In our latest series of leadership quotations, we hear from the prime minister on his Covid policies, Clive Betts on the situation in Yorkshire, Stuart Harris and Mohammad Miah on key issues in the financial services sector, and from Sue Hughes-Thomas on the government’s policies towards private landlords.
Boris Johnson
‘I'm proud of the One Nation Conservative support we've given to the entire country. There is no other country in Europe where so much support, so much help has been given to the population.’ (The prime minister defends his policies in the House of Commons)
Clive Betts
‘There was a cap on the amount of money and it was basically the same financial package for everyone. It wasn’t really a negotiation, it was “this is what’s available, take it or leave it.”
‘If you take it, there’s one or two bits around extra leeway around keeping gyms open, leisure centres, bingo halls, but that was the level of negotiation. It’s not enough to help businesses, it’s not enough to help employees who’ve lost their job and it’s not enough to help those who’ve been asked to isolate.’ (The Labour MP for Sheffield South East on South Yorkshire’s negotiations with the government)
Stuart Harris
‘I can guarantee that if the tax system were simplified, everybody would pay a reasonable amount of tax and it would be perceived by everyone as being fairer. Consequently, there would be less tax avoidance and evasion. Contrary to popular belief, this would not be a problem for accountants like me. There would still be plenty of work to do, but less time spent dealing with bureaucracy.’ (The managing director of Stuart Harris Associates on the tax system)
Mohammad Miah
‘It is abundantly clear that professional institutions cannot control the behaviour of their members, whose greedy behaviour can then irreparably damage the reputation of the profession in question. I believe that professional bodies should come together and prepare a standardised, consistent approach to counteract these critical issues plaguing modern industry.’ (The Miah & Company director on a key issue in the financial services sector)
Sue Hughes-Thomas
‘Government policies over the past few years seem to wish to tax the private landlord out of existence, and yet it is the private landlord who is filling gaps that need filling – by providing housing to those who are not in a position to buy a home of their own or to tenants who face a massive shortage of local authority housing stock and are therefore directed to the private rental sector.’ (The Home Management Company founder and director on the government’s policies towards landlords)
Reverend Thomas Reese
‘You're the boss; you should follow your own rules. When the clergy hold themselves above the rules, we call that clericalism, a sin that you have loudly denounced.’ (The Vatican expert on the pope’s decision to conduct a general audience without a face covering)
