The Coalition thread

[Tangled up in Blue]

Feel free to post your views on the Tory/LibDem coalition here.

After all, they're the parties who are actually supposed to be running the country and not the Labour party or UKIP.

Suprisingly quiet for domestic news isn't it, (apart from the passports fiasco and the Scottish referendum of course)?

Wonder why, with an election coming up in less than a year's time?

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Feel free to post your views on the Tory/LibDem coalition here.

After all, they're the parties who are actually supposed to be running the country and not the Labour party or UKIP.

Suprisingly quiet for domestic news isn't it, (apart from the passports fiasco and the Scottish referendum of course)?

Wonder why, with an election coming up in less than a year's time?

You probably missed it in Spain, what with them getting knocked out and all, but there's a World Cup on.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

You probably missed it in Spain, what with them getting knocked out and all, but there's a World Cup on.

No,actually I saw DC and EM wishing our boys well, at PMQ's yesterday.

After all, Parliament's only in session until the end of June, so they had to get their good wishes in early. :smile:

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

well the economy's on the up, jobless total down and falling, growth up and much better than EU generally and definitely more than in "socialist counties". The balance between public sector and private sector much more stable, £200 million investment in Jaguar on Merseyside leading to 250 new jobs anounced today and Spain still an economic basketcase. The Scots referendum so long as the no voters turn out is going to be a resounding no and as ever Labour haven't got a clue. Still astounds me that there are still people who would vote for them.

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

well the economy's on the up, jobless total down and falling, growth up and much better than EU generally and definitely more than in "socialist counties". The balance between public sector and private sector much more stable, £200 million investment in Jaguar on Merseyside leading to 250 new jobs anounced today and Spain still an economic basketcase. The Scots referendum so long as the no voters turn out is going to be a resounding no and as ever Labour haven't got a clue. Still astounds me that there are still people who would vote for them.

Labour haven't got a clue in what way specifically?

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

Labour haven't got a clue in what way specifically?

Usual old policies. Spend other people's money with a rather naive view that this is investment. Tax people and feel that government knows best how to spend this. Create non jobs in the public sector. I could go on but cannot be bothered. The onus is on them to come up with credible economic allternatives which so far they haven't. The bottom line is would you trust Ed Balls with 5p of your taxes. I wouldn't.

 

[londonblue]

Yeah, but we have the dynamic and decisive Camerscum and his cronies at the helm:

The Standard

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

Yeah, but we have the dynamic and decisive Camerscum and his cronies at the helm:

The Standard

always think those that fiddle rather unfunnily with people's last names have little argument.

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

Usual old policies. Spend other people's money with a rather naive view that this is investment. Tax people and feel that government knows best how to spend this. Create non jobs in the public sector. I could go on but cannot be bothered. The onus is on them to come up with credible economic allternatives which so far they haven't. The bottom line is would you trust Ed Balls with 5p of your taxes. I wouldn't.

Spending other people's money is what all governments do - do you think Osborne is talking about money from his own pocket when he announces the budget? That hefty 20% VAT he takes when you buy is a nice Tory tax hike. I don't recall Labour announcing they would increase public sector jobs but then the current government didn't announce the massive pay increases for the top level of civil servants. They did announce job cuts but failed to realise that would cause issues in areas such as clamping down on tax avoidance or issuing passports (solution - chuck a load out with reduced security checks - nice work). I'll have my 5p back now please.

 

[steveo]

This is good news and probably thanks to the last Labour government.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-27907571

The only problem I can see with this if they are being built on Merseyside how many wheels will they have when they leave the factory?

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Governments are like referees: people tend to notice them more when things go wrong and things go wrong when they try to interfere.

 

[londonblue]

always think those that fiddle rather unfunnily with people's last names have little argument.

In your opinion. In my opinion, people that shoot the messenger obviously can't argue with the message.

