In the event of a Conservative/Lib Dem coalition, would you rather see George Osborne or Vince Cable as Chancellor?

Vince is not going to be chancellor either under the Tories or Labour. They may make up a job title for him, to make him him sound important, but that is far as it is going to go.

A lib dem will not get to be chancellor, foreign or home secretary. They may get another cabinet job, but not a biggie.

Edam Sorry just realised you did understand the 2007 law change . If you feel strongly that all inherited wealth is a bad thing thenn the unfairness of the current system is an irrelevance. So I will leave you to your views.

Edam - thanks for comments. I see your point a out non-dependent adults inheriting money.

But regarding Gordon Browns comments - your MIL's estate is about average for IHT. And I doubt you and your dh are champagne swilling mates of the Cameron's .

In reality rich elderly people with assets above the value of their house, can pretty much avoid IHT by gifting away those assets or putting them in off shore trusts (Zac Goldsmith style).

Also, I might have some bad news for you - based on the article I linked too - your MIL's estate may already be exempt from IHT! But only if she is a widow (with a £700k IHT free allowance) and not if she is divorced or never married.

Now, assume she is a young women with young dc's. If she died as a widow she could leave her dc's the house, as a divorcee or lone parent the house would be sold to pay IHT.

I actually agree with the princible of restricting inherited wealth - I just don't think IHT as it stands is the right way to do it.

Tis all academic though - as I expect it's low even on David C's list at the moment.

I'd love Ken to be Chancellor.

I, for one, don't want Ken Clarke in.

He is very personable but he is known for being utterly lazy.

And of course Osborne doesn't write his own speeches but he politicians certainly come up with the outlines and frames for them.

Actually the best person could be Philip Hammond (currently Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury). I have been mightily impressed by him.

And though these things shouldn't matter, he is also a "working class Tory" who made his own way in the world. It might help Cameron unposhify the top ranks of his Cabinet.

I don't think Dave wants to compromise on anything

I vote Lib Dem. I would want Vince in. DP voted Con he would want Vince in.

Can't see that happening. Con/Lib economic policy isn't exactly similar and can't the economy being something that Dave will want to compromise on.

And he might not have any choice - I'm not sure Ken would do it.

And Danny Dyer is too busy studying the world's most dangerous men, sadly.

Quattro - you can take it as that, as in, if it was a sole Tory government. If there was a coalition, I think that Cable is the best man for the job, he is vastly experienced and well liked, I think he would make a great Chancellor.

Not sure if the Tories would agree but it seemed like DC was hinting at that in his speech as a bone for the Liberals. But then I think that even DC would rather Vince than George.

Vince Cable - or, frankly, anybody but Osborne. Listening to him scares me as he sounds out of his depth already....

INteresting times. Lots of decisions being made this weekend that could affect our futures.
So - shall I go to big M and S or big John Lewis this morning?

Pfft - pmsl at Danny Dyer.

Mwah ha ha at longfingernails believing that politicians of the stature of George Osborne write their own speeches.

Even the City are secretly terrified of what Osborne will do to the economy; he's clueless.

ken clarke please - hasn't he been chancellor before. He's getting on but would be better than osborne.

We need someone with experience. Cable too left wing, osborne no experience and doesn't come across as very bright.

I'm taking that as a (grudging ) admission that Ken would be acceptable. Which has to be high praise from a lefty dragon.

I'm trying to get a Ken bandwagon rolling...

Ken Dodd?

I suppose if it had to be a Tory, then I would imagine Clarke would be well received as a Chancellor and up to the job. But he indicated on Question Time that there was no way he would do the job didn't he?

I can't imagine many people worse suited to the job of Chancellor than George Osborne. Maybe Danny Dyer.

Pfft, but how would you feel about Ken?

I would sooner see Daddy Pig as chancellor before George Osborne. But TBH, I don't think George will ever be Chancellor. No-one likes him.

Neither. Bring back Ken!

Either would be a nightmare

Please can we have Ken Clarke?

I'm think I'm Conservative (I took the policies, it say I was evenly split between Con and Lib but live in a Cons safe seat) and I would prefer to see Vince Cable in post. I think. But then again having a Chancellor from a different party could be very problematic.

cable but he wont get it. gideon baby has been reading all his economics books and practicing on his calculator. shame to let all the effort go to waste.

Jackstar - yeah, I understand the arguments, I was one of the MNers who went to see David Willets. I still think it's extraordinary that anyone can claim that someone who inherits a house worth £750k is somehow being discriminated against! Or that someone who lives in a house worth £750k is a victim in any way. Even in London, £750k gets you a very nice house that most people can't afford.

Dh will benefit from the change in IHT law so houses that have been inherited by a husband or wife can then be passed on when the surviving spouse dies without paying IHT if they are worth less than whatever it is - £650k? His widowed mother lives in a five bedroom house in the home counties within commuting distance of London. (His parents moved there in 1970 and extended - they were ordinary people not particularly wealthy, value is all house price inflation.)

BUT I don't think it would be unfair for dh and his sister to have to sell the house (or raise a mortgage) and pay tax on the bit over the old IHT threshold (think it was £350k). As long as his mother doesn't go mad and leave it to a dogs' home, he and SIL will be the lucky beneficiaries of house price inflation. Paying tax on massive capital gains you did nothing to earn seems fair enough to me - everyone who has far less than that amount pays tax, why shouldn't dh and SIL?

vince cable for me

George, through gritted teeth. Won't want Lib Dems anywhere near the economy.