Seemingly no one wants to pay tax yet the world could not operate if we did not. According to Duncan Watts in his book Six Degrees, ‘In not one country in the world is the payment of taxes a voluntary exercise.’ The question should be why? You should try running a country without it. Now … Continue reading Taxation is a thorny issue
A fair day’s pay at Brewdog
I think it is a sign of the times when I was walking down Dean Street in Newcastle to the Quayside I noticed an A board outside the Brewdog pub. On it was written ‘We are a real living wage employer’ in capital letters. I was so taken by the sign that I took a … Continue reading A fair day’s pay at Brewdog
North East Fraud Forum Conference 2019
This year’s North East Fraud Forum was a great event, it flowed well with excellent speakers and a cohesive theme - the key to preventing fraud is through the sharing of information. Surprisingly though it is an uphill struggle to get companies and victims of fraud to do just that. Let me start by telling … Continue reading North East Fraud Forum Conference 2019
When maps are not good enough
Sometimes seeing is not believing. I am thinking of when maps are presented to show the results of an election. Take the 2017 UK parliamentary election for example. A standard map projection of the UK, the type we are used to seeing in any atlas, shows England almost entirely Conservative blue. Ignoring the other parties … Continue reading When maps are not good enough
Have a casual meeting
Waterston's in Durham is a company that I have long admired, really ever since I met its founders, Mike and Sally Waterston. The company is built upon their strong ethical values and shows that you can be successful while doing the decent and right things. I mention the company as I was down there for … Continue reading Have a casual meeting
Not Equal
Capitalism doesn’t have a conscience. It is a system in which money flows to where it can make the most return. If somebody can make it faster cheaper and easier the system will determine that they are the winners. Thankfully people do have consciences and it is they that can provide the bulwark against the … Continue reading Not Equal
Why I’m hoping for a hung parliament
Strong and stable leadership, that is what we were promised, indeed that is what we are promised every time we come to an election. Our first past the post delivers decisive results and doesn’t leave us with a hung parliament, at least that is what those in power say and to paraphrase the words of … Continue reading Why I’m hoping for a hung parliament
