People do realise the parlous state of public finances mean any tax cut will be strictly temporary - a gimmick even?
Strange that the usual suspects never say this about new spending commitments.
That's broadly true, and I think as a country we're in a much worse position that most people realise, even though pessimism has indeed increased in recent years.
Most Chancellors keep something back as a show stopper but the 2p NI reduction has been so leaked what is it ?
And it will not be a May GE, Sunak announces that and most everyone in the media is calling it for the Autumn with labour supportes the ones promoting May, so they can say Sunak is running scared ( which he may well be)
Labour are such favourites for the next government it will be interesting to see just how confidence rises over the summer, which of course Sunak will claim for his party
I am old enough to remember when leaking the budget was a resigning matter.
When did any chancellor resign after leaking budgets as it has gone on for decades
Hugh Dalton in Attlee's Government.
It was a sensible rule.
Talking of things that probably ought to be a resigning matter but aren't...
Is this the first time a sitting minister has had to pay damages like this?
I am a high income earner and I am fine with my taxes and would understand if I got taxed more given the plight of many of my compatriots and our shared services. I have ZERO interest in tax cuts. For me patriotism is not flags and pint sized champagne. It is investing in our shared destiny. 🤷
People do realise the parlous state of public finances mean any tax cut will be strictly temporary - a gimmick even?
If Hunt does use cancellation of non dom status as part of the money raised for the NI cut, then Starmer and Reeves have only about 1 billion left from VAT on private school fees left
It will require them to review their tax and spend policy
I think Reeves will probably keep the tax cuts. Too electorally difficult not to. Which means no money left for even basic maintenance of public infrastructure
I am a high income earner and I am fine with my taxes and would understand if I got taxed more given the plight of many of my compatriots and our shared services. I have ZERO interest in tax cuts. For me patriotism is not flags and pint sized champagne. It is investing in our shared destiny. 🤷
You can volunteer to pay additional tax if you so wish
You can’t actually. Not possible to volunteer a higher tax liability.
People do realise the parlous state of public finances mean any tax cut will be strictly temporary - a gimmick even?
If Hunt does use cancellation of non dom status as part of the money raised for the NI cut, then Starmer and Reeves have only about 1 billion left from VAT on private school fees left
It will require them to review their tax and spend policy
I think Reeves will probably keep the tax cuts. Too electorally difficult not to. Which means no money left for even basic maintenance of public infrastructure
I’m sure she will say as much - then point out in the subsequent budget that the tax cuts were based on dodgy calculations - and increase some taxes while implementing a different set of calculations.
Leaving aside how hateful and ridiculous that is, I question what it is even worth to the target audience. Who is it impressing who was not on board with the message? Is it worth potentially getting arrested for making death threats to politicians when you could just have written 'Tory scum' instead?
Maybe they were German and insisted on inclusion of the definite article.
Most Chancellors keep something back as a show stopper but the 2p NI reduction has been so leaked what is it ?
And it will not be a May GE, Sunak announces that and most everyone in the media is calling it for the Autumn with labour supportes the ones promoting May, so they can say Sunak is running scared ( which he may well be)
Labour are such favourites for the next government it will be interesting to see just how confidence rises over the summer, which of course Sunak will claim for his party
I am old enough to remember when leaking the budget was a resigning matter.
When did any chancellor resign after leaking budgets as it has gone on for decades
Hugh Dalton 1947. The past is a foreign country, they do things differently there.
Leaving aside how hateful and ridiculous that is, I question what it is even worth to the target audience. Who is it impressing who was not on board with the message? Is it worth potentially getting arrested for making death threats to politicians when you could just have written 'Tory scum' instead?
There’s a few people here I’d easily imagine doing something like that, sadly.
People do realise the parlous state of public finances mean any tax cut will be strictly temporary - a gimmick even?
If Hunt does use cancellation of non dom status as part of the money raised for the NI cut, then Starmer and Reeves have only about 1 billion left from VAT on private school fees left
It will require them to review their tax and spend policy
I think Reeves will probably keep the tax cuts. Too electorally difficult not to. Which means no money left for even basic maintenance of public infrastructure
At one point in my trip I thought THIS was a really important photo to take, and for philosophically significant reasons. I remember thinking “omg you must photo this. Never forget it.” I have since forgotten just about everything and have no idea why I took it
People do realise the parlous state of public finances mean any tax cut will be strictly temporary - a gimmick even?
If Hunt does use cancellation of non dom status as part of the money raised for the NI cut, then Starmer and Reeves have only about 1 billion left from VAT on private school fees left
It will require them to review their tax and spend policy
I think Reeves will probably keep the tax cuts. Too electorally difficult not to. Which means no money left for even basic maintenance of public infrastructure
I’m sure she will say as much - then point out in the subsequent budget that the tax cuts were based on dodgy calculations - and increase some taxes while implementing a different set of calculations.
