Paul the Wolf
Score Predictions Competition Organiser
Dolphins are far more intelligent than the average North Londoner and I wouldn't subject them to such an ordeal.
I don't see the porpoise either.
Dolphins are far more intelligent than the average North Londoner and I wouldn't subject them to such an ordeal.
Because young people are less likely to vote Tory probablyWhy is a Citezencard not on there most under 24 year olds have one to get into pubs.
Hunt on Sunday: the government will "ask everyone for sacrifices".
That's my take too.Because young people are less likely to vote Tory probably
Raab it seems needing witnesses at all meetings just to be safe! FFS!
Bathe in Poo.
Just listened on the radio to one of the most outrageous right wing statements I have ever heard.
The person was talking about the state pension which he stated should be means tested.
And he said that people who live in Council Tax Band D and above houses should be 'made to downsize in order to receive the state pension'.
This person was an economist.
Honestly. Talking about things like this just illustrates how divided this country has become.
Not only divided by rich and poor. But divided by age and the type of house people have worked hard all their lives to be able to afford.
Your party recently started to refer to the state pension as a benefit rather than something that has been paid for over a person’s working life.And then we wonder why people don't take notice of so-called 'experts' anymore!
It's not as though (State) pensioners haven't paid in over their working lives, if state pensions become even remotely seen as a benefit, not a right, then we are on the way to hell in a hand cart.
Your party recently started to refer to the state pension as a benefit rather than something that has been paid for over a person’s working life.
Just listened on the radio to one of the most outrageous right wing statements I have ever heard.
The person was talking about the state pension which he stated should be means tested.
And he said that people who live in Council Tax Band D and above houses should be 'made to downsize in order to receive the state pension'.
This person was an economist.
Honestly. Talking about things like this just illustrates how divided this country has become.
Not only divided by rich and poor. But divided by age and the type of house people have worked hard all their lives to be able to afford.
And then we wonder why people don't take notice of so-called 'experts' anymore!
It's not as though (State) pensioners haven't paid in over their working lives, if state pensions become even remotely seen as a benefit, not a right, then we are on the way to hell in a hand cart.
Its been looked at before and rejected as a terrible idea.
How can a financial advisor advise a client to pay into a pension if the money then counts against your state pension? It would be a terrible return on investment as most people would see their long term income drop buy 30% or more. It would only work in terms of saving the govt money if it hurt most state pensioners and would lead to a massive drop in people taking out pensions which is the opposite of what is needed.
People would just retire earlier to come in under the threshold making more economically inactive people.
Yes exactly.
I mean who in their right mind would contemplate implementing such a policy bearing in mind that the current state pension the vast majority of people get is £135/week. Some of which is then taxed by those who pay the basic rate of income tax.
Furthermore, there is a lot of discussion going on as to whether this so called black hole in the economy actually exists. Because it depends on the way you do the accounting and over which timescales.
And then, assuming you believe that there is a large black hole, what the size is. I have read estimates between £0 and £60 billions.
When I worked in aero engineering, we were talking about manufacturing measurements with toleranceces down to microns. A thousandth of a millimeter.
So I really don't believe anything I am told by economists.
Or politicians by the way.
Yes exactly.
I mean who in their right mind would contemplate implementing such a policy bearing in mind that the current state pension the vast majority of people get is £135/week. Some of which is then taxed by those who pay the basic rate of income tax.
Furthermore, there is a lot of discussion going on as to whether this so called black hole in the economy actually exists. Because it depends on the way you do the accounting and over which timescales.
And then, assuming you believe that there is a large black hole, what the size is. I have read estimates between £0 and £60 billions.
When I worked in aero engineering, we were talking about manufacturing measurements with toleranceces down to microns. A thousandth of a millimeter.
So I really don't believe anything I am told by economists.
Or politicians by the way.
To be fair there is a real issue here - with an ageing population, healthcare costs grow faster and faster every year, while the number of peak tax payers (in terms of income tax and NICs) falls. Which means that people of working age have to pay more and more tax to cover the costs of those not of working age.
We have to solve that issue somehow. Whatever we do will involve changing the status quo, and I'm sure some people will be worse off as a result. But the alternative is to do nothing and leave our kids to deal with a tax and pensions crisis to go with the climate crisis, housing crisis and debt crisis we're leaving them.
To be fair there is a real issue here - with an ageing population, healthcare costs grow faster and faster every year, while the number of peak tax payers (in terms of income tax and NICs) falls. Which means that people of working age have to pay more and more tax to cover the costs of those not of working age.
We have to solve that issue somehow. Whatever we do will involve changing the status quo, and I'm sure some people will be worse off as a result. But the alternative is to do nothing and leave our kids to deal with a tax and pensions crisis to go with the climate crisis, housing crisis and debt crisis we're leaving them.
I have to be honest, there is stuff in Hunt's statement which should be continued by Labour if they ever get into power.
I do have a question for anyone/everyone that knows - how do we have the highest tax burden in 70 years after 12 years of supposedly tax cutting Tory Governments (e.g. raising the income tax thresholds) and massive austerity, which is premised on spending less money?
Can anyone point me to a clear answer, because I am genuinely baffled.
Your party recently started to refer to the state pension as a benefit rather than something that has been paid for over a person’s working life.
I have to be honest, there is stuff in Hunt's statement which should be continued by Labour if they ever get into power.
I do have a question for anyone/everyone that knows - how do we have the highest tax burden in 70 years after 12 years of supposedly tax cutting Tory Governments (e.g. raising the income tax thresholds) and massive austerity, which is premised on spending less money?
Can anyone point me to a clear answer, because I am genuinely baffled.
I think it's the potentially random nature of the targets (using rateable tax bands) plus the idea of treating the state pension as a means-tested benefit that makes it a bad idea. Plus, I see it as a deflection from the real issue, because it wouldn't save enough money, whereas it would set unhelpful precedents.To be fair there is a real issue here - with an ageing population, healthcare costs grow faster and faster every year, while the number of peak tax payers (in terms of income tax and NICs) falls. Which means that people of working age have to pay more and more tax to cover the costs of those not of working age.
We have to solve that issue somehow. Whatever we do will involve changing the status quo, and I'm sure some people will be worse off as a result. But the alternative is to do nothing and leave our kids to deal with a tax and pensions crisis to go with the climate crisis, housing crisis and debt crisis we're leaving them.
This is at the absolute heart of the matter. Because the system is set up to enable those with wealth and property to create more wealth and gain more property at the expensive of those who work. This underlying philosophy is woven through the policies of all UK governments since the 80s.If it's intended as some kind of OAP wealth tax - why not have a wealth tax? Why is income earned from going to work taxed more heavily (due to the impact of NI, tax allowances and in some cases tax rates) than income from pensions, capital gains, investments, rents etc.
Totally agree, and also inheritance tax as @Smores says above. Apologies for nitpicking but I would avoid the term wealth tax personally as it has overtones of jealousy rather than fairness, so Fair Taxes might be better. Hopefully Labour's spin people can come up with something, terminology-wise.If it's intended as some kind of OAP wealth tax - why not have a wealth tax? Why is income earned from going to work taxed more heavily (due to the impact of NI, tax allowances and in some cases tax rates) than income from pensions, capital gains, investments, rents etc.
Making the tax system fairer is crucial, we need more money to do the things that need doing (on climate change, education, housing, health and on care services etc) a lot of that can and should come from people of pension age but that needs an honest approach to tax not just a gimmick.