Multimillionaire Victoria Beckham has been criticized for using a taxpayer scheme to pay staff during the pandemic. She isn't happy.
Victoria Beckham and other wealthy business owners are exploiting a scheme that was set up to help smaller businesses from having to fire staff during the coronavirus pandemic. | Source: AP Photo / Thibault Camus
Victoria Beckham isn’t happy.
The self-proclaimed fashion designer is apparently “sulking.” Why? Because the British public and media are criticizing her for taking advantage of the government’s taxpayer-led furlough system.
That someone who’s almost 50 years old is sulking is hilarious on its own. But that she’s somehow found a way to be offended over this situation is hysterical beyond belief.
When Brtish Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered all “non-essential” businesses to temporarily close to arrest the spread of coronavirus, the government stepped into to support U.K. small businesses.
Few companies can afford to close their doors and continue paying their employees indefinitely. So the government developed a taxpayer-funded program that allows eligible business owners to reclaim 80% of staff wages.
In theory, it will help mom-and-pop shops retain their employees and help those workers pay their bills during the shutdown. In practice, the system has been exploited by wealthy business owners like Victoria Beckham.
The former Spice Girl runs Victoria Beckham Limited, which sells designer dresses at $1,800 each – and has lost almost $45 million since being established in 2008.
But Neither Victoria nor her soccer star husband, David Beckham, will be feeling the losses too much. Their combined net worth sits at around $900 million.
Despite this, Beckham saw fit to place 30 of her staff on the government-funded furlough scheme. This will cost taxpayers over $300,000.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, a source claims Victoria has been “sulking” since the backlash to her decision began:
It would be no exaggeration to say Victoria was sulking. She is used to David being criticized. But other than some light ribbing for not being able to sing very well, or never smiling, she has never come under scrutiny like this.
Well, Victoria, you’re either incredibly naive, or you simply haven’t been paying attention to the world around you.
I’m not sure why anyone with the vast personal fortune you have amassed over the years would assume it’s perfectly acceptable to stick the taxpayer with the bill for your staff.
You and other wealthy business owners are exploiting a scheme that was set up to help smaller businesses from having to fire staff during the coronavirus pandemic.
Victoria Beckham and her ilk could learn a thing or two from Prince Charles, who nobly refused to exploit the government scheme to maintain wages for his staff. The future King has seen fit to dip into his own funds to ensure salaries are paid, and rightly so.
Prince Charles isn’t struggling for money.
Singing sensation Ed Sheeran is another wealthy business owner going about things in the right way.
Ed’s Notting Hill bar and restaurant has been closed since March, leaving its ten employees unable to work.
Sheeran – whose net worth is roughly half of Beckham’s – has been covering the costs out of his own pocket, with a representative commenting to The Sun:
The business, co-owned by Ed Sheeran and Stuart Camp, is not, and will not, be accessing any government scheme of any kind, including furloughing, grants, loans, and so on.
It’s time the government provided some clarity on this situation. And barred wealthy business owners from taking advantage of the taxpayer’s money.
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Last modified: September 23, 2020 1:52 PM
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