 

[londonblue]

Spending other people's money is what all governments do - do you think Osborne is talking about money from his own pocket when he announces the budget? That hefty 20% VAT he takes when you buy is a nice Tory tax hike. I don't recall Labour announcing they would increase public sector jobs but then the current government didn't announce the massive pay increases for the top level of civil servants. They did announce job cuts but failed to realise that would cause issues in areas such as clamping down on tax avoidance or issuing passports (solution - chuck a load out with reduced security checks - nice work). I'll have my 5p back now please.

Don't also forget what Camerscum said before the election:

"Our plans involve cutting wasteful spending … our plans don't involve an increase in VAT."

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

This is good news and probably thanks to the last Labour government.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-27907571

The only problem I can see with this if they are being built on Merseyside how many wheels will they have when they leave the factory?

I really hope that the creation of 250 jobs isn't seen as significant. Every little helps and at least they are manufacturing jobs rather than 'jobs' where people sit at home waiting for Sports Direct phone to say they will be busy for a couple of hours.

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

Don't also forget what Camerscum said before the election:

"Our plans involve cutting wasteful spending … our plans don't involve an increase in VAT."

He couldn't resist, the Tories love VAT despite the fact the economy needs the poor to spend their money. Vat rate was what 7% when Thatcher came into power. They are the party of low taxation though....

 

[londonblue]

He couldn't resist, the Tories love VAT despite the fact the economy needs the poor to spend their money. Vat rate was what 7% when Thatcher came into power. They are the party of low taxation though....

The reason they like to increase VAT is because it impacts the rich less than the poor in that a rise in VAT uses up a greater percentage of poor peoples disposable income (because poor peoples' disposable income is a greater percentage of their take home pay). That way they can keep the top level of income tax down.

I don't really have a problem with raising taxes if it is needed. However, this wasn't needed (in fact quite the opposite was needed - and had actually been a success previously), and was an outright lie. That is what I don't like.

What was even more of a lie was the reason they gave: that they didn't realise how bad the economy was before they took power. That is also a lie because the economy was growing when they took over.

 

[steveo]

The reason they like to increase VAT is because it impacts the rich less than the poor in that a rise in VAT uses up a greater percentage of poor peoples disposable income

Having said that "the rich" who will spend more money on luxury goods will be paying far more in VAT. The poor are presumably so poor they wont be buying luxury goods, like shiny new cars, big TV's and latest technological gadgets so it won't be costing them anything.
Increasing VAT gives more people the choice of how they pay their tax rather than have it taken from them at source.

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

was very intersted in this idea to boost small business

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-27879417

I know it's from a Thatcher set up think tank so the pinkos on here will rule it out of hand but the idea that the treasury raises as much if not more by these methods is very interesting IMHO.
[h=1]Lord Saatchi: 'Abolish corporation tax for small businesses'[/h]

 

[callan]

I suppose the positives of this Government so far would be they haven't dragged us into an unjustified war, or made ''spectacular mistakes'' on Welfare.
The Banks aren't going bust, and no stealth taxes.
The economy is recovering, jobless figures are down.
Negatives for me would be a failure to get to grips with immigration, and university fees / energy prices.

 

[South Bank Hank]

The reason they like to increase VAT is because it impacts the rich less than the poor...

Seriously though, you actually think THAT's the reason? Seriously?

Doesn't VAT have 0% restrictions on necessities to offset against disposable income - groceries, water, meds, public transport, books, children's clothing, etc?

Also... didn't the last budget raise personal allowance thresholds to take loads of lower income people out of income taxation?


* googles *

Yep:

• 6.5k to 10k personal threshold
• 2.7m people lifted out of paying ANY income tax since 2010
• For the average tax payer, £705 less income tax compared to when the coalition took power

On the flip side:

• More middle-earners finding themselves paying the highest rate.

Square those equations and we're essentially giving tax breaks to the poorest from an income and a 'VAT vs disposable income' basis, all the while taxing people at a higher rate when they earn more (at a sensible level commensurate with most of Europe), then taxing people again based upon their consumption of goods and services on a spend more, pay more basis.