Budget Opinions ?

I have given up even looking nowadays as I know this government and its chancellor of the big E will simply continue to rip us off. If you are married but with no kids (and no intention of ever having kids) your role in society seems to be pay tax through the nose with bugger all benefits to sweeten the pill any.

I am fed up with being treated as the money pot for people with kids and those "unfortunates" who need to take their incomes from the state.

Socialism is great - if you are on the receiving end of the benefits. Two incomes and no kids - forget it.

'nuff said.

simple answer - con trick

A typical and very predictable pre-election budget, with a few cheap and not very significant, give-aways to certain groups of voters (OAPs and young families!) in a cynical attempt to get them into the polling stations on May 5th?

No attempt to solve any major underlying problems, which can wait till after they have the next 5 years in the bag and are free to raise taxes to pay for them!

All surface, no substance, many of the 'giveaways' have been announced before so they are not as 'generous' as they may seem. It may be enough to buy them the votes to be re-elected which was its main purpose.

Tax rises in the next budget though to pay for the deficits that they are building up. GB seems to be working on the principle that the economy will continue to grow at 3% thus generating enough taxes.

Having said that, I dread to think what the Tories would be doing now.

quote:

Originally posted by David Stewart:
A typical and very predictable pre-election budget, with a few cheap and not very significant, give-aways to certain groups of voters (OAPs and young families!) in a cynical attempt to get them into the polling stations on May 5th?

Can you be sure that the election was the only motivation for these 'give-aways'? If so, why not make some moves that would be more generally popular?

Regards
Steve M

Give aways?

The budget has only cost him £200M. Apparantly that is less than a rounding error in his accounting.

Surely the public are not going to fall for this buying votes are they?

Regards

NB

Derr what do you expect ELECTION coming up.
He'll get it ALL back from Yeldarb so don't worry.

quote:

Surely the public are not going to fall for this buying votes are they?

The alternative being? Blues won't work, nothing left sell. Orange not sure their maths are any better either.MRLP seems spot on to me.

Howard

What happens when the "don't knows" get in?

So to what extent has the budget influenced your decision about whether to vote Labour or not at the forthcoming election, as opposed to any other issues?

Regards,

Jon

My colleagues in the tax department have been trying to write a commentary - the only problem is there is no substance to report upon.

Our commentary stands a good chance of being a blank page!

Mike

quote:

Can you be sure that the election was the only motivation for these 'give-aways'?

Yes, because GB is a chancellor who wants to be PM!

quote:

why not make some moves that would be more generally popular?

Because they'd be too difficult, too controversial and most importantly too expensive!

Surely you dont believe this man's actions are prompted by much more than self-interest - do you?

quote:

Originally posted by MichaelC:
My colleagues in the tax department have been trying to write a commentary - the only problem is there is no substance to report upon.

Our commentary stands a good chance of being a blank page!

Mike

Mike,

I am hoping none of my clients ring up and ask how the tax changes affect them?

I am not sure what I am going to say!

Regards

Nigel

I remember in the 80's when the whole office would listen to the budget and then go queue in their cars at the nearest petrol station for hours. I know people that changed the tax disc date so they could beat the budget every year. Everything used to go up beyond our means, and it was just a case of by how much! Thankfully those days are over, and you lot are complaining that we are not getting handouts. I'm just happy those Tory days are over, possibly for ever. These Tony's Tories don't seem so bad.

Rasher

If you actually care to peruse petrol duty and car tax increases, you will find that the biggest leaps were made by Dennis Healy in the late seventies. In 1976, Inflation hir 27.8% which is something those long haired lefties would rather forget about.

Regards

Mick

quote:

Originally posted by David Stewart:
Surely you dont believe this man's actions are prompted by much more than self-interest - do you?

Well yes, I do actually.

I don't particularly like Brown or agree with his politics. Nevertheless, I believe that Brown, like many other politicians, tries to do a good job - just like many of us. Naturally, self-interest is a big consideration with all politicians but I'm not cynical enough to believe that it's the only one.

