Tax
Osborne vs Upper-Class* Subsidy Junkies
Fraser is quite right: it is absurd that higher-rate tax-payers are paid child benefit. Ben Brogan is also right to note – though of course he uses some pretty extreme… Continue reading
30 CommentsCameron neglects to mention his tax cut for the middle classes
David Cameron’s interview in the Telegraph this morning is striking for three reasons. First, despite the interview appearing on the day of the Labour leadership declaration, there’s no attempt to… Continue reading
6 CommentsAlexander’s arguments
Danny Alexander’s announcement of a £900 million clampdown on tax avoidance, evasion and fraud is designed to reassure Lib Dems that the coalition’s policies are fair, that it isn’t balancing… Continue reading
21 CommentsPolitician of the Year
Andrew Stuttaford says Alexei Kudrin is Finance Minister of the year but, surely, that understates matters? Russia’s finance minister has told people to smoke and drink more, explaining that higher… Continue reading
3 CommentsCameron devolves the tricky issue of alcohol pricing
Politicians often get nervous around alcohol – and not just because, in these straitened times, a glass of champagne can broadcast the wrong image. No, the real concern is the… Continue reading
22 CommentsThe FCO’s dubious Prevent grants
A few weeks ago I wrote for Coffee House welcoming the Government’s decision to scrap Prevent grants administered by local authorities. In that article, I cautioned that scrapping something should… Continue reading
9 CommentsGeorge Osborne must put spending cuts ahead of tax rises
In 2009, Britain borrowed more, as a share of its national income, than any country that isn’t being bailed out by the IMF and the Eurozone (Greece) or already making… Continue reading
4 CommentsThe two sides of the VAT question
There are two main aspects to the VAT issue: one distasteful, the other less so. The distasteful one is the issue of whether the government has a mandate for hiking… Continue reading
11 CommentsLord Ashcroft clarifies a few things
After all the hoo-haa about Lord Ashcroft’s tax status, it’s only fair to mention this passage from his interview with the Telegraph today: "He explains that new laws brought in… Continue reading
6 CommentsTo increase capital gains revenues cut rates, don’t increase them
To address the deficit, George Osborne will probably have to raise taxes. This is a grim truth to which most people are reconciled. But raising taxes and raising revenue are… Continue reading
29 CommentsCameron’s public debate with his backbenchers
So, did Cameron say anything particularly noteworthy during his interview on the Today programme? In truth, not really. Most of the answers were of the "let’s wait and see what… Continue reading
31 CommentsMind the culture gap
Danny Finkelstein’s column this morning is one of the most important things to have been written since the coalition was formed. Danny makes the point that the coalition has no… Continue reading
16 CommentsLet’s Talk About Tax
We know that europe and perhaps electoral reform will be difficult for the Tories and Lib Dems to agree upon. So let’s talk about something else: tax. Cameron’s email to… Continue reading
5 CommentsThe Lib Dems’ turn to convince?
So now it’s the Lib Dems’ turn to present their prospectus for the country. And, in some respects, I expect they’ll want a fairly uneventful day. They have, after all,… Continue reading
8 CommentsWill Labour’s manifesto mean the end of VAT attacks on the Tories?
You know it’s the day you’ve all been waiting for, CoffeeHousers – the day of Labour’s manifesto launch. Last Thursday, Douglas Alexander described the document as a "progressive programme worthy… Continue reading
36 CommentsEven Cable can’t defend the Lib Dems’ misleading poster
This poster by the LibDems is perhaps the most dishonest one of the campaign so far – and Vince Cable has pretty well admitted it to Jon Sopel on the… Continue reading
35 CommentsThe Times is wrong about the Tories’ marriage tax break
Since The Times moved its leaders on to page two, they’ve also taken on a new vitality. For years, they were the voice of solid good sense. It was pretty… Continue reading
24 CommentsThe case for voting Conservative
Why vote for Cameron? The reasons for voting against Gordon Brown are so numerous that the positive pro-Tory reasons for voting are often lost. This week’s Spectator gives you all… Continue reading
48 CommentsHow Labour and the Lib Dems are attacking the Tories’ marriage tax break
This morning, we’ve already seen the two primary attacks which will be used against the marriage tax break outlined by George Osborne in the Times today. The first came courtesy… Continue reading
35 CommentsTories remain on the front foot over national insurance
A copy of a letter that George Osborne sent to Alistair Darling today: Alistair Darling The Labour Party 39 Victoria Street London SW1H 0HA 9 April 2010 Dear Alistair, In… Continue reading
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