Georgiana Head gets to put question to the chancellor and shadow chancellor’s on Channel 4
Georgiana Head was invited to take part in a Channel 4 debate yesterday. This pre-election programme running on Channel 4 was held live at 8pm on Monday 29th of March 2010. As Georgiana explains: ‘Leading networking group Forward Ladies, put me forward to Channel 4, as they wanted a female entrepreneur (doesn’t that sound grand?!) from Yorkshire and I was asked to come up with some questions that I would like to put to the Chancellor. So I came up with a list of tax related ones mainly around the idea of whether the UK was becoming uncompetitive because of rising taxes and reflecting on companies leaving the UK to go to countries with lower tax rates. This got refined to the following: ‘I’m concerned about rising taxes hammering the successful. Aren’t you worried that tax rises will lead to a brain drain – to wealth creators leaving Britain’
‘It was fascinating seeing just how much goes into making just 1 hour of television, and I have to say I was hugely impressed by the professionalism of the production company. It was great fun having someone else organise my travel, hotel, expenses etc, made me think about what life would be like being a celebrity with a pa, or indeed for that matter at tax partner with a very efficient secretary!’
‘What has been really intriguing is how different the Politian’s came across in person and on TV. In person Vince Cable got 4 rounds of applause and the others didn’t but everyone who was in the audience said that George Osborne came across very well. We very much got the impression that he meant what he said, while Alistair Darling came across in a much more negative manner. It felt like Alistair was avoiding answering questions, and as if everything was spin over substance. He really lost the support of the audience at one point and I almost expected to hear booing. Yet, the people who watched it on TV said George Osborne came across really badly and that Alistair Darling came across really well’.
‘I kept thinking that Vince Cable actually sounded like he really understood the economic principles and figures behind what he was describing. It did make me think that what we really need is a chancellor who actually has a finance background, I think a senior tax partner who has a really understanding of both being in a business and how taxes work. In fact perhaps we should start our own debate of who would make the best chancellor. I know I’d vote for John Whiting!’
Outside of work Oliver is a keen sports enthusiast having played both rugby and cricket to a high level. He has strong links with both Lancashire County Cricket Club and Sale Rugby Union Football Club.