Total managed government expenditure in 2022/3 was £1.157 trillion. Labour's room for fresh spending is at most a few billion here or there. It is small change. When I am spending £1000, adding £1 to it makes little difference. These are the sums and proportions we are talking about.
Our only hope is that Labour can run the machine better.
Also - I’m slowly coming down with alprazolam, Malbec and military history - why has no one filmed the life of Simon Bolivar?!?!
An incredible story. Just the Legions of Hell alone. Spearing babies and burning mothers in an orgy of anti-white violence. Surely good material for a Woke Hollywood studio
Most Chancellors keep something back as a show stopper but the 2p NI reduction has been so leaked what is it ?
And it will not be a May GE, Sunak announces that and most everyone in the media is calling it for the Autumn with labour supportes the ones promoting May, so they can say Sunak is running scared ( which he may well be)
Labour are such favourites for the next government it will be interesting to see just how confidence rises over the summer, which of course Sunak will claim for his party
I am old enough to remember when leaking the budget was a resigning matter.
When did any chancellor resign after leaking budgets as it has gone on for decades
Hugh Dalton 1947. The past is a foreign country, they do things differently there.
The journalist Dalton leaked it to was John Carvel - the grandfather of the Guardian journalist of the same name and great-grandfather of the actor Bertie Carvel.
Leaving aside how hateful and ridiculous that is, I question what it is even worth to the target audience. Who is it impressing who was not on board with the message? Is it worth potentially getting arrested for making death threats to politicians when you could just have written 'Tory scum' instead?
Maybe they were German and insisted on inclusion of the definite article.
At one point in my trip I thought THIS was a really important photo to take, and for philosophically significant reasons. I remember thinking “omg you must photo this. Never forget it.” I have since forgotten just about everything and have no idea why I took it
Ayahuasca is fun. Terrifying, but fun
Is it Monty Python's Black Knight seen through a 1970's Lucozade wrapper?
At one point in my trip I thought THIS was a really important photo to take, and for philosophically significant reasons. I remember thinking “omg you must photo this. Never forget it.” I have since forgotten just about everything and have no idea why I took it
People do realise the parlous state of public finances mean any tax cut will be strictly temporary - a gimmick even?
Judging by the last few budgets it will be tax cutting when delivered by the Chancellor and then shown to be tax raising by the evening once the analysts have had a look at the full package. So very temporary indeed.
No doubt that booze is up there with the most damaging drugs, vastly worse than ecstasy, mushrooms and - very probably - aychusca (sp?)
Can you have a delicious small portion of ecstasy with a meal and feel a light buzz and have a nice conversation?
As ecstasy is an appetite suppressant, I'm going with "no".
That said, no one ever took MDMA and beat their wife up. So, it's all swings and roundabouts.
Alcohol doesn't make people beat up their wives, anyone who does that is responsible for their actions.
Vast majority of people who drink alcohol are perfectly decent.
Contrast with coke which seems to make anyone who gets hooked on that a complete and utter twat.
Oh yes, cocaine should be absolutely banned for that reason. There is literally nothing worse than being stuck in a room with a bunch of coke heads. At least smack heads have the decency to be silent.
No doubt that booze is up there with the most damaging drugs, vastly worse than ecstasy, mushrooms and - very probably - aychusca (sp?)
Can you have a delicious small portion of ecstasy with a meal and feel a light buzz and have a nice conversation?
Yes.
Meh. Alcohol is still my favourite recreational drug of choice.
It's a young man's drug - a less good time with more adverse side effects than some of the alternatives. The only upside is it's not illegal. Talk about state imposed barriers to competition!
People do realise the parlous state of public finances mean any tax cut will be strictly temporary - a gimmick even?
Strange that the usual suspects never say this about new spending commitments.
I suspect we won't see too many of those. Starmer and Reeves have been aggressively shutting down any talk of new spending even though it's pretty necessary in some cases
At one point in my trip I thought THIS was a really important photo to take, and for philosophically significant reasons. I remember thinking “omg you must photo this. Never forget it.” I have since forgotten just about everything and have no idea why I took it
During a really intense moment I was feeling guilty about neglecting friends and family and all the usual guff but then I looked down and thought “fuck that, I’m actually floating over a four dimensional Aztec calendar made of diamonds and sapphires and geometric equations!”
Most Chancellors keep something back as a show stopper but the 2p NI reduction has been so leaked what is it ?
