Well
Here we go again , punish the people who manage to make it in life and contribute just because they have
Come on lets be a free world and be competative with it or else we become a run world by the leaders we elected to represent us
What happened to a democracy , where people voted and decided what we should do in life
The arts have suffered and perhaps the goverment can make up the difference from the tax payers , will see who votes which way then !!!!

Neil Charters , Biggleswade, Beds

I think she has a right to be angry. The current regime's idea of culture is to funnel most investment into a big pot labelled "Olympics 2012". However, this reduces the amount available to hundreds of other smaller causes that desperately need the funding to get them through the year. Carol Høgel is one of a small band of philanthropists, who have helped inject both money and passion into these causes.

matthew, London, London

Huw's letter typifies everything that is wrong with Britain - envy and greed combined; envy of those who have more or who have done better and greed for something they have neither earned nor contributed to. It holds us back in every particular. I know a little about Carol Høgl through a mutual friend and a whining fatcat she most certainly is not. She pays her British taxes and she contributes to the British way of life in a munificent manner. Well done Huw, you sum us up all too unhappily - if someone is rich or successful we must, at all costs but at no benefit to ourselves, tear them down. Mrs Høgl is doing *exactly* what was predicted by financial experts before this ridiculous law was passed. All the people who pay their taxes and then on top, give and give and give and contribute, will go. And well done Labour Party. If there's a chance to bring this country down, you never fail to take it.

Sandra, Plymouth, UK

I wonder what some of you will say when Footballers quit coming to play for EPL!!! People that call someone that has given so generously "greedy" is narrow minded at best. Those of us that benefit from Arts benefactors will be super happy to have her come back to America!!! CLEARLY....your loss.
Funny, but we mostly see your society thru the same lens as you see us.

John Woodward, Cullman, Alabama USA

Oh widdums, the poor woman has got to start paying her way so she runs off home.
GOOD. It is patently obvious that she was only here to avoid tax, and now its catching her up she's off.
I cannot stomach people who get away with not paying tax, who then moan when thay have to, when poor old joe public is paying everyday in everyway!

Pete, St Albans, England

Dr. Christopher Wood, Arlington (from Cardiff), VA, USA

The reason we come there in droves is not becuse we like you its is becuse our money is worth twice as much over there as here, Ok and people with children come for dinsey world.

IF it was not for the shopping we would nto come, with the way your goverment is treating us at your boarders, I dont even think the shopping will be enought to keep us comeing soon.

Mr W Jones, Liverpool, England

This is not just a problem against foreigners and 'non-doms'; a large swathe of Britain seems inately opposed to hard work, achievement and wealth. This vile, petty socialist attitude seems typified by our current government. It is about time this country rewarded such people not constantly penalise them. If we are not careful we will see a repeat of the 'brain drain' of the 1970's.

HC, London,

Don't be fooled by this greedy fat cat whining blackmail. She is evidentty loaded but is not prepared to pay here shared and expects us to duff our caps like modern day olivertwist and not have the nerve to to ask for more crumbs from the masters table!!

Huw, conwy,

If someone on the minumim wage has to pay tax on everything to enjoy the 'benefits' of UK residency then so should the non-doms - its called society. The accountants Grant Thornton described the UK as the first onshore tax haven. We have enough division in this society without adding to it.
Anyway this status was only dreamt up to prevent slave owners having to pay their fair share towards fighting Napoleon. A morally bankrupt status to protect morally bankrupt people.
If this woman preferred Scotland to North America the tax advantage had to be enormous.

Eddie Reader, birmingham, england

If only this govt. were as effective at driving the illegal immigrants out . It's only the people that contribute to our society that this govt. seems to want rid of ... go figure !

Benzo , Nr Chelmsford,

I like the comment that £30,000 is peanuts to somebody with that much money. Quite right.

Of course this one case doesn't change the principle that making non-doms pay tax is absolutely right. Why should they get away with it when we have to pay so much?

Will Duffay, London,

I'm sorry but I couldn't give a damn if she and her 3 grown up children all have to leave the UK because they will now have to start paying tax.
The question should be why have these people been allowed to live here for decades without paying tax whilst the rest of us are taxed so much we cannot afford to pay our council tax etc.
I agree with Cromwell - when people with so much money protest at a £30k tax charge and yet claim to have millions to give to the arts my reaction is good riddance - we don't want your sort of parasite here. We have a system here - everyone pays tax according to their earnings. At least we DID have!!

Michel , Guildford, UK

I am not surprise, but, hey, this is the government people voted for? or not!, also, well is just money to the arts and I don't think Arts is one of the priorities in Labour cultural policies, and with this kind of taxations who are the affected ones? It is a shame that Labour not only cut budget to the Arts but also doesn't give any support or simpathy for those whom are trying to do something for the so neglected Art and British artists.

Arturo Robles, Bournemouth, UK

I despair at this spiteful, vindictive,greedy government.The lunatics have finally taken over the asylum.Government for the people ?........utter rot....Government for the government.

Josh Martin, Oxford, Gt.Britain

I'm not the brightest apple in the barrel (especially after living in LA for the past few years), but I'd expect people would be smart enough to take care of their benefactors, especially when they write checks upwards of 20 million pounds sterling in support of the ARTS.

Woefully careless.

Elan Durham, Santa Monica, CA/US

I very much commiserate with Ms. Carol Høgel; it is very strange how the UK establishment and media have an inbred quizzical attitude to foreigners, and Americans in particular. Even in the USA Brits often look down their noses at Americans even though their disdain is quite insane given that there must be something they like about Americans or they wouldn’t make such efforts to come to America in droves.

Dr. Christopher Wood, Arlington (from Cardiff), VA, USA

No doubt about it, Mr. Milner, Ms. Høgel made the right move for the right reasons. One need only look around the U.S. to see the far less wealthy ex-pats who have fled Britain in the last 11 years.

I am afraid, however, that only naiveté would lead one to believe that is not already a police state. One need only look at the CCTV cameras zeroing in on people's activities everywhere but the loo (and I am not ll that confident they have not been installed there). How else can one explain police frog-marching citizens to the ATM machine to confiscate "fines" without trial. Why else use cameras not simply for enriching the State through "speeding" fines, and now using the CCTV to extort more money from people parking their car?

No, Ms Høgel has escaped, and she has left Britain and the arts the worse for her departure.

Bob Evans, Anaheim, California

Mr Black and White has got it wrong again.
Tell him - change your media image and do something sensible.

Ian, Solihull, UK

If Robert McNeil can't make "head nor tail" of Carol Høgel's letter perhaps *The Scotsman* would be well advised to dismiss so poorly educated a man (despite whatever academic credentials he has).

EAG, Maritimes, Canada

I find it quite comical that someone with 20 million to give away can be upset at a 30 thousand pound tax bill. By my calculation 20 million in the bank would earn her something in the region of 400 thousand pounds a year in interest so whats her problem? As for the giving gene she inherited she should know especially by living in Scotland that this government is riddled with a taking gene. I for one wont miss the Edinburgh festival nor the Opera, seems to me this isnt about money.

Cromwell, Leeds, England

Good for you love. But moving from UK to US; isn't that out of the frying pan into fire?
So which country do you think will become a police state first, the US or the UK? Keep your voice down pilgrim.

Andrew Milner, Karuizawa, Japan Alps