Regards
Steve M

quote:

Originally posted by Mick Parry:
Rasher

If you actually care to peruse petrol duty and car tax increases, you will find that the biggest leaps were made by Dennis Healy in the late seventies. In 1976, Inflation hir 27.8% which is something those long haired lefties would rather forget about.

Regards

Mick

Yes how many can remember the three day weeks, power strikes, huge inflation and unemployment.

Dark days for this country and I would rather not return there.

Regards

NB

For all its faults Labout is nevertheless a very different beast to that of the 1970s. The unions were hugely dominant in the 70s, so much so that governments of the time kow-towed to them - in Heath's case it was the difference between being in power and being kicked out!

Not so today though. I have to say that the one benefit of having Thatcher in power was that she curbed the power of the unions. That IMO has made probably the biggest difference between the Britain we are today and the Britain of 30-odd years ago.

Regards,

Jon

quote:

Originally posted by Mick Parry:
Rasher

If you actually care to peruse petrol duty and car tax increases, you will find that the biggest leaps were made by Dennis Healy in the late seventies. In 1976, Inflation hir 27.8% which is something those long haired lefties would rather forget about.

Regards

Mick

Yup, fair comment, but I was a kid then and was unaware. No comparison to todays Labour Party though. The only similarity is the name.

quote:

I believe that Brown, like many other politicians, tries to do a good job - just like many of us. Naturally, self-interest is a big consideration with all politicians but I'm not cynical enough to believe that it's the only one.

I used to believe in that concept, but have become increasingly skeptical about the new breed of professional politicians with their fat salaries, bloated expense accounts and over generous and rapidly growing pensions all paid out of the public purse. Whatever happened to the idea of public service in the common good???

quote:

Originally posted by Brian OReilly:
How did yesterday's Budget changes work out for you slags ?

Any big surprises or dissapointments ? Are you better or worse off ?[QUOTE]

The changes had little impact on me although the £120,000 threshold for stamp duty might be useful for my next property investment purchase (if I can find anything in Edinburgh worth buying at that price).

[QUOTE]Any sign of vote buying ?

Two very clear moves towards buying votes from pensioners and younger voters.

quote:

Is Gordon selling himself as the next Primeminister ?

Couldn't be any worse than the current one.

quote:

Originally posted by JonR:
So to what extent has the budget influenced your decision about whether to vote Labour or not at the forthcoming election, as opposed to any other issues?

It made no different for voting intentions as far as Labour are concerned. Before the budget I'd never have voted for those scum, and after the budget I'd still not vote for them. Wouldn't vote for the Tories or the Liberal Democrats (who I regard as the worst of all) either though - just as well I'm in Scotland and can vote for the SNP...

quote:

I have given up even looking nowadays as I know this government and its chancellor of the big E will simply continue to rip us off. If you are married but with no kids (and no intention of ever having kids) your role in society seems to be pay tax through the nose with bugger all benefits to sweeten the pill any.

I am fed up with being treated as the money pot for people with kids and those "unfortunates" who need to take their incomes from the state.

Socialism is great - if you are on the receiving end of the benefits. Two incomes and no kids - forget it.

Yep totally the same here.

I think all parties need to agree that the fairest form of tax is income tax. Scrap half the other purchase based taxes (insurance tax, energy tax etc) and council tax and rationalise it into a single heiracy income tax with say a starting threashold of £8K then a flat rate of 30%. (or whatever)

Rasher

The biggest ever percentage increase was made by the Labour government in 1965.

The so called workers party jacked the car tax up from £17.50 pa to £25.00pa.

Average wage in those days was £14 per week, so you can see how much that hurt.

Thank God Blair is more like Maggie than he is to that useless rabble.

Actually Brown is a very good Chancellor and let us be honest, the Labour party are going to win yet again.

Regards

Mick

Seeing Maggie on tv earlier opening a con building in Romford Essex, I now realise why I live in €urope, and I'm very happy about it too, innit.


Fritz Von Britain is almost Bankrupt²