And it will not be a May GE, Sunak announces that and most everyone in the media is calling it for the Autumn with labour supportes the ones promoting May, so they can say Sunak is running scared ( which he may well be)
Labour are such favourites for the next government it will be interesting to see just how confidence rises over the summer, which of course Sunak will claim for his party
I am old enough to remember when leaking the budget was a resigning matter.
When did any chancellor resign after leaking budgets as it has gone on for decades
Hugh Dalton in Attlee's Government.
It was a sensible rule.
Talking of things that probably ought to be a resigning matter but aren't...
Is this the first time a sitting minister has had to pay damages like this?
That's a pretty shocking story. Donelan accused two people of being Hamas supporters, based on a dodgy press release from Policy Exchange. She immediately went public with it (via tweet) without bothering to check out either the facts, or asking the people concerned. Of course, it was nonsense. She should resign as a Minister.
I am a high income earner and I am fine with my taxes and would understand if I got taxed more given the plight of many of my compatriots and our shared services. I have ZERO interest in tax cuts. For me patriotism is not flags and pint sized champagne. It is investing in our shared destiny. 🤷
You can volunteer to pay additional tax if you so wish
I don’t want to pay more tax but I would prefer to pay tax at the rates I currently pay and get decent services rather than paying less tax while watching more services fall apart
I am a high income earner and I am fine with my taxes and would understand if I got taxed more given the plight of many of my compatriots and our shared services. I have ZERO interest in tax cuts. For me patriotism is not flags and pint sized champagne. It is investing in our shared destiny. 🤷
You can volunteer to pay additional tax if you so wish
I don’t want to pay more tax but I would prefer to pay tax at the rates I currently pay and get decent services rather than paying less tax while watching more services fall apart
given services are rubbish at the highest tax take since WW2 , you might as well try and reduce taxes
No doubt that booze is up there with the most damaging drugs, vastly worse than ecstasy, mushrooms and - very probably - aychusca (sp?)
Can you have a delicious small portion of ecstasy with a meal and feel a light buzz and have a nice conversation?
Yes.
Meh. Alcohol is still my favourite recreational drug of choice.
It's a young man's drug - a less good time with more adverse side effects than some of the alternatives. The only upside is it's not illegal. Talk about state imposed barriers to competition!
It tastes a lot nicer than the others, and the places where it’s made make for very pretty holiday destinations.
I am a high income earner and I am fine with my taxes and would understand if I got taxed more given the plight of many of my compatriots and our shared services. I have ZERO interest in tax cuts. For me patriotism is not flags and pint sized champagne. It is investing in our shared destiny. 🤷
You can volunteer to pay additional tax if you so wish
I don’t want to pay more tax but I would prefer to pay tax at the rates I currently pay and get decent services rather than paying less tax while watching more services fall apart
I am a high income earner and I am fine with my taxes and would understand if I got taxed more given the plight of many of my compatriots and our shared services. I have ZERO interest in tax cuts. For me patriotism is not flags and pint sized champagne. It is investing in our shared destiny. 🤷
You can volunteer to pay additional tax if you so wish
I don’t want to pay more tax but I would prefer to pay tax at the rates I currently pay and get decent services rather than paying less tax while watching more services fall apart
given services are rubbish at the highest tax take since WW2 , you might as well try and reduce taxes
No doubt that booze is up there with the most damaging drugs, vastly worse than ecstasy, mushrooms and - very probably - aychusca (sp?)
Can you have a delicious small portion of ecstasy with a meal and feel a light buzz and have a nice conversation?
Yes.
Meh. Alcohol is still my favourite recreational drug of choice.
It's a young man's drug - a less good time with more adverse side effects than some of the alternatives. The only upside is it's not illegal. Talk about state imposed barriers to competition!
It tastes a lot nicer than the others, and the places where it’s made make for very pretty holiday destinations.
And the places where it's consumed also tend to be rather more agreeable!
No doubt that booze is up there with the most damaging drugs, vastly worse than ecstasy, mushrooms and - very probably - aychusca (sp?)
Can you have a delicious small portion of ecstasy with a meal and feel a light buzz and have a nice conversation?
Yes.
Meh. Alcohol is still my favourite recreational drug of choice.
Mine too. Delicious, reliable, soothing
But, to coin one of your phrases, it’s just so middlebrow.
If you want a drug to have an incidental effect on your mood but be an excellent addition to a social situation, use tobacco in the form of cigarettes.
If, on the other hand, you want most bang for your buck in terms of life enhancement without too many ill effects, clearly MDMA is the way to go.
Alcohol is the drug of choice for those too timid to have a regular social MDMA habit but too health conscious to smoke. As I say, middlebrow.
