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I was just beginning to enjoy the run up to Christmas and now that Parliament has folded up I was not expecting to get wound up and angry for several weeks but…
This in the Sunday papers made my blood boil, even though it is -4'C outside!
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Village hall dances and other charity events face a new £20 million tax after Scrooge Mandyson scrapped an opt-out which allowed voluntary organisations to play recorded music.
Community groups said last night they would be forced to abandon hundreds of services for the elderly and children because of the new rules.
Abolition of the so-called PPL exemption will affect charity discos, tea dances, youth clubs, salsa groups, sports clubs, coffee mornings and even charity shops which have a radio in their staff room.
In its own impact assessment the Government admits that it will cost voluntary groups £20 million a year and will be "highly detrimental". Some organisations will "cease playing music" because they cannot afford a license, and it will hit a quarter of a million organisations - 140,000 charities, 6,750 charity shops, 66,440 sports clubs, 4,000 community buildings, 5,000 rural halls and 45,000 religious buildings.
The shadow minister for charities, said: "This is another Liebour assault on the fabric of British community life. Having shut down post offices and local pubs, Liebour's Whitehall bureaucrats now have village halls, scout huts and churches in their sights.
Fancy raising this during the run up to Christmas! I understand there is a campaign being set up to oppose it as it is nothing short of a heartless tax on Christmas discos and dances in community buildings across the country.
The cash, I gather, is handed to organisations which pass on royalty payments to musicians and songwriters who you can bet your bottom dollar are not ‘short of a few bob’.
Outrageous!
At least they haven’t gone for us ’live performers’…….yet.
After all that, it's hard to get back into a good mood....still let's have a go.
Sign seen in a Mothercare shop….
“You should have danced all night.”
And....
There was once an old person of Tring
Who, whenever they asked him to sing,
Replied "Isn't it odd?
I can never tell `God
Save the Weasel' from `Pop Goes the King'."
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Scrooge certainly knows how to break hearts. WI was warned several months ago about playing recorded music in offices without a licence. It all goes to make us hate governments even more. Merry Christmas.
ReplyDeleteMoney grabbing without thinking of the consequences again!
ReplyDeleteWhat is this all about? They're being more Tory than the Tories are they not? Just can't believe they think these things through or care. Shame!!
ReplyDeleteI hear even the dogs have gone to the dogs.
That's terrible.
ReplyDeleteWho's Scrooge Mandyson, btw?
The first thing they forget is that this will not raise £20M in tax. They assume everybody is just going to pay up. Has it never occurred to them that thousand of groups will say 'up yours' and go without. They won't get their money.....just a lot of angry voters!
ReplyDeleteThe Scrooge is Mandleson, Foody.
Perhaps if they get a load of of opposition they may think again.