hat tip to Lakelander for the pic
Isn’t it lovely of J K Rowling to give £1 Million to the Labour Party?
I wondered why she should as she has ensured that her socialist roots have been entirely eradicated by her vice like grip on anything and everything to do with the Harry Potter films.
I mean, she could have just given the money quietly to a children’s charity instead. But obviously she feels that the Labour party are responsible in some small way for her success and would like to return the favour.
In January 2007, a certain Mr Gordon Brown of the Labour party allowed Warner Brothers, who own the rights to Harry Potter films, a spectacular tax deal. As long as they didn’t move production to Eastern Europe, as they had threatened, then he would allow them to claim 80% of production costs as tax deductable and pay 20% of costs to them in cash.
Although the previous four Harry Potter films have been shot at Leavesden Studios near London and on location in Scotland, sources said that moving the next instalment of the series to a lower-cost location such as Prague had been“a very real prospect” as a result of changes to the tax benefits regime.
From April, a new regime will replace two existing benefits, known assections 42 and 48, that allow producers to deduct production costs fromearnings as soon as a film is completed.
The industry yesterday had its last chance to persuade the Government to replace the existing regime with one thatwill provide at least the same financial benefits, with the closure of a formal consultation period.
But early indications have not filled film-makers with much hope for success. A consultation document released by the Government in July included new tax incentives that would offer Hollywood films shot in the UK benefits of as little as 2 per cent of their budgets, compared with an average of about 9 per cent under the existing system. “If they stick with the proposals that they put forward earlier in the year the impact on the industry is going to be devastating,” one executive said.
So it was overruled by Gordon in January 2007. Against the recommendations of a government consultation document.
Now, what were the production costs of the latest Harry Potter? Close to £100 Million. And Gordon PAID Warners £20 Million in taxpayers cash just to have the film made here.
“None of which, I am sure, has made it’s way into the Labour Donations Fund via one Ms J.K. Rowling”, said a Mr Bernard Ecclestein today as he puffed on a Malboro Red at Silverstone racetrack