I am a high income earner and I am fine with my taxes and would understand if I got taxed more given the plight of many of my compatriots and our shared services. I have ZERO interest in tax cuts. For me patriotism is not flags and pint sized champagne. It is investing in our shared destiny. 🤷
You can volunteer to pay additional tax if you so wish
I don’t want to pay more tax but I would prefer to pay tax at the rates I currently pay and get decent services rather than paying less tax while watching more services fall apart
I am a high income earner and I am fine with my taxes and would understand if I got taxed more given the plight of many of my compatriots and our shared services. I have ZERO interest in tax cuts. For me patriotism is not flags and pint sized champagne. It is investing in our shared destiny. 🤷
You can volunteer to pay additional tax if you so wish
I don’t want to pay more tax but I would prefer to pay tax at the rates I currently pay and get decent services rather than paying less tax while watching more services fall apart
given services are rubbish at the highest tax take since WW2 , you might as well try and reduce taxes
Old people and debt interest.
There are also lots of examples of increased government spend arising directly because of poor public services. Some examples include:
- Pension Credit being overpaid because there are insufficient DWP staff to review payments where the recipient's savings/income position has improved. - Unemployment and/or disability benefits being paid to people who can't get treatment for treatable mental health conditions. - Similarly for many treatable physical conditions. - Higher UC housing payments because of the shortage of social/public sector housing. - Staffing caps leading to expensive consultant fees to cover obligatory services. - Lack of social care provision causing increased use of more expensive hospital beds.
And others that damage productivity, thus reduce GDP, company profits and tax revenue, e.g.: - Chronic underinvestment in transport infrastructure. - Ditto electricity generation and transmission infrastructure. - Underinvestment in education.
"This budget doesn’t seem to indicate a May budget election, as the cut will only really be seen in one payslip before a May election."
That's better.
However, on the flip side, the increase for most will only be on one payslip.
Peoples' votes are more influenced by what they *expect* of the next administration than what has been 'given' by the current or past one, I should think.
At one point in my trip I thought THIS was a really important photo to take, and for philosophically significant reasons. I remember thinking “omg you must photo this. Never forget it.” I have since forgotten just about everything and have no idea why I took it
During a really intense moment I was feeling guilty about neglecting friends and family and all the usual guff but then I looked down and thought “fuck that, I’m actually floating over a four dimensional Aztec calendar made of diamonds and sapphires and geometric equations!”
And then I forgot about my guilt
Is that you and Virginia Woolf's great granddaughter in that painting?
People do realise the parlous state of public finances mean any tax cut will be strictly temporary - a gimmick even?
If Hunt does use cancellation of non dom status as part of the money raised for the NI cut, then Starmer and Reeves have only about 1 billion left from VAT on private school fees left
It will require them to review their tax and spend policy
That’s why they shouldn’t haven’t ruled out tax increases on the highest earners . The Tories seem intent on trashing public services to offer election bribes .
I really cannot understand why Labour haven't promised a wealth tax
Indeed a higher rare tax band of 50% on £250,000 pa income including investments
Maybe it will be a tax band of 50% on more than £100,000pa???
If you were to remove the bizarre withdrawal of tax allowance at £1 per £2 earned from 100k spike and instead institute a 50% rate from 100k, not only would you remove a behaviour-distorting cliff edge, but everyone between 100k and 150k would be better off. (Moreso the lower in that range they are). Those over 150k would pay more.
Macron apparently arguing for a European nuclear deterrent, without realising it. But otherwise, quite correct.
Emmanuel Macron being brutally honest in Prague today:
"Who launched the war in Ukraine? Vladimir Putin. Who threatens us, whatever we do whatever we say, with nuclear weapons? President Putin. If every day we explain what our limits are in the face of someone who has none and launched this war, I can already tell you that the spirit of defeat is there lurking. Not amongst us." https://twitter.com/JulienHoez/status/1765030569014853696
I think it's more of a criticism of Scholz.
Macron asks, "Is it our war or not?" which is a response to Scholz's arm's length approach.
Well I’d join in on that too. Sometimes I wonder whether he’s an agent of influence. He was, after all, finance minister when Wirecard happened. And that had Russian spies involved.
I am a high income earner and I am fine with my taxes and would understand if I got taxed more given the plight of many of my compatriots and our shared services. I have ZERO interest in tax cuts. For me patriotism is not flags and pint sized champagne. It is investing in our shared destiny. 🤷
You can volunteer to pay additional tax if you so wish
I don’t want to pay more tax but I would prefer to pay tax at the rates I currently pay and get decent services rather than paying less tax while watching more services fall apart
I am a high income earner and I am fine with my taxes and would understand if I got taxed more given the plight of many of my compatriots and our shared services. I have ZERO interest in tax cuts. For me patriotism is not flags and pint sized champagne. It is investing in our shared destiny. 🤷
You can volunteer to pay additional tax if you so wish
I don’t want to pay more tax but I would prefer to pay tax at the rates I currently pay and get decent services rather than paying less tax while watching more services fall apart
given services are rubbish at the highest tax take since WW2 , you might as well try and reduce taxes
Old people and debt interest.
