Welsh Libertarian candidate: “I have not paid income tax for ten years”

Using an expletive to justify this, HenryJohnTemple, quoted on a poster, said “I don’t pay for shit service.”

LPC’s South Central Wales candidate boasted about not having paid income tax for ten years.

The Libertarian Party Cymru (LPC) candidate for South Central Wales in tomorrow’s Assembly elections has caused a row after admitting on election material that “I have not paid income tax for ten years.” HenryJohnTemple, Baron Carrickfergus has raised eyebrows with his admission, both in campaign materials and on twitter, with a poster put up by his campaign in the constituency stating “I don’t pay for shit service.” Brandishing his lack of tax paying as proof that he will improve public services, Baron Temple’s poster goes on to say that “with me as your AM, you’ll get services worth every penny.”



Her further boasted by tweet that “you’ll be delighted to know I have not paid a penny in income tax for the past decade, thus making my poster probably the only honest one this election.” In a separate tweet, he wrote “I’m pretty damn chuffed that the corrupt political class cannot get a penny of my money.” He went on to say “I’d rather die than pay protection money to the government (income tax),” later calling HMRC “a mafia, with the government as the Dons.”



When accused of tax evasion by independent peer Baron Pembroke, who said “WHERE IS THE GOVERNMENT’S ANTI-TAX EVASION TEAM WHEN YOU NEED IT?” Baron Temple replied glibly “theft evasion isn’t a crime.” Official Opposition communications director referenced the other events of the evening – which saw the Deputy Prime Minister accused of “screaming insults” across the House of Commons – tweeting “And somehow he’s not even the LPUK member who needs to resign.”



Baron Carrickfergus spoke to the Guardian and insisted that his non-payment of tax over the last decade is entirely legitimate. When asked what means he used to avoid an income tax bill, he said “Not having an income. Well, one that would require me to pay income tax. When I was an MP I didn’t draw a salary, nor do I as a Lord.



When asked if he can promise people in South Central Wales that he has not used any legal loopholes or any illegal tactics to hide or reduce his income in order to avoid or evade tax, despite his comment on twitter that “theft evasion is not a crime”, the Baron replied “Given that I don’t draw an income that’s taxable under UK income tax laws, yes.” When pressed on whether this means he is using legal loopholes to reduce his liability, he replied, “No. I make my money in the form of share capital in my companies, FriedCoin (Cryptocurrency) Vinyl Resting Place (Music Streaming website) and my tech incubator.



“I do not take a salary in any of these roles that is large enough to be subject to income tax. I will not be drawing a salary as an Assembly Member. Instead I will donate it to a charity supporting the out of work former employees of my now bankrupt online fishing supplies company, Master Bait.”



He said he had not intended to imply that he had avoided or evaded tax for the last decade, telling the Guardian “ I intended to see how quickly the Liberal holier than thou people running for election would leap to conclusions, like they always do. I firmly believe that Taxation is theft, and should be as low as humanly possible.” Even if it was a “service worth paying for” as he promised? “Absolutely. I would make tax rates very competitive. Did you know, you can keep a track of your taxes using my new app, ‘TaxTrackWithHJT’?” He confirmed that that was a campaign promise. He said he would try to fulfill that promise even without government tax-making powers, saying “I would make a deeply and highly compelling argument. I’m a great negotiator, some would say the best.”



When approached for comment, the LPUK’s Leader, Friedmanite19, declined to comment, telling the Guardian he’ll “just let him [Henry John Temple] speak for himself.”

