Sunday Paper Review 15 April 2012

Water Minister 'Caught Flouting Hosepipe Ban'..

Every Sunday paper has their own take on the Charity Tax fiasco which appears to be engulfing George Osborne. The Sunday Times has the Tory party treasurer, Lord Fink, calling for it to be scrapped, but the big guns are really wheeled out in the Sunday Telegraph, where 46 philanthropists who give seriously large amounts of money to good causes every year turn their fire on the measure, which will come into force next April.

Both papers agree that the Charity Tax is unlikely to become a reality, with alternatives to it already being considered by the Treasury. But it's clearly something that the Lib Dems in the coalition are pushing for, in some form. Nick Clegg has, so far, been the whipping boy for the criticism.

While the Charity Tax might have complex permutations another story in The People is much easier to understand. And it's funnier. The paper reports that the minister for water - yes there is one - has been caught flouting the hosepipe ban. Reporters caught the hose gushing water on Richard Benyon's "family estate", with Benyon's wife telling the paper she had "no idea why it was on".

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond might have hit the roof over the Economist's "Skintland" cover on Friday, but at least his own party coffers have been given a boost - a couple who won big on the Euromillions lottery have just given a major cash injection to the SNP, reports the Sunday Times. A millon pounds is always pretty handy, but particularly when you're about to wage a major air-war in the run up to the Scottish independence referendum.

The Mail on Sunday reports that Home Secretary Theresa May is to announce "neighbourhood courts" in the coming days - something the paper brands a "vigilante lite" measure to curb yobbish and anti-social behaviour. And it seems these new courts will actually have powers to fine people or compel them to repair the damage they've done. One immediate problem with that springs to mind - are the kids of people who engage in mindless destruction any good at DIY?

The Mail also reports on allegations that Defence Secretary Philip Hammond might have some "exotic" tax arrangements - transferring assets to his wife just before the 50p rate of tax came into force. As usual, nothing illegal about it, but it might be a thorny issue for David Cameron and George Osborne. They've said they're relaxed about ministerial tax returns being published - for the "very highest offices" in the government. Does defence secretary come into that ballpark?

Here's the rest of the Sunday front pages...

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