There are also lots of examples of increased government spend arising directly because of poor public services. Some examples include:
- Pension Credit being overpaid because there are insufficient DWP staff to review payments where the recipient's savings/income position has improved. - Unemployment and/or disability benefits being paid to people who can't get treatment for treatable mental health conditions. - Similarly for many treatable physical conditions. - Higher UC housing payments because of the shortage of social/public sector housing. - Staffing caps leading to expensive consultant fees to cover obligatory services. - Lack of social care provision causing increased use of more expensive hospital beds.
And others that damage productivity, thus reduce GDP, company profits and tax revenue, e.g.: - Chronic underinvestment in transport infrastructure. - Ditto electricity generation and transmission infrastructure. - Underinvestment in education.
I am sure others can thing of many more examples.
Paying Atos and co billions to run the detested and failing work capability service.
On a slight pre-Budget tangent, I was talking to the man from whom I buy the Racing Post up at the tube station (he gets a lot of people putting money on their Oyster cards even though there are machines in the station).
He accepts both cards and cash but his biggest gripe is card companies who charge between 5% and 35% on transactions (like many he no longer accepts AMEX because of the high commission). Why not take cash? I asked - it seems the banks now put 15% commission on cash transactions.
No wonder small businesses are struggling - it's time the Government went after the banks and card companies and told them to stop gougoing their customers - 5% should be the maximum commission on every transaction and banks should only charge 5% for cash transactions. I believe such measures could help businesses more than tax or NI reductions.
Anybody got money down, on results of American Samoa Democratic caucus (today) and/or AS GOP caucus (March 8)?
Hot betting tip - Like many territories, American Samoa voters tend to go for incumbents and/or strong frontrunners.
Why? Because they believe - almost certainly correctly - it's in their interest (personally and territorially) to go with the flow. In particular, in NOT pissing off the powers-that-be (or will-be) in far-off DC. Which controls approximately 99.46% of American Samoa's budget, governance, etc., etc.
I am a high income earner and I am fine with my taxes and would understand if I got taxed more given the plight of many of my compatriots and our shared services. I have ZERO interest in tax cuts. For me patriotism is not flags and pint sized champagne. It is investing in our shared destiny. 🤷
You can volunteer to pay additional tax if you so wish
I don’t want to pay more tax but I would prefer to pay tax at the rates I currently pay and get decent services rather than paying less tax while watching more services fall apart
I am a high income earner and I am fine with my taxes and would understand if I got taxed more given the plight of many of my compatriots and our shared services. I have ZERO interest in tax cuts. For me patriotism is not flags and pint sized champagne. It is investing in our shared destiny. 🤷
You can volunteer to pay additional tax if you so wish
I don’t want to pay more tax but I would prefer to pay tax at the rates I currently pay and get decent services rather than paying less tax while watching more services fall apart
given services are rubbish at the highest tax take since WW2 , you might as well try and reduce taxes
Old people and debt interest.
There are also lots of examples of increased government spend arising directly because of poor public services. Some examples include:
- Pension Credit being overpaid because there are insufficient DWP staff to review payments where the recipient's savings/income position has improved. - Unemployment and/or disability benefits being paid to people who can't get treatment for treatable mental health conditions. - Similarly for many treatable physical conditions. - Higher UC housing payments because of the shortage of social/public sector housing. - Staffing caps leading to expensive consultant fees to cover obligatory services. - Lack of social care provision causing increased use of more expensive hospital beds.
And others that damage productivity, thus reduce GDP, company profits and tax revenue, e.g.: - Chronic underinvestment in transport infrastructure. - Ditto electricity generation and transmission infrastructure. - Underinvestment in education.
I am sure others can thing of many more examples.
Close down youth clubs and sure start, and end up with more people in prison. Cut benefits for children, end up with long term cognitive deficits and health problems from childhood hunger. Plus all those Brexit dividends of course. This government has been utterly ruinous.
I liked the like button. It makes the community more transparent.
and the loss of liked by is going to be annoying because people are now going to post ‘liked by Mustapha Mondeo’ or similar. Causing deeper indentation.
On a slight pre-Budget tangent, I was talking to the man from whom I buy the Racing Post up at the tube station (he gets a lot of people putting money on their Oyster cards even though there are machines in the station).
He accepts both cards and cash but his biggest gripe is card companies who charge between 5% and 35% on transactions (like many he no longer accepts AMEX because of the high commission). Why not take cash? I asked - it seems the banks now put 15% commission on cash transactions.
