Thursday 18 February 2010

Penny for Guy

Pity poor Guy Hands. The multimillionaire (possibly billionaire) financier and owner of EMI records (which has just decided to flog off Abbey Road studios) has sobbingly detailed the loneliness of his personal life:


“Because two of my children are still school age, my wife and they remain at our former family home in Kent when school terms are in session,” he said in his declaration. “I have never visited them there since April 1, 2009. They and my other two adult children visit me at our home in Guernsey.”
“I do not visit the United Kingdom for medical treatment and would not do so except on an emergency basis. I do not visit my parents in the United Kingdom and would not do so except in an emergency.”


Poor little Guy. Cut off from his parents and children. Denied the joys of Britain's high streets, rolling hills and myriad leisure opportunities. He can't even sue people in Britain because it might involve being in the country for over 90 days.

Why must he endure this misery? Is he a dissident? On the run from an oppressive state? Er, no. He doesn't want to pay the top rate of tax, so he's emigrated. He's taken the principled, brave and noble decision to spend more time with his money than with his wife, parents or children. Those poor kids - second best to a bank account - though I can't help thinking that with values like that, they're better off being exposed to a range of other people.

Doesn't your heart bleed? He's an asset-stripping scumbag who's brought EMI to its knees and used his expensive Oxford education to toil for Nomura and Goldman Sacks - the vampires of the global economy, and yet there's not the slightest sign that he considers himself part of any community other than that of the selfish ultra-rich.

1 comment:

intelliwench said...

Almost makes me wish I were a Christian, to have a shred of comfort knowing that fellows like Guy would have a special place in Hell reserved for them.

Nah. I'm not sacrificing my pagan beliefs on his account.

(Ooh... "judge" is my word verification. Apropros, no?)