Labour's Chancellor Alistair Darling said today that it would be irresponsible to unravel or rewrite the budget, in response to what I see as very valid criticism from many in his own party and beyond due to the removal of the 10p tax band. Yet this is exactly what Labour have done: they brought in the 10p tax band and have now removed it! Is this not unravelling and rewriting??
Its clearly unfair and unjust to tax the lowest earners more to pay for a tax cut for higher earners . This disadvantages millions of people who are already likely to be disadvantaged by being on a low income. Good on those 'rebel' Labour MPs (might be more accurate to say real Labour MPs) and others who are opposing this and fighting for a reversal of the policy and/or some package which compensates people. If anyone is to pay more in income tax it should be people earning more than £50,000 per yr.
The Green party for lower taxation? Strewth!
ReplyDeleteJames: firstly, I dont speak for the Green Party on this blog - its my personal blog, giving my independent view, and though it often chimes with and supports the Green Party it wont/doesn't always do so; secondly, I have not commented on either generally lower or generally higher taxation but on the specific issue of the unfairness of taking away the 10p band to help pay for a 2p tax cut which benefits primarily average and above average earners! If it had to be done it would have been much fairer to introduce a new tax band for earnings above £50,000 (or some similar move) would it not??
ReplyDeleteWhilst we are on the subject of taxation though, there are taxes I'd like to see go altogether or minimised. How about phasing out regressive VAT to the lowest possible level and replacing with genuine eco-taxes??