No wonder small businesses are struggling - it's time the Government went after the banks and card companies and told them to stop gougoing their customers - 5% should be the maximum commission on every transaction and banks should only charge 5% for cash transactions. I believe such measures could help businesses more than tax or NI reductions.
Advise him to shop around. Can be done much cheaper already.
I'm old enough to remember when the contents of the Budget were a closely guarded secret before budget day.
2p off NI has been so well trailed because either the Chancellor wants Keir Starmer's budget response to go smoothly, or there is something else in the red box.
Most Chancellors keep something back as a show stopper but the 2p NI reduction has been so leaked what is it ?
And it will not be a May GE, Sunak announces that and most everyone in the media is calling it for the Autumn with labour supportes the ones promoting May, so they can say Sunak is running scared ( which he may well be)
Labour are such favourites for the next government it will be interesting to see just how confidence rises over the summer, which of course Sunak will claim for his party
I am old enough to remember when leaking the budget was a resigning matter.
When did any chancellor resign after leaking budgets as it has gone on for decades
In the modern world, a chancellor not leaking the critical bits of the budget would be attacked viciously in the commentariat.
If nothing else, otherwise on budget day, the talking heads would be required to understand economics and the economy, in order to comment on it.
Who are you trying to kid?
Since when has not understanding the subject stopped the talking heads from commenting on it?
I'm old enough to remember when the contents of the Budget were a closely guarded secret before budget day.
2p off NI has been so well trailed because either the Chancellor wants Keir Starmer's budget response to go smoothly, or there is something else in the red box.
I liked the like button. It makes the community more transparent.
and the loss of liked by is going to be annoying because people are now going to post ‘liked by Mustapha Mondeo’ or similar. Causing deeper indentation.
People do realise the parlous state of public finances mean any tax cut will be strictly temporary - a gimmick even?
If Hunt does use cancellation of non dom status as part of the money raised for the NI cut, then Starmer and Reeves have only about 1 billion left from VAT on private school fees left
It will require them to review their tax and spend policy
I think Reeves will probably keep the tax cuts. Too electorally difficult not to. Which means no money left for even basic maintenance of public infrastructure
If Reeves merges Income Tax and National Insurance not only would it be the right thing to do, it would raise money for either public infrastructure or tax cuts of her own.
We should keep the anonymity of the 'likes' button
Why?
To keep you on your toes
When I was having my recent health crisis and posted updates, the number of likes says just how kind this forum is and knowing who was commenting enabled me to thank them
I liked the like button. It makes the community more transparent.
and the loss of liked by is going to be annoying because people are now going to post ‘liked by Mustapha Mondeo’ or similar. Causing deeper indentation.
'You know who' will be setting up another ID to like their main ID posts every time.
People do realise the parlous state of public finances mean any tax cut will be strictly temporary - a gimmick even?
If Hunt does use cancellation of non dom status as part of the money raised for the NI cut, then Starmer and Reeves have only about 1 billion left from VAT on private school fees left
It will require them to review their tax and spend policy
That’s why they shouldn’t haven’t ruled out tax increases on the highest earners . The Tories seem intent on trashing public services to offer election bribes .
I really cannot understand why Labour haven't promised a wealth tax
Indeed a higher rare tax band of 50% on £250,000 pa income including investments
Maybe it will be a tax band of 50% on more than £100,000pa???
If you were to remove the bizarre withdrawal of tax allowance at £1 per £2 earned from 100k spike and instead institute a 50% rate from 100k, not only would you remove a behaviour-distorting cliff edge, but everyone between 100k and 150k would be better off. (Moreso the lower in that range they are). Those over 150k would pay more.
No, the cut-off would be £175k.
It's currently: £100k - £125,140: 60% Over £125,140: 45%
If you gain 10% over a £25k band, you'll have to lose 5% over a £50k band to offset.
On a slight pre-Budget tangent, I was talking to the man from whom I buy the Racing Post up at the tube station (he gets a lot of people putting money on their Oyster cards even though there are machines in the station).
He accepts both cards and cash but his biggest gripe is card companies who charge between 5% and 35% on transactions (like many he no longer accepts AMEX because of the high commission). Why not take cash? I asked - it seems the banks now put 15% commission on cash transactions.
No wonder small businesses are struggling - it's time the Government went after the banks and card companies and told them to stop gougoing their customers - 5% should be the maximum commission on every transaction and banks should only charge 5% for cash transactions. I believe such measures could help businesses more than tax or NI reductions.
You can easily get card transactions for less than 1% so that's not good.
We should keep the anonymity of the 'likes' button
Why?
