have asked for more information. But, what about his Data Protection, his right to privacy. To his knowledge when speaking to this prospective "client", he was speaking privately and having a conversation that he had every right not to believe was being taped and even worse, published on television. His face will now be known to Channel Islanders and to the British public at large. He was only doing his job. What support has he had from his employers. Precious little I would say.
Perhaps the employee and the Bank, rather than suspending the employee and hanging him out to dry without so much as a trial, should be pursuing the local BBC for publishing this clip without his permission and also Panorama. Thanks to the BBC for summary justice, however that is accredited journalism, the taxpayer funded BBC has probably ruined a career.
Whilst the tax question leaves a bad taste in everyone's mouth so does so called journalism where the journalist does not even care what happens to an individual, who no doubt has family to support. The BBC should be ashamed of themselves.
News from Nowhere - Mixed Messages
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*Encyclopedia Insulae, 6th edition, 2005
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While what he was doing was technically legal, it was demonstrating how loopholes can be constructed to avoid the EU taxation measures which apply to Jersey.
That such loopholes are constructed by a bank which is now largely owned (and bailed out) by the British taxpayer, made it quite legitimate and in the public interest for the BBC to do this. A mainly UK owned bank should NOT be engaging in schemes to avoid returning tax to the UK treasury.
As with the culture of massive bonuses, it is about time the banks realised they can't take taxpayers money and then indulge in rude gestures towards the UK tax authorities.
As I stated we may not like it but the fact is the BBC obtained their information covertly.
It is the life of the employee that they showed scant regard for.
What I am saying is, everyone has face to face conversations with people, and in employment, in an interview room at your place of employment, you should reasonably expect it not to be filmed, unless you are told so. The employer has a duty of care as well. We have no idea of the context of the conversation. Has, as the accredited media are sometimes shown to do, the BBC did it with Queen, the piece been edited so bits appear out of context.
The side of the story I am looking at is that of the individual employee not the tax picture.
For the record I do not particularly like the tax scheme but if it is legal (it either is or it isn't) then it is up to governments to change the law.
I agree that undercover filming is somewhat sneaky, but it can get results of stuff that is very dodgy. The segment shown did not appear to be edited.
I remember an undercover reporter as a police recruit, who blew the gaffe on utterly irresponsible racist attitudes in some of the new trainees.
It is true that what he was doing was not - as yet - illegal under UK law, but the new pre-budget is certainly set to target this kind of practice.
Stephen Timms in the Guardian highlighted the need for businesses to act ethically with regard to taxation, especially State funded businesses.
If he was a Jersey resident, doing this elsewhere, it would be illegal - Jersey tax law is very much more draconian on tax avoidance schemes. It has a "blanket" clause which allows the Comptroller to disallow any scheme which he asseses as set up simply for the legal avoidance (not criminal evasion) of tax and for no other purpose.
For the record. This was not the local BBC being a "real" news team & asking the right questions. (And exposing a real story.)
It was the widely respected team at Panorama.
Our merry band of Yes Men (& Women) wouldn't have the temerity to shed light on this. Bad for the image you see ?? (And the cocktail party invites )
Let them stick to what the do best: Reading out States press releases verbatim & without question. Or covering the Grouville pepper pot decorating competition.
Interesting that there was no hidden camera from Guernsey. Perhaps they dangled the bait and the fish didn't bite?
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