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AIBU?

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To be sick of politicians using 'fairness' as justification for tax rises?

605 replies

Itchthescratch · 21/07/2026 07:46

Fairness is completely subjective and I notice that this is often shorthand for giving more money to those that contribute the least.

Of course there will always be those that can't contribute much due to factors outside of their control, but we are kidding ourselves if we pretend that there aren't already lots of people that are scraping by doing the bare minimum (sometimes even less) and making completely irresponsible decisions knowing the state will ultimately insulate them from the consequences.

I personally know people that have had lots of children that they can't afford and can't parent properly simply because they wanted to. They are now on an incredible amount of money as the two child cap has been lifted. I know people that have stopped working because they weren't much better off than being on benefits and they couldn't be bothered with the hassle. I know young people that are already planning to stay on disability benefits their whole lives for mental health issues as they want to stay home and game.

Is it really 'fair' to charge the rest of us more to subsidise all of this?

OP posts:
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CurlewKate · 21/07/2026 07:58

I suppose it depends what sort of a society we want to live in.

LuckyHazelFox · 21/07/2026 07:58

If only his fairness extended to businesses, then we might start to see more growth.

Boomer55 · 21/07/2026 07:57

Cheer up - we’re all going to save about £45 per year as VAT on gas and electric is being abolished.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjwxll8jyz8o

Don't spend it all at once 🙄

Man switches on electric kettle at the mains

VAT to be cut from electricity bills in October

Homes will save around £45 a year through the cut announced on Andy Burnham's first full day as prime minister.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjwxll8jyz8o

Itchthescratch · 21/07/2026 07:53

millymollymoomoo · 21/07/2026 07:50

Don’t even get me started on foreign aid, where that goes, waste in public sector, public sector pension unaffordability, temoval
of 2 child benefit cap, and asylum costs. Typical Labour always tax and waste
always politician of pure envy with none of them actudlly having owned a business or any economic literacy whatsoever !

Yes, why isn't the concept of fairness applied to public spending and why does nobody ever ask if this is a 'fair' use of other people's money?

OP posts:
millymollymoomoo · 21/07/2026 07:50

Don’t even get me started on foreign aid, where that goes, waste in public sector, public sector pension unaffordability, temoval
of 2 child benefit cap, and asylum costs. Typical Labour always tax and waste
always politician of pure envy with none of them actudlly having owned a business or any economic literacy whatsoever !

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