“Tax the wealthy” (RR budget) what does this even mean?

[gggddjkki]

I don’t remember anxiously waiting for budgets like we have the last few years earlier on in my adulthood. But when you read statements like this (as I have seen in the headlines today) what do you interpret it to mean? What does taxing the wealthy look like to you? Taxing higher earners more? From what point? Higher taxes on industry?

This country voted for Brexit out of pure racism and xenophobia
Reform is only popular because of immigrant bashing, they have zero realistic economic policies

Do continue.

Brilliant reposte.

Picking on someone’s appearance, pathetic frankly.

How will any of those things not affect public sector workers?

You can only say with any confidence whether you personally voted for Brexit out of "pure racisim and xenophobia". Otherwise you are just making assumptions and to assume makes an ass out of you and me. Which is what I frequently think on these threads when people pipe up with this sort of outrageous suggestion.

I didn’t. I pointed out that public sector pensions are now based on career average, not final salary. You might have inferred an impact on cost but it was neither stated nor implied. I didn’t sneer at you either.

Yes that's all lovely but not what I was talking about before you decided to chip in. Make your own seperate point on what you wish to discuss and then we can see if we want to reply to you maybe?

Believe me nobody would be happier than me if you chose to ignore me.

😆

Means testing of pensions will never happen in the near future - it would be totally unfair to those who planned their financial future expecting a certain amount. The only way they could do it would be for people who had a really long runway to prepare and so it wouldn’t generate any immediate savings.

Well don't reply to my posts that didn't involve you? It's very straightforward.

The only reason it won’t happen is because Labour won’t get a second term.

I think they should use time. I'm asset rich but time poor. I think a tax on underutilising your time would be good. Like the bedroom tax for underutilising property.

A number of reasons which will apply to different people who intend to vote for them:

1. A poorly educated electorate who have next to no understanding of economics so are easily redirected from the pressing issues into flapping around in rage and squabbling over irrelevancies/ directing their anger at scapegoats.

2. Lack of an appropriate alternative and the mistaken belief that “it can’t be any worse” (it absolutely can, and would be).

3. Minimal interest in politics and no desire to engage with facts or economic data or discuss credible solutions and would rather be sold cake, even if it is mouldy and rotten or, indeed, entirely imaginary.

4. Too much time spent watching bilge like GB news or “reading” the Daily Mail/ Telegraph/ targeted social media posts and believing this means they are well-informed.

5. A tendency of many to vote for a party because they find the party leader convincing/ personable, rather than focusing on policy and outcomes.

6. Magical thinking like with Brexit and - due to years of mismanagement having made living standards fall on an ongoing basis - people now (understandably) being so desperate for meaningful change that they are looking for quick and easy solutions and prepared to believe what is quite plainly utter nonsense, falling for the “divide and rule” tactics and shouting down anybody who says otherwise as “woke” or “lefty” or whatever the insult of the day is.

7. Some are very wealthy so would actually gain from Reform being in power, but they are few in number: the vast majority of those who state that they intend to vote for them are from the demographic who would suffer the most as a result but seem to not realise this fact.

8. Of course a few are racists so find the xenophobic rhetoric appealing.

9. Others are from areas where asylum seekers have been concentrated so have genuine concerns about this particular issue because it is causing social/ crime problems, yet seem to believe that this is the main cause of the UK’s issues and declining living standards and that if it COULD be fixed suddenly everything else will be ok, which categorically it will not. But it’s a great way to whip up support from people who would not benefit at all from your policies which is why Farage is doing it.

10. Maybe some of them really did receive their Brexit unicorn in the post?

But I'm thinking of voting Reform and none of those apply to me. Although I do read the Telegraph rather than the Guardian (although no one reads that).

They were able to buy cheap houses, where they are now hoarding all the wealth so they deserve it apparently.

For those that don't get irony, don't @ me

Ok. I’d be interested to hear why and how you believe they would improve things?

No, I think we should reform public spending and significantly redirect it into productive areas of the economy that will raise living standards per my earlier posts, including a large increase in the education budget and therefore the standard of education. This will have the added bonus of having a better-informed electorate in time who are less susceptible to such nonsense and are better able to hold their politicians to account.

They should put NI on unearned income. Its ridiculous that someone earning £50k from working pays more tax than someone receiving income from a trust fund or investments.

Unfunded government schemes are still a cost the tax payer. When the country is drowning in debt that is an issue.

@PlanetMa thank you for answering my question.

Well ideally I'd like to vote Conservative and am still currently a member of the Conservative Party. Voted Conservative all my life.

I would never vote for a left wing party so that means Reform or Conservative. (And I believe women should always vote as women died for us to vote. So I will have to vote for one of those two) But unless a deal with Reform is done the right will be split so I will vote Reform as they have the best chance of winning currently and keeping the left out which I believe is the greatest disaster for this country. Far worse than Reform could ever be. I think a deal will be done.

Immigration is a major issue for me and the Conservatives haven't shown yet they can be trusted on this. And that until recently has been Reform's main raison d'etre. So I will see in 2029 once the manifestos come out as to which of those two I like the look of. I'm fairly confident I will be able to judge which party to vote for by 2029. You will see things differently of course. But I would judge a vote for Labour in exactly the same negative way as you would judge a vote for Reform. And that's the beauty of democracy!

It’s a contractual obligation. It can’t be changed however much of an issue you might think it is. If you really want to see all our public services collapse go ahead and try and change it. The entire reason we pay tax is to pay for public services.

Your first line is what i was saying! About current and future liabilities.

Glad you finally agree.