to think for this alone we should all vote labour?

[HyperThread]

Ed Miliband promises not to back down on tax avoidance, and promises to put UK tax havens on blacklist unless they end their system of secrecy

www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/feb/06/ed-miliband-tax-avoidance-business-labour

This will make a huge difference to our economy, and unlike Cameron who has completely ignored the issue, and instead of making these multi billionares pay their fare share of taxes, he wants to bring cuts to benefits, when normal people are really struggling as it is.

We really need to get rid of the Tory government, whose policies have mainly been just to make the rich richer. Miliband might not have the charisma and charm that people want to see in a leader, but at least he'll get rid of Cameron and his super rich cronies.

Considering all the important things that could win votes, this is so far down the list.

I actually don't give a stuff about tax avoidance. Those rich people probably pay a tonne of tax anyway (even if it isn't a huge %), it'll still be massive figure. Just because people have got super rich somehow, I think it's appalling that it's OK to envy them and want to get their money off them. Left alone and not abused by the media, they'd probably give big chunks of money to charity. If I was one of the super rich who managed money carefully to minimise the tax bill and I got abused for it in the media like many have, I think I'd feel a whole lot less benevolent to society in general and keep the lot for myself.

All big companies employ tax department staff to minimise their bills

Plus the last labour govt basically set fire to money.

They are shit. The lot of them.

My 4 year old could do a better job.

Bumbiscuits I'll be voting SNP. I feel sorry for those that don't have that option

Don't you think that's a tad obsessed?

TheCat I'm a competition lawyer . We do a lot of economic history. Any form of differential taxation is redistributive. That's how we fund public services. If it wasn't, we would all be only paying for what we directly use. But you'll know all about polarisation of political parties - they all end up much the same in the end?

I would say Britain is a socialist democracy, but not a particularly efficient one ie it doesn't achieve great equality as a result. Then again, that may not be its aim. Its aim might arguably be to achieve a minimum standard of provision and to maintain innovation and entrepreunism. Theres various takes on it.

What I do know though is that without the City of London banking economy, we would be very poor. Its about as large as several of the economies of the major European countries taken together. So to achieve greater equality in the UK would mean dismantling how the City works, and since its so successful in making money and giving the UK a place on the world stage, no-one's going to do that.

But you'll know all about polarisation of political parties - they all end up much the same in the end?

All political systems tend towards becoming aristocracies.

What does it tell you, that two of the three candidates in the 2010 Labour Party leadership election were brothers?

TheChandler Don't you think that's a tad obsessed?

No I don't. Why would you suggest that?

What Sinister just said!

I've never voted Labour. I may do this time (though they will not benefit my interests, and the opposite in some areas). I'm not going to risk wasting my vote with Greens and allow another cons/lib coalition.

Quite right, Sinister.

I've never voted Tory and I'm not starting now. I want a Labour government who will work for the many rather than the few, and I'm campaigning like mad to make it happen. See you on a doorstep.

Yep Labour will be getting my vote. I hope they reduce Tuition Fees. My 12 year old son has decided he won't be going to University as he doesn't want to get saddled with that much debt! I hope they overturn the ludicrous and unfair ruling re.Child Benefit where a family starts losing this once universal benefit as soon as they earn a penny over the threshold of £50, 000 regardless of their outgoings or of the fact that the other parent can't work because they're looking after a disabled child. Another family with an overall income of
£99, 999.98 don't lose any Child Benefit. How nuts is that! They will get my vote because they'll actually start closing down tax loopholes and will expose the corruption still going on in the Banking world (have you heard about the HSBC scandal in the news today?). I hope that Labour would help strengthen the rights of private tenants as the majority of young people will never be able to access home ownership. A Labour majority would also help reduce the disgusting 'benefit bashing' culture which has been encouraged by the Coalition. Roll on the General Election! !!!

The Labour council in this city has spent £15m - yes, that's FIFTEEN MILLION POUNDS - buying a listed building to use as a passenger cruise terminal - without first checking the cost of getting work done to allow this to happen, and then realised that the building isn't actually located where it needs to be. So, at the same time as banging on about government cuts, and nurseries closing and inadequate care etc. etc., they've spunked that money on some empty offices. Oh, and they've previously spent £3m having one road in the business district turned one way and put some nice paving and benches down. Which were immediately ripped up and the holes filled in with tarmac. Such an improvement

Feel free to land on my doorstep and explain why that should get my vote, chilephilly.

Yes, the benefit bashing culture, the food banks... Need I go on? I don't trust the Conservatives to do right by the poorest and most vulnerable of society and that's why I won't be voting for them.

I don't trust Labour to do right about "middle England" (me, my family, my friends, my employers etc. etc. ) - OR the poorest and most vulnerable - they have a historical habit of not overturning spending cuts that have been made by the Tories when the chips are down, because they cannot find the money from elsewhere to do so - I won't be voting for them

Well, as I mentioned up thread. Labour would potentially be trouble for me and I wouldn't ordinarily vote for them.

Who will you be voting for then, Somewhere?

raspberry,
Reduced tuition fees sounds good but where would the money come from?
Even the universities are against it.

that's a good question mamm - here it is a 2 horse race anyhow - Tory/Lib Dem - I tend to vote Lib dem, but not so sure after it helping to provide a "coalition" where we got a pasty duo of compromise from the Tories and general capitulation from the Lib dems.

In Cheltenham a Labour vote is wasted anyhow.

too right tiggytape. We can all hope for a lot of things. I would hope to see a policy on making red wine free at the point of use. Has anyone pledged that yet?

Voting is a private and personal choice.

Pumpkins
Do you have a real opinion or point to make?