To keep you on your toes
When I was having my recent health crisis and posted updates, the number of likes says just how kind this forum is and knowing who was commenting enabled me to thank them
Nothing stopped people sending you their best wishes as I recall
I'm old enough to remember when the contents of the Budget were a closely guarded secret before budget day.
We may well hear nothing to tomorrow about local authority consultants and diversity courses. The slur has done its job in the media today, and by skipping it tomorrow the Tories have deniability. Cynical politics, for sure.
On a slight pre-Budget tangent, I was talking to the man from whom I buy the Racing Post up at the tube station (he gets a lot of people putting money on their Oyster cards even though there are machines in the station).
He accepts both cards and cash but his biggest gripe is card companies who charge between 5% and 35% on transactions (like many he no longer accepts AMEX because of the high commission). Why not take cash? I asked - it seems the banks now put 15% commission on cash transactions.
No wonder small businesses are struggling - it's time the Government went after the banks and card companies and told them to stop gougoing their customers - 5% should be the maximum commission on every transaction and banks should only charge 5% for cash transactions. I believe such measures could help businesses more than tax or NI reductions.
You can easily get card transactions for less than 1% so that's not good.
Even our village hall which has very few transactions gets a deal at 1.8% from Zettle.
I'm old enough to remember when the contents of the Budget were a closely guarded secret before budget day.
2p off NI has been so well trailed because either the Chancellor wants Keir Starmer's budget response to go smoothly, or there is something else in the red box.
Maybe it's not a cut in NI at all but an increase in NI of 2% to pay for a cut in income tax instead??
I'm old enough to remember when the contents of the Budget were a closely guarded secret before budget day.
2p off NI has been so well trailed because either the Chancellor wants Keir Starmer's budget response to go smoothly, or there is something else in the red box.
Maybe it's not a cut in NI at all but an increase in NI of 2% to pay for a cut in income tax instead??
NYT Super Tuesday live blog - Senator Kyrsten Sinema (Ind-AZ) said in a social media post that she was leaving the Senate at the end of the year and not running for re-election. This sets up a likely matchup between Kari Lake and Representative Ruben Gallego.
I never realised it was so important to people to know who is liking their posts. It's made me view the site a bit differently!
I like it because I don’t post much. I don’t look the likes up often but if a post has a novel viewpoint and one I find I am sympathetic to, I might see if it is being liked by posters I feel to be thoughtful.
I'm old enough to remember when the contents of the Budget were a closely guarded secret before budget day.
2p off NI has been so well trailed because either the Chancellor wants Keir Starmer's budget response to go smoothly, or there is something else in the red box.
Maybe it's not a cut in NI at all but an increase in NI of 2% to pay for a cut in income tax instead??
That was Rishi Sunak's gameplan.
Hunt is infinitely better as Chancellor.
If it weren't for the party's atrocious housing policy nowadays and Sunak as PM, Hunt would be tempting me back to the party.
One of the multitude of reasons that I think that May is a non starter for an election is that the economy seems to be recovering rather well from its technical recession last year (which I expect to be revised away long after this government is burnt toast). Services continued to grow strongly in February with new orders particularly strong. A few months of that will paint a much better picture than the government could demonstrate right now. Technical recession or not, growth last year was truly abysmal.
Why would the Tories want to give Labour a flying start? Why would they want to deny themselves a sliver of good news along with all the crud they have delivered?
Comments
Is this the first time a sitting minister has had to pay damages like this?
https://twitter.com/Samfr/status/1765065146031063246
Another MP is going to lose their life if we do not call this out no matter who the politician is
https://www.rsmuk.com/insights/weekly-tax-brief/is-the-system-for-voluntary-tax-payments-due-an-overhaul#:~:text=It is already possible to,to reduce the national debt.
"That depends how much you earn...
💸 The biggest cash gains would go to those on £50,000 (net gain of £1,200 each year)
👛 If you earn below £19,000, you'd be worse off overall since you lose more from threshold freezes than you'd gain from rate cuts"
Ayahuasca is fun. Terrifying, but fun
Our only hope is that Labour can run the machine better.
An incredible story. Just the Legions of Hell alone. Spearing babies and burning mothers in an orgy of anti-white violence. Surely good material for a Woke Hollywood studio
https://youtu.be/_GPEzKp8Tns?si=9E1Z0EjtT3-Rwoq-
I am particularly drawn to this superb painting
At Peak Hallucination, that’s what it looks like
During a really intense moment I was feeling guilty about neglecting friends and family and all the usual guff but then I looked down and thought “fuck that, I’m actually floating over a four dimensional Aztec calendar made of diamonds and sapphires and geometric equations!”
And then I forgot about my guilt
She should resign as a Minister.
That's better.
