UK fat cats pleading poverty is a bit rich

TV MAKEUP rooms are fabulous for overhearing conversations. I once earwigged on a peer of the realm and internationally famous boy-bander bemoaning the fact that neither was “seriously rich”.

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Both were self-made multimillionaires. Both presided over impressive property portfolios. Yet neither “felt” wealthy because, they agreed, to be in the “big league” you need to own a Learjet. Until they had a plane parked in their driveways they couldn't possibly revel in their riches.

Rich folk pleading poverty turns out to be the norm. Three in four people paying top rate tax say they don't feel rich. Just 21% of those with an income of more than £125,000 a year acknowledged they were wealthy. Even if they own a house outright, have more than £1million of cash stowed in the bank and earn a six-figure salary, they still don't identify as loaded.