If you want a drug to have an incidental effect on your mood but be an excellent addition to a social situation, use tobacco in the form of cigarettes.
If, on the other hand, you want most bang for your buck in terms of life enhancement without too many ill effects, clearly MDMA is the way to go.
Alcohol is the drug of choice for those too timid to have a regular social MDMA habit but too health conscious to smoke. As I say, middlebrow.
- Pension Credit being overpaid because there are insufficient DWP staff to review payments where the recipient's savings/income position has improved.
- Unemployment and/or disability benefits being paid to people who can't get treatment for treatable mental health conditions.
- Similarly for many treatable physical conditions.
- Higher UC housing payments because of the shortage of social/public sector housing.
- Staffing caps leading to expensive consultant fees to cover obligatory services.
- Lack of social care provision causing increased use of more expensive hospital beds.
And others that damage productivity, thus reduce GDP, company profits and tax revenue, e.g.:
- Chronic underinvestment in transport infrastructure.
- Ditto electricity generation and transmission infrastructure.
- Underinvestment in education.
I am sure others can thing of many more examples.
PS you still missed the 'e' off the end of one: "in one payslip"
(Moreso the lower in that range they are).
Those over 150k would pay more.
John Rentoul
@JohnRentoul
Wes Streeting, shadow health sec, to @AndrewMarr9 on @LBC
https://twitter.com/JohnRentoul/status/1765093186915983684
Sometimes I wonder whether he’s an agent of influence.
He was, after all, finance minister when Wirecard happened. And that had Russian spies involved.
Clear my cookies/data maybe? (Edit: that didn't work.)
Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema announced she’s not running for re-election.
Edit - I don't think that button is available to most PBers.
Con Maj - lay at 17.5
Con seat losses:
None - Back at 170
1-50 losses - back at 40
Now you can also do the same with Con seats:
300-349 - back at 60
350-399 - back at 250
400+ - back at 400
Makes no sense at all.
On top of guaranteed profit from arb, you could win both bets, ie:
- If arb with Con seat losses - if Con get 315 to 325 inclusive
- If arb with Con seats - if Con get 300 to 325 inclusive
Not got a work around yet.
Apple chrome.
How to annoy him even more
(Ben, that extra like on your last post was me testing the facility - don't get excited, I'll unlike it in a minute.)
I can see the lists sometimes; I have no idea when.
On a slight pre-Budget tangent, I was talking to the man from whom I buy the Racing Post up at the tube station (he gets a lot of people putting money on their Oyster cards even though there are machines in the station).
He accepts both cards and cash but his biggest gripe is card companies who charge between 5% and 35% on transactions (like many he no longer accepts AMEX because of the high commission). Why not take cash? I asked - it seems the banks now put 15% commission on cash transactions.
No wonder small businesses are struggling - it's time the Government went after the banks and card companies and told them to stop gougoing their customers - 5% should be the maximum commission on every transaction and banks should only charge 5% for cash transactions. I believe such measures could help businesses more than tax or NI reductions.
I will check it out on the phone though.
Edit: I've checked on the phone (iPhone) - I can't see who the 'likes' are. Nor can I see how to go into 'desktop mode'
Hot betting tip - Like many territories, American Samoa voters tend to go for incumbents and/or strong frontrunners.
Why? Because they believe - almost certainly correctly - it's in their interest (personally and territorially) to go with the flow. In particular, in NOT pissing off the powers-that-be (or will-be) in far-off DC. Which controls approximately 99.46% of American Samoa's budget, governance, etc., etc.
This government has been utterly ruinous.
and the loss of liked by is going to be annoying because people are now going to post ‘liked by Mustapha Mondeo’ or similar. Causing deeper indentation.
Since when has not understanding the subject stopped the talking heads from commenting on it?
Assuming there IS some rationale.
It's currently:
£100k - £125,140: 60%
Over £125,140: 45%
If you gain 10% over a £25k band, you'll have to lose 5% over a £50k band to offset.
So everyone would be better off up to £175k.
It essentially turns into social approval rather than argument recognition.
Hunt is infinitely better as Chancellor.
If it weren't for the party's atrocious housing policy nowadays and Sunak as PM, Hunt would be tempting me back to the party.
Budget - everyone expects 2% off NI - so what will it acually be?
I reckon it still could possibly be 2% off Income Tax - because polls show nobody understands NI.
He just has to make a bang this time.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/newslondon/uk-economy-turned-a-corner-as-service-industry-continued-growth-in-february/ar-BB1jlSHN?ocid=msedgntp&pc=DCTS&cvid=40057517a8ee4e149b7af75fa4f0fac9&ei=19
Why would the Tories want to give Labour a flying start? Why would they want to deny themselves a sliver of good news along with all